Wurzen felt

[antares@euronet.nl]

I have written quite a lot about Wurzen felt on this list (and other 
e-mail places)  but usually there is hardly any response, despite the 
importance of this matter. Only a few techs have responded at all and I 
suspect it has to do with the difference in voicing between America and 
Europe and the use of hammer dopes in the USA.
In Europe it is not a common practice to use 'soft' hammers and then 
dope them with a hardener.
European intoneurs want firm hammers or even loud hammers as it is in 
their tradition to needle them down to what they think they should be.
I personally prefer a hammer with as little hammer dope as possible. 
Why? because hammer dopes kill the natural elasticity in the fibers, 
thereby definitely changing certain 'lively' aspects in a tone.
In the past all the hammers of the great European builders were covered 
with a felt that was lively, with very elastic fibers, but yet firm and 
with a very satisfying tone. On some older untouched Steinways, 
Bechsteins, Schiedmayers, Blüthners and Bösendorfers we may still find 
this marvelous Wurzen felt.
It is not too hard and not too soft and thus requires both some 
needling and hardener in the extreme treble and bass.
If I understand it well, Americans just work the other way around : a 
very soft hammer, to be hardened to the right level of crispness and 
hardness with 'a' hammer hardener.
I honestly think that both the Americans and the Europeans seek the 
same kind of tone but in a different way as they both have different 
traditions and backgrounds.

Anyway, Abel hammers are louder because the felt is much more dense and 
Abel does not share the preferences Renner customers have, whereas the 
Wurzen hammers produced by Renner are more open structured and require 
less needling. The sound between the hammers produced by these 
factories is completely different.

I have my own rather strong opinion but I certainly wish to respect the 
preference of people who have a different opinion.
There are many different wines so to speak, but I was just wondering 
why so few techncians react to this issue as it actually one of the 
very aspects of our trade.....



Antares,
The Netherlands

see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl


On vrijdag, mei 9, 2003, at 00:31 Europe/Amsterdam, 
Pianotek2000@aol.com wrote:

> I agree.  Lloyd Meyer told me that the Premium Blue hammers use this 
> special
> felt exclusively and their hammer making process is unequaled in my 
> opinion.
> I've been through their factory.  Occasionally, they come out a little 
> too
> hard for many American technicians which requires more effort than 
> they are
> used to.  But, the result is definitely worth the effort.  If a 
> technician is
> not getting excellent results with these hammers, they might reassess 
> their
> own voicing techniques.
>
> John
>
> In a message dated 5/8/03 10:31:44 AM US Mountain Standard Time,
> antares@euronet.nl writes:
>
> <<
>  And I think that there Wurzen felt hammers are definitely the very
>  finest hammers in the world.
>  Why else would STW Hamburg, Bösendorfer, Schimmel and Bechstein, to
>  name just a few, buy there hammers from Renner?
>
>  Antares,
>  The Netherlands >>
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>
>