older steinway grands

[Farrell]

Is it not the case that with an older American piano with an original soundboard - which presumably originally functioned reasonably well with a relatively soft hammer (such as a Steinway) - may function well with a relatively soft hammer such as a Steinway, Rosen, or Isaac if the soundboard is surprisingly well preserved, but may function better with a more firm hammer such as an Abel or Renner if the soundboard is not working quite as efficiently as it had originally?

In other words, optimal results might be in matching new hammer hardness to soundboard condition? And hence, a remarkably well preserved 1920s A3 may perform well with a set of Steinway hammers, whereas one may find that old B, that arguably should have been upgraded with a new soundboard, might do best with something more firm?

And I would suppose also, that one would have to stir personal preference into this whole mix as well!

Full of Speculation, But Lacking Substantiated Facts and/or Experience,
Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joseph Garrett" <joegarrett@earthlink.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 12:31 AM
Subject: Re: older steinway grands


> Hmm? My suggestion is to put the appropriate hammer on, instead of the BBs,
> (that translates to Big B_ _ _ _  _DS. Or, Hard as BBs!<G>). The Hammer I
> recommend is the Ronsen Hammer, with Silver Maple Molding and European Felt.
> Talk to Ray, he knows.
> Best Regards,
> Joe Garrett, RPT, (Oregon)
> 
> Been There, Didn't Like It, So I'm Here To Stay! [G}
> 
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