[CAUT] what do they look like?

[Ric Brekne]

Hey Wim

By now Big Red has probably assured themselves of sitting on the 
sidelines during Bowl Season...  so the time is ripe to ask for money 
for replacing the hammers :)

Seriously tho... I dont have my camera handy for a few days or I'd take 
a few shots of the Yamaha C6 set I just replaced. The grand is 5 years 
old.  The highest treble were down to the wood, and in general the rest 
were perhaps rougly half their origional size.  Much like the picture 
Kent posted except I usually keep a good oval shape when I file.....even 
when they get that small.

Best thing is to show them hammers before filing tho... you know... 3/4 
inch flat-tops... veritable aircraft carriers with profundimo deep 
grooves ....caverns.  Set up along side of a new sample hammer the 
comparison should be quite telling.

Next week I'll see if I can line up that old set and take a few shots 
for you tho.

Cheers
RicB

    A couple of you have indicated you replace hammers after 3 or 4 years.
    I am sure there is a need to do that, but what I would like to see is
    what those hammers look like.

    The chairman of my department is a very nice guy, and very supportive
    of me, but he's a French horn player, and has no clue about pianos. I
    have not had a budget, even though I keep asking him for money to
    replace parts. I have given him a list of needs amounting to over
    $50,000, and although he agrees that there should be money allocated
    to replace parts, as long he personally doesn't see a need, I doubt if
    he will work hard to get me the money I need.

    So perhaps a picture, or better yet, an actual hammer that was
    replaced because it was beyond use on a concert or studio piano, he
    might get the "picture". Maybe if he has an idea of what other piano
    tuners are doing, he'll give me some money to do my work.

    Wim  
    Willem Blees, RPT
    Piano Tuner/Technician
    School of Music
    University of Alabama
    Tuscaloosa, AL USA