Upright hammers

[David Love]

If he plays very hard I would put on Ronsen Bacon Felt hammers.  If he
likes it brighter, use their German felt.  Tell him that the piano will be
softer until the hammers "develop" as a natural function of playing (though
the German felt hammers will be plenty bright at the start).  A hammer that
does not have a pronounced flat spot on the striking surface will produce a
tone that is more focussed, i.e. cleaner and rounder with better sustain. 
Someone who enjoys the sound that a hammer with 3/4" deep grooves makes may
be hard to convince of what good tone is.  In this case, I would probably
put on a sample or two, one around note 40 and one around note 60.  If he
has already agreed to putting hammers on then try and describe what will
happen and if that isn't convincing enough you will have to put on a
sample.  Build the putting on of samples into your price.    If you are
trying to sell the job, you will have to decide how you want to deal with
it.  On a grand it is quite easy to swap out a shank with a hammer preglued
(I usually carry a few around with me just for that purpose).  With an
upright, you have to take the time to remove a hammer or two, have a sample
that you can glue on (with the right bore) and then change it back when you
are done.  It does take time.  However, there is no better way, in my
opinion, to illustrate what a new hammer will do for tone than by putting
on a sample.  

Of course, your old mentor, Sheldon Smith, was a strong advocate of
Steinway hammers on many different types of pianos.  I don't think that's a
bad choice either--though a bit more expensive.  You can get a very similar
tone with a Ronsen Bacon felt hammer and a little bit of lacquer.  

David Love
davidlovepianos@earthlink.net


> [Original Message]
> From: Jason Kanter <jkanter@rollingball.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: 2/17/2004 6:33:54 PM
> Subject: Upright hammers
>
> Greetings, List. I'm back after about a year of concentrating on my day
job
> as training manager at a bank. Just got laid off, though, so while seeking
> another day job I am able to devote more time to piano work.
>
> I have a client who has an old, old Chickering upright (maybe 1920) whose
> hammers badly need replacing. He plays very hard and the striking surfaces
> in the upper bass are worn down to the point where what is striking the
> string is about 3/4 inch of grooved hammer felt. Can you recommend the
best
> source for replacement hammers? I read somewhere that older uprights tend
to
> have lighter hammers than more recent manufactures.
>
> The client is completely in love with this piano as it sounds NOW, and
keeps
> asking me how the tone will change when it has new hammers. He obviously
> wants the best for his baby but does not want its special qualities
ruined.
> What words can I use to describe how it will change?
>
> Thanks in advance
> Jason Kanter
>
>
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> jason kanter * piano tuning * piano teaching
> bellevue, wa * 425 562 4127 * cell 425 831 1561
> orcas island * 360 376 2799
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>
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