hammers

[antares]

Let me try to make clear one thing about the Renners with Wurzen felt from
Europe :
It is possible to ask for a not so hard hammer so that voicing them is a
piece of cake. 
Allow me furthermore explain about the Wurzen felt : This was the beautiful
felt way in the past, before Russia invaded the East of germany. You see, in
the East of germany there is this small place called Wurzen and that is
where they make this felt. The conditions for making felt have always been
superb there, amongst others because of the water, that's why all the great
factories like Schiedmayer, Blüthner, Steinway Hamburg, Bechstein,
Bösendorfer etc. used to buy this particular felt. One can distinguish it by
looking at the sides :if you move the hammer a bit you can see the grain of
the felt and it reminds me of very expensive Kashmir shawls, and that is
actually what we see : condensed Kashmir wool.
The wool fibers come from the best wool in the world and the makers of the
felt have experience based on more than a century of felt making.

I have voiced very many piano's. As a matter of fact, it is my daily
activity. It is the most difficult part of creating a beautiful tone and
that is why I have invested so much time in learning this process.
On the one hand I - every time again - fear the job because it is always a
crucial moment and I always hope that the hammers are not too hard, on the
other hand, because I am on edge I usually bring it to a good end because I
have the experience and after 5 minutes know have aquainted myself with the
new hammers and know my course.
For a voicing technician, the intoneur, it is crucial to not have too hard
hammers, as it spoils the pleasure.
For that reason I have also invested very much time, energy and miles to
find out where in Europe I could find the nicest hammer felt.
When I finally found it, it gave me much pleasure and assurance that I was
not the only one deciding for this felt : as I have explained before, most
Steinway, Bösendorfer, Bechstein and Yamaha also chose for this felt at the
same time and Yamaha makes the CFIII-S hammers in such a way that it even
takes time for the hammers to find their balance and become tough and hard.
The latest Yamaha concert hammers are the easiest ones of them all because
the (Wurzen) felt is nice, soft and gentle.
Nowadays even Samick (in Incheon) buys Wurzen felt from Germany and they now
make their hammers themselves in Korea.
Steinway Hamburg chooses for a somewhat harder pressing which gives the
instruments a more brilliant tone from the beginning but after a few Months
of professional playing we start all over again, which (at least here in
Europe) is a normal process and pretty nice for my bank account.

With this story I DON'T mean to tell anybody that this is THE ONLY felt in
the world.......hey! on the contrary!.... I have no knowledge of the
American felt makers and have no opinion about it either.


friendly greetings
from

Antares,

Amsterdam, Holland

"where music is, no harm can be"

visit my website at :  http://www.concertpianoservice.nl/


> From: "Clair Dunn" <cadunn@vt2000.com>
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Thu, 4 Jul 2002 05:49:38 -0500 (CDT)
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Subject: re: hammers
> 
> Dale Erwin, et al.
> 
> I have been following this hammer discussion closely because I will
> be "re-hammering" several pianos in the next couple of months (all
> pre 1930 pianos).
> I have picked up the Renner and Abel are hard hammers and for many
> folks, hard to set up.
> I would like to know who makes "softer" hammers--what Dale prefers.
> I think I would prefer these too.
> I have ordered a set of Abel Lights for a Brambach b.g. and would
> love to know what's in store for me re set up.
> Thanks much,
> Clair
> 
> Clair's Piano Service
> http://www.vt2000.com/cps/
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>