Night And Day

[Erwinspiano@AOL.COM]

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In a message dated 7/1/2002 7:59:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com writes:


> Subj:Re: Night And Day 
> Date:7/1/2002 7:59:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time
> From:<A HREF="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com</A>
> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>
> Sent from the Internet 
> 
>      Hi  Terry

     I don't think you are all wet. But I do think much of this discussion is 
about hammer and voicing preference based on experience
    Some years ago When Bob Davis and I taught our Everyday voicing class we 
installed 13 different hammers in the middle octave of the piano. We used a 
stwy because our samples were on stwy shanks. We then set out and voiced this 
octave as well as we could. Mind you these hammers were all different weights 
and 13 different makes. Some had sloder wrapped around the shanks for weight 
etc. 
    During class we would play the octave several times chromatically and 
then ask if the octaves voicing sounded uniform and also what kind of hammers 
did folks think these were.
     Usually a majority of the folks thought the voicing was quite good and 
were astounded when we'd pull out this action with a hodge podge of hammers. 
  Our point was that  familiarity of all voicing styles and tricks along with 
a proper understanding about how hammers produce tone would allow the tech to 
be able to voice any brand of hammer. 
  I think what you'll find is that any piano with a decently designed 
soundboard system can be voiced/hammered with a variety of different makers 
hammers and sound great and in many many cases far superior to the original 
sound of the original equipment.
   That being said I think that some vague generalitys can be made. Stiffer 
soundboard systems seem to require more hammer weight and more felt 
stiffness. 
   My experience says that softer more reselient hammers give me personally a 
tone/color I prefer even if I have to juice it up which I'm totally 
comfortable with. But I've voiced quite hard Abels in several Mason A's which 
sounded like glass when raw and the pianos sounded incredible after I 
literally pulverized the hammers with needles including many deep stiches 
into the crown. Did it sound good?yes. Do I think the hammer needed to be 
that hard to start with? I didn't think so.
   My prefrence is I don't like to do that much needling. It shouldn't be 
necessary.
  Also voicing stability should be and is a major  concern. The more I find I 
must needle, the faster the hammers rebound to there original harsh sound and 
more frequent voicing is required, and clients don't really appreciate that 
if it's too often.
  I find the softer more reseileint hammers even when lacquered ( or 
whateverd) properly to usually provide for ,in my opinion, longer lasting 
voicing stability.
    From a rebuilders or manufacturers point of view it is to my advantage to 
use a hammer that provides for voicing stability and tonal dynamics that 
shows off the piano (our work) for as long a period as possible without the 
difficulty of excesive voicing either initially or in the clients home.
  Does this make sense??
.... Dale Erwin
    

> 
> It seems that I read sometimes this hammer is too hard, that hammer is too 
> soft, etc. Is it not the case that some hammers will work with some piano 
> types, and other hammers with other pianos? Such as, softer hammers might 
> work well on pianos with efficient soundboards, a firmer hammer, such as an 
> Abel, might work good on an older piano whose soundboard has lost some of 
> its efficiency, and maybe and rock hard hammer (asian) will work well with 
> an asian piano that maybe has a relatively inefficient soundboard design?
> 
> Isn't that a better way to look at the hammer question? I can't believe an 
> Abel is no good for any piano, and I can't imagine that an Isaac or a 
> Steinway hammer will work well on all pianos.
> 
> Or am I just all wet?
> 
> Terry Farrell
>   


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