[pianotech] New hammers

[Ed Sutton]

Ryan-

I agree. I don't use steam on Abel hammers. (I only use steam on bad hammers that won't take a needle.)

Abels will open very easily, and they need some deeper needling to get a gradient of resilience from the surface down into the hammer. The surface shouldn't be overworked when the "clang" is really coming from further down in the hammer. When the core and shoulders are working right, it doesn't take a lot of surface work to get rid of high partials.

The Abel Natural felt hammers seem to need perhaps only a third as much needling as the standard Abels.

Ed S. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Ryan Sowers 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 3:06 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] New hammers


  It looks like this is the other side of the discussion that is going on in the Pianoworld technician forum:

  http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1223332/replacement%20hammers%20for%20Weinba.html#Post1223332

  Richard, 

  With all due respect, I'm concerned about your approach to the voicing. The red flag for me was using steam on an Abel hammer. Abel hammers respond well to tradition needle voicing, and I would never choose to use steam on a hammer like this. If you have a client with discriminating taste, you may need to call in a tech who is a voicing specialist. I have done this on more than one occasion, and it has been very insightful. The client will usually appreciate that you are willing to bring in someone with more experience - they will feel that you really want them to be taken care of. You may also gain some very valuable information. 




  -- 
  Ryan Sowers, RPT
  Puget Sound Chapter
  Olympia, WA
  www.pianova.net
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