On zondag, mei 11, 2003, at 04:30 Europe/Amsterdam, John Hartman wrote: > You make some good points. As I see it the process of bending the > delta shaped felt around the molding is to produce this density > (stiffness) gradient. The real beauty of Lacquer is that you can > increase and control this gradient at will. Many think that lacquer is > used only as a last ditch effort to breath life into a dead piano but > used this way it is an indispensable tool for tone control. No mater > how a hammer is made it will not have a great enough stiffness > gradient to bring out the full dynamic range available on a fine > quality grand. > It depends on what you call the "the full dynamic range". I have here at home for instance a Steinway O with brand new hammers. They are PERFECT copies of modern Steinway hammers and also covered with Wurzen, just like the original Steinways, and the weight is exactly the same too, exactly. Ant the tone and dynamic range? My wife begs me to start the voicing very soon as the instrument hurts her ears (the instrument is in her studio). Besides... I was at the Steinway factory for one Month and mainly for voicing. Sure they use hammer dope (diluted Zappon lacquer), but only, in the extreme treble and bass. I hope you agree that a brand new Hamburg Steinway has enough dynamic range without the help of hammer dopes? Antares, The Netherlands see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl
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