[pianotech] Brighter Yamaha

[J Patrick Draine]

Ronsen hammers, of course! Skilled American craftsmanship, Weickert Special
felt (other felts available too), cold pressed.
Patrick Draine

On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 11:33 AM, Tom Rhea, Jr. <rheapiano at cox.net> wrote:

> ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
>
> Hi ****Del****,****
>
> ** **
>
> Do you have any recommendations of good hammer makers?  I’m rather new in
> the business and haven’t had to do a complete hammer job – yet – but I hope
> to be doing one soon on a parlor grand and I’d rather have a good set of
> hammers that will do justice for my client.****
>
> ** **
>
> Thanks in advance,****
>
> Tom****
>
> ** **
>
> PS: If you prefer, I can be reached privately at the e-mail address below.
> ****
>
> ** **
>
> T****
>
> ** **
>
> Rhea Piano Service****
>
> Tom Rhea, Jr., Technician****
>
> (757) 373-0284****
>
> **rheapiano at cox.net******
>
> **www.rheapiano.com******
>
> **** ****
>   ------------------------------
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Greg Newell
> *Sent:* Friday, November 30, 2012 11:14 AM
>
> *To:* **pianotech at ptg.org**
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha
> ****
>
>  ** **
>
> The only real problem being that so very many have a dummied down idea of
> what piano tone should be that their techniques work for the majority of
> the market place. L****
>
> ** **
>
> Greg****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Delwin D Fandrich
> *Sent:* Friday, November 30, 2012 10:58 AM
> *To:* **pianotech at ptg.org**
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha****
>
> ** **
>
> Yes, well, good luck with that….****
>
> ** **
>
> I’d be happy if hammer makers would simply stick within the known bounds
> of what wool will tolerate. It’s been known for some time now that pressing
> wool felt with lots of moisture and too much pressure and too much heat
> produces piano hammer shaped objects that are incapable of producing the
> basic musical nuances we expect from our pianos yet some hammermakers—and
> pianomakers—continue pressing wool felt with too much moisture and too much
> pressure and too much heat forcing the stuff into something having the
> shape—but not the soul—of piano hammers. And piano technicians continue
> buying these atrocities and they continue recommending the pianos fitted
> with them to their overly trusting customers. And then, when the pianos
> don’t sound “right,” they have to drag out every heroic voicing technique
> in the book in a desperate attempt to make those piano hammer shaped
> whatever-they-are musically less bad. Bah! Humbug!****
>
> ** **
>
> ddf****
>
> ** **
>
> Delwin D Fandrich****
>
> Piano Design & Fabrication****
>
> ****6939 Foothill Court SW**, **Olympia**, **Washington** **98512** **USA*
> *******
>
> Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525****
>
> del at fandrichpiano.com — ddfandrich at gmail.com****
>
> ** **
>
> *From:* pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org<pianotech-bounces at ptg.org>]
> *On Behalf Of *Euphonious Thumpe
> *Sent:* Friday, November 30, 2012 5:14 AM
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha****
>
> ** **
>
> Yup. A very good argument for the development of synthetic wool hammers!
> (And other piano felts -- as real wool collects humidity, thus encouraging
> rust on contacted metal parts.)
>
> Thumpe****
>
> ** **
>   ------------------------------
>
> *From: *Delwin D Fandrich <del at fandrichpiano.com>;
> *To: *<pianotech at ptg.org>;
> *Subject: *Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha
> *Sent: *Fri, Nov 30, 2012 5:55:38 AM ****
>
> Wool is hygroscopic. It does absorb and desorb moisture and the tone
> characteristic changes as a result. Normally the change is slight and
> gradual. This may not be so slight.
>
> I'd certainly let time do what it will before attempting to chemically
> harden hammers that already have the reputation of being granite in
> disguise. And then, if they do not harden up enough to cause permanent
> hearing damage after they have dried out I'd sand off a layer before
> pouring
> on the chemicals. And, as Ron suggested, I'd try ironing them a bit.
>
> ddf
>
> Delwin D Fandrich
> Piano Design & Fabrication
> ****6939 Foothill Court SW**, **Olympia**, **Washington** **98512** **USA*
> ***
> Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525
> del at fandrichpiano.com — ddfandrich at gmail.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
> Behalf
> Of tnrwim at aol.com
> Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 8:30 PM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: Re: [pianotech] Brighter Yamaha
>
> Thanks for the advice, so far. As a follow, I've that high humidity has an
> effect on hammers. This piano sat in empty house for five years in ****
> Hilo****, but
> was moved to **Oahu** 2 weeks ago and is now in an air condition hall.
>
> ****Hilo**** is on the Windward side of the Big Island of Hawaii, where
> it rains A
> **LOT**. The piano is only 6 years old and has never been used. It has
> had a
> string cover and a damp chaser, so there no damage, and the hammers are
> virtually brand new.
>
> Would the being exposed to a lot of humidity be the reason the hammers are
> soft, and if I just wait 6 months they will brighten up by themselves?
>
> Wim
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Nov 29, 2012, at 3:57 PM, tnrwim at aol.com wrote:
>
> > We usually have knock the edge off Yamaha hammers. But a church just got
> a
> small grand where the killer octaves need a little boost.  What is the
> recommended method for "juicing" up Yamaha hammers
> >
> > Wim
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone****
>
> ** **
>
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