New Hammers on Old Piano

[Erwinspiano at aol.com]

Hey Terry
  I'm the proud owner of one this brilliant design  & fine piece of 
engineering. This one is not 100 years old but built in  the 20's.  I haven't looked at 
it for a while but the plate,board &  block should come out as a unit.  BTW 
this is a very stiff board/system  Partly because it has a very straight  
bridge roughly 2 inches tall  which accounts for  quite a lot of  mass to move 
things  around.  The overall sound was very musical. We nicknamed it killer 
because  it's heavy on one side & it fell over on Dennis when He & Jacob moved  it.  
....He survived to name it.....yes.....killer
  When I hammer it  I will sample ,sample but I will  lean towards trying the 
Wurzens first or  Whatever works best.  I am  very excited to get this piano 
up & running.
  Dale

I'm rebuilding a WNG action for a  100-year-old Julius Bauer grand - about 
6-foot. This is the one with  the lightly-built case, and plate that looks like 
it should be the frame  for an army tank. It also has the soundboard with ribs 
on both sides. The  belly is all original, in very good condition, and will 
be getting new damper  felt and bass strings.
 
I'm looking for recommendations for new hammers.  I've been using mostly 
softer cold-pressed hammers, but those are for  Del-Fandrich-designed bellies. I 
suspect this soundboard differs  significantly from a Del-design - and as such, 
may well do better with a  different type of hammer. I've used Abel Lights 
with much success on  original-bellied old American pianos in the past (S&S, 
Baldwin, others),  and left unguided, I might be inclined to go with them - just 
thinking that  the soundboard is likely not as efficient as a Fandrich-design 
and might  benefit from the firmer hammer.
 
Anyone have any thoughts on this matter?  Thanks.
 
Terry Farrell
 
BTW: This piano is absolutely amazing. I have  never seen a more finely 
constructed piano. The plate must have twice or more  the cast iron that a 
similar-sized Baldwin or S&S would have. The pinblock  is surrounded on five sides 
with cast iron - only the bottom is open. The  belly rail is arched - like a full 
inch - to induce a crown into the  soundboard. So many unusual features - the 
lack of wooden rim (only a  small one) and complete lack of rim bracing - and 
the way the  plate is the entire structural component of the piano - this is 
really a  cast-iron piano with a decorative wooden case. If you enjoy studying 
piano  design and construction, you really need to go through one of these 
very fine  pianos.



 
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