Brian, Since you have lack of tuning levers, I'd recommend the Faulk carbon fiber...real, beautiful wood... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 Original message From: PianoCare2 To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 3/21/2009 1:42:20 AM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Fujan tuning hammer review Hello Michael I enjoyed your observations. A colleague owns a Fujan tuning lever, and he considers it the best in tuning levers. I however have the same sickness as you . I own too many tuning levers, and I have only been in the industry for 20 years.!! Let me start on my “sickness”. I started with an original Hale. Don’t know why I went on my search oh levers as I still think this is a great lever. After a stint in the Kawai grand factory, I wanted one like their tuning levers An Itoshin 11 ½ inch lever with a short head. 1 3/8 inch I purchased the lever in Hamamatsu. I should have bought the longer head. 1 ¾ inch Great on Kawai pianos. I have since bought the Watanabe adjustable and non adjustable levers. All three Japanese levers I have cut at least 1 inch off the length and shaped the end. The problem with the Watanabe levers is that they are just too heavy. Next in my search was the Schaff 21C rosewood which has an overall length of 10 inch. I have every head to go with it but my favourite is 1 ¼ 5 degree. The problem with the tips is that they don’t seem to fit tuning pins to my liking. I fit the watanabe tip to the schaff and all is ok. This tuning lever solution I use on frequently tuned pianos.( after reading your observations I am now aware of the flex ) My hand position is holding the lever in a bike handle grip with my thumb extended to the head. I like this method for best control. Develops bigger muscles on the tuning arm also! I purchased the Jahn extension lever after noticing a number of German techs using them. I agree with your opinion of the flex there is minimal. I own the 5 and 10 degree heads and have the number 2,3 and 4 tips. I prefer the 5 degree head. With the pianos I service with 7.35mm tuning pins, I have to use the 4 tip, however it is longer than the standard 2 and 3 tips. 1 ¼ for 2 & 3 and 1 5/8 for 4. I reversed the head when I use the 4 tip however I believe that the lever is too high from the tuning pin. I also think the lever is a little heavy. I also have the urge to cut off the end of the lever as well but I know that one day I will need all of the length to tune some of those tight tuning pins you mentioned. I am getting tense just thinking of them I also have a Cyberhammer don’t like it. A Schaff Mini good for top treble on grands. I also have a Flugelbauer hammer on which I fit the watanabe head and tip. Good for uprights, however don’t like the knob for grands. So after describing all this madness, you have made me interested in the Fujan lever. My colleague uses his with the wooden knob, and this is the reason I have never tried it any further. And too long .. I do know that he can feel every lump and bump like I want to. I didn’t know about the other options. I’ll give his Fujan a go on Monday . So Michael, what do you recommend for me? Best regards Brian Wilson Australia From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ryan Sowers Sent: Saturday, 21 March 2009 4:00 PM To: pianotech at ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] Fujan tuning hammer review Nice article! I've been seriously considering the Fujan, although I'd like to compare it to Charles Faulk's new carbon fiber lever. Also Mayer Gluzman's knock-off version also seems like an interesting choice. A fellow in our chapter has both the Fujan and the Mayer lever and preferes the meyer lever because of the ease of swiching heads and tips. So many choices... On Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 8:59 PM, Michael Musial <neeper99 at hotmail.com> wrote: Hi Recently there has been discussion of tuning levers on this list. I have been using a Fujan hammer for some months now and would like to share my take on its use. I made a website to present these observations in detail.... maybe too much detail :) Hope you find it worthwhile... http://thundermush.com/fujan/ Michael Musial RPT Express your personality in color! Preview and select themes for Hotmail®. See how. -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA www.pianova.net No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.0.238 / Virus Database: 270.11.18/2008 - Release Date: 03/20/09 19:01:00 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090321/c4be100e/attachment-0001.html>
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC