Hello, A few comments : The piano is a S&S D (Hamburg) 28 years old, but the hammers/shanks have been changed 12 years before. So these are the ancient kind of original Steinway Hamburg hammers, with Kotibe moldings (actually "American" maple) (they have been walnut moldings till 1965-70 (year unknown precisely ) The felt was denser and there where more felt than actually, the moldings where thinner in the treble too. They begin to use Wurzen in the 90' , then the molding changed for a white wood (American maple I believe) - they begin to use Wurzen at this moment I guess (unless a different Wurzen quality was employed before, I am more inclined to think they used VGF felt, another felt make in Germany) Nowadays, these heads where made by Renner (as actually) for Steinway. No under felt in the treble (never have seen on Hamburg Steinways) The way the basement (the battery) have been "drained" is clearly seen, they are not toning well, the tone is very strong and immediate, with emphasis on higher partials and a lot of knocking, the coloration and warmness is poor. It was just the last voicing before changing them, as the piano is in a large studio the power is not a problem, a little supplement of strength have been given, with the tension of the key frame, then the piano is very well accepted as it is despite new heads should be sounding better. it is fun to see how an experienced tech can have an acceptable tone from these instruments under less than optimum conditions. The shape is typical of the wanted shape for Hamburg instruments. I understand that it is a tad pear shaped because of the battery needling that enlarge the basement and the top shoulders . Usually when new the shape is more diamond looking as Andre said recently (with the Wurzen filz it is necessary nowadays, because of the mellowness of that fiber, a round shape is absorbing too much high partials and strength. The shape is given by sanding with emery cloth, one side, then the other, 80 to 120 grit, then 360-400 backed linen or 3M finishing film and it is always lightly sanded with very fine grits (the magic 3M micro finishing film that goes from 100 grit to 3000 or so) and also finished with a hot iron, we see the marks of the ironing on the sides. The biggest problem in this place is that the air is so dry all along the winter that the hammer's fiber is too brittle then and it break to easily. The new Wurzen hammers resist better to that, their fiber looking as if it where treated with woolite or such, keep more of a "moisten" structure in the dry season. The one and only Renner blue hammer I've seen looks like Wurzen filz to me, but the pressing was very different from usual The lower shoulders where not pressed a lot and the battery was not very firm (and no agrafes to hold the felt there) I felt they where expecting the resiliency to be given mostly by the fiber, but without the presence of a firm foundation, and the pressing of corse harden the internal layers some. The Wurzen is slightly yellow/grayish in color with reflects as with cashmere wool. It react very well under the needle, can be hardened ,compressed, or made more springy easily and without a lot of needling as said by Andre. If needled hard, it stiffen (but care !),if needled firm/strong it is made resilient, if needled lightly or slowly the tension is distributed more softly (and with less result). The tone with this is very warm and full with preeminence of lower partials, until the piano have been played a bit and higher partials take more place in the spectra. The springiness is also coming back easily if over needling. The felt is probably more expensive than others, but it is actually used on all the production from Renner (I was said). I will ask them again, but sometime it is not easy to know all the "secrets" ! Greetings Isaac OLEG Entretien et réparation de pianos. PianoTech 17 rue de Choisy 94400 VITRY sur SEINE FRANCE tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98 fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90 cell: 06 60 42 58 77 > -----Message d'origine----- > De : pianotech-bounces@ptg.org > [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]De la > part de Richard Moody > Envoyé : jeudi 5 juin 2003 07:52 > À : Pianotech > Objet : Re: Hammer shape - Steinway (Hamburg) > > > These picts are from a Hamburg D ? Are the hammers 12 years old > or is the piano 12 years old. What brand are the 12 year old > hammers? I notice no under felt and picture # 0019 seems close > to the "pear" shape I was told about when in training. > Interesting the different terms used to convey the "ideal shape" > of SnS hammer. ---rm > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Isaac OLEG <oleg-i@wanadoo.fr> > To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 4:51 AM > Subject: Hammer shape - Steinway (Hamburg) > > > > Here are pics of some 12 years old hammers on a D Steinway, > these > > have been reshaped once, and the base (the battery have been > needled > > to death so the shape of the largest ones is not "perfect" . > > But still these are nice shaped Steinway hammers IMO. > > > > Best to all > > > > Isaac OLEG > > > > [Photos at:] > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/bf/f9/f5/71/1608001 > 9.JPG > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/e1/c7/da/e8/1608002 > 0.JPG > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/eb/7f/b1/05/1608002 > 2.JPG > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/be/4b/e3/1a/1608003 > 2.JPG > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/f2/39/6d/6e/1608003 > 4.JPG > > > > > https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/files/attachments/4a/73/79/d7/1608003 > 8.JPG > > > > [Alternate URLs:) > > > > http://tinyurl.com/dejj > > > > http://tinyurl.com/dejn > > > > http://tinyurl.com/dejq > > > > http://tinyurl.com/deju > > > > http://tinyurl.com/dek0 > > > > http://tinyurl.com/dek4 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > pianotech list info: > https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >
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