Hammer Types

[Ric Brekne]

Hey there Barbara

You know, I pretty much have to believe that a good voicer can get 
enough power from just about any set of reasonably well made hammers. 
And, I'd go further to say that one should be able to create pretty much 
as wide a dynamic range from set to set.  Ok... we are not talking Young 
Chang Royal George super steam pressed yes ???.  Decent hammers.

The difference between NY and Hamburg pianos is something I hear an 
awful lot about lately...from both sides of the fence. And if a general 
consensus or anything nearly like that is to be the judge.... I'd have 
to guess there is something wrong in New York... yes... right there in 
River City as it were.  Not having the opportunity to judge a lot of 
NY's of new date tho.... I hesitate to take sides.  The Hamburg 
instrument tho is indeed a lovely thing.  And I am quite sure that a 
competant voicer of any particular style could achieve a very fine and 
very powerful voice regardless of method and choice of hammer (again 
withing reason).

The <<best choice>> in any case has to do with what is easiest to work 
with for the individual voicer.  As many know by now... I just love the 
medium pressed Wurzen II's from Renner that are made to Andre's 
specifications.  I find them delightful to work with given the kind of 
voice I want to get out of a piano.  But thats a long shot from 
declaring that these are <<the hammer to use>> in any given case/any 
given technician.

If you need a BIG sound, you need to go to a bigger (heavier) hammer and 
you will need to make sure the leverage of the instrument can handle 
your choice. Ok.. thats a statement as if of fact... and I know there 
are folks who dispute the mass/soundlevel conection.  But my experience 
is such.

Lots of things involved in each instance. 

Cheers
RicB

    Hi Ric,

    Well, it's pretty little!  :)

    Hmm, I was actually wondering about the power issue, since I've
    heard more
    than once concerns about Renner hammers cutting through the
    orchestra in a
    bigger hall.  I've never heard of a problem with a Hamburg Steinway
    being
    heard.  There is a possibility that I *may* have another big, not as
    big,
    but still big, dead hall to try to fill.  :)  Since I hear oo-la-las
    about
    Hamburg Steinway pianos (Yes, I understand that this is a NY piano) and
    groaning about the hammers coming out of NY, I thought I'd test out
    Hamburg
    hammers as another possibility.

    Just thinking out loud here, you understand.

    BTW, Brooks Encore (the plain ones) hammers solved the problem on that
    Seiler grand I was goofing around with for so long.  Two problems were
    solved--the nasty sound and a touchweight problem that hadn't been
    mentioned
    by the customer (I pointed it out).  He was extremely pleased with the
    results.   Ed Sutton will be happy to know that I ended up using
    pitch-locks
    on two of the notes instead of brass half round, etc.  ;)  This was the
    customer who had developed a hearing sensitivity and wanted me to do
    something about the tone quality to satisfy his ear, but also have
    the piano
    be acceptable to his musician friends.  As a technician friend said
    to me,
    how often does one get that kind of request?

    Barbara Richmond, RPT
    near Peoria, IL