Hi Eric
Interesting post. Not having any real experience with the New York
variant I hesitate to speak directly to the issue of NY Steinways
pre-lacquered hammers. But my experience in general is that the more
control I have over the entire voicing process the better. This is an
available option to me when I re-hammer a piano but not so when taking
over responsibilities for brand new instruments.
Hamburg uses lacquer only in the highest octave region, and they add
this solution before any needling is done. This is contrary to advise
from Georges Amman, there top independant and most sought after course
instructor at the Academy. He taught us to first get the <<body>> of the
hammer optimal, even in the highest regions before adding any solution
to increase brightness and power. I must say the three sets I witnessed
(mine and the other 2 participants) responded beautifully to this
approach. All this said.. I've taken responsibilites now for 3 brand
new D's a C and 3 B's fresh from Hamburg and cant say I have found any
unacceptable start condition for further voicing.
But I do prefer to do it from the get go myself. I get to know the
hammer / piano better that way much quicker.
Cheers
RicB
Israel,
Since last December we have received 72 new Steinway grands
including 2 Ds and 20 Bs which we selected in NY. During my 4 trips
to the NY selection room in the course of a month I developed a
pretty good rapport with Dirk and Terry who are the concert
technicians preparing pianos for the selection room. The official
word I got from them and others there at the factory including Kent
Webb and Eric Schandall is that each set of hammers is pre-soaked
before installation in 3:1 lacquer/acetone. The whole set is dipped
for 30 seconds is what I was told. In the later voicing operations
they will apply more 3:1 acetone/lacquer to the crown if they think
it is necessary. My experience with these pianos as well as with
other sets from Steinway I have ordered and installed is that more
often than not more lacquering is necessary, especially in the high
treble and bass. I don't know of any "plasicky" stuff that is being
used at Steinway. The concert techs used to use an acetone/keytop
solution applied very sparingly (2 or 3 drops) to the crown if a
note needed a bit more attack but they are now using acetone/lacquer
in the same way instead, at least at the factory. When I hear
stories like yours I am always amazed because my experience has been
so different. I have had a lot of contact with the Steinway folks at
the factory over the years having taken all the Steinway Academy
classes and going there for many selections so I don't think my
experience could be seen as being isolated. I am very pleased with
the hammers Steinway is making today and am having wonderful results
here at the Conservatory as well as with the work I do on C&A pianos
for the Cincinnati Symphony. It concerns me that others might read
your post and think that Steinway is sending out hammers that are
"pre-plasticked" and unusable which simply has not been my experience.
Eric
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