voicing/juicing ronsen hammers

[Don Mannino]

Terry,

I put some samples of the Ronsen hammers with Wurzen felt on a Kawai piano 
for use in a voicing seminar in North Carolina a couple of weeks back.  I 
think those who heard them in the class would agree that they sounded very 
nice.

The initial tone was a little too soft, so I first shaped them a little to 
get a more uniform shape (they were a little lopsided) and fit the strike 
point to the strings.  They still needed a little more, so I filed them 
with 1,000 grit sandpaper a little up and over the strike point.  This 
helped a little more.  Finally I deep needled them at the widest point - 9 
and 3 O'clock, with the needles pointing up towards the tip of the molding, 
but not passing over the molding.  This increased the power quite a bit, 
and the class agreed that they didn't need any more.

Don Mannino RPT


At 09:29 PM 11/8/2004, you wrote:
>For those who have used them, or know about them,  has anyone find it 
>necessary to lacquer Ronsen's Wurzen felt hammers? After hanging a set on 
>my G1 yamaha, the tone is quite nice and uniform, but lacking in power. 
>I'm told these hammers can be "voiced up" to some extent by deep needling 
>at about 11 &1 o'clock. Will this not "mellow" the tone? They are plenty 
>mellow to start with. I thought that adding 3:1 ratio of lacquer to 
>acetone and soaking the lower shoulders until it wicks to the moulding 
>near the tip was the way to add fff potential.
>If so, what is the best way to do this consistently from one hammer to the 
>next, avoiding the crown? There is an article on lacquering in this 
>month's PTJ, but I'd like as much feedback as I can get before I attempt 
>this. thanks!
>
>Terry Peterson
>
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