This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Horace, Great advice as usual. The piano was made in 1975. Those backcheck = wires certainly have had a going over! As always, thank you. Barbara From: Horace Greeley <hgreeley@stanford.edu> Date: August 31, 2004 10:20:40 PM CDT To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org> Subject: Re: Big hammers Hi,=20 At 07:10 PM 8/31/2004, you wrote: I guess I'm showing my ignorance but what are you talking about? I'm not sure, Avery. From the few that we can see, these actually look = like pretty workable hammers, to me....I've certainly seen much, much = worse in day-to-day use on concert instruments in "name" venues. Barb - I would be more concerned about overall action geometry that the = size of the hammers at this point. Those knuckles look a bit close to = the flange pin. Also, looking at the backchecks, this is a pre-'87 = instrument (for _me_, this is a GOOD THING!...largely because of the = significantly larger range of regulation possible...long subject and I = am not looking to start a discussion)...being of that vintage, you are = also going to want to check not only action spread, but also deck height = from the keybed to the CP of each of the whippen and hammer flanges. = Try to carefully assess what was actually done at the factory, and what = has been done since then...looking especially to see if there has been a = change in the material under the back rail cloth. Usually, this would = have had a layer of red key felt, often on top of one or (sometimes, but = not often) two layers of what amounts to manila card stock (this latter = usually dark brown in color). Also, check to see when/if anyone has = replaced the balance rail pivots; and/or the front rail (felt) = punchings. etc. In other words, before doing _anything_ try to get a very solid idea of = what it is you are looking at. Then, work backwards. As someone = (Andre? Isaac? sorry) noted, sometimes (even often) "just" a good, = solid regulation will do more for tone and projection than even many = technicians will believe. So, after all that, those look like S&S hammers; and, from what little = can be seen of them, they look as if they are fairly well molded and = shaped...so, look elsewhere before simply throwing them out and starting = elsewhere. Best. Horace ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/76/45/ce/cf/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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