[CAUT] NY hammers/ Hamburg hammers

[Ward & Probst, Inc]

April 10, 1979 we had an F5 triple Siamese formation blow a mile plus wide
strip through Wichita Falls. I got to work on quite a few "twister" pianos.
I know you love pianos more than to wish that on them but I appreciate the
humor.
 
The best story was the Conn console that was picked up and set down six
house away from the original home. Actually I should say six slabs away as
that part of the city looked like a photo of Hiroshima after the nuclear
bombing. It was picked up, sat down on the slab in playing position (the
only vertical thing around) and other than scratches and usual debris inside
(insulation, wood splinters, etc) it was playable after cleanup. Well, as
playable as it was before...

DP
Dale Probst, RPT
Registered Piano Technician
Midwestern State University


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David
Love
Sent: Saturday, February 12, 2011 9:31 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] NY hammers/ Hamburg hammers


Yes, it seems like I've gotten into more trouble trying to force something
on a piano that I believe *ought* to work than I have letting the piano tell
me what I *ought* to do. Not always easy though. Pushing the piano into the
path of the twister is something I've thought about from time to time. David
Love www.davidlovepianos.com (sent from bb)

-----Original Message-----
From: "Ward & Probst, Inc" <wardprobst at wardprobst.com>
Sender: caut-bounces at ptg.org
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:04:34 
To: <caut at ptg.org>
Reply-To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] NY hammers/ Hamburg hammers

Absolutely no disagreement here in theory: concert techs should be able to
deal with hot or cold press hammers, the two basic schools of hammer making
respond to different techniques. 

My practical experience following some highly regarded concert techs, was
they seemed to apply what they knew to an instrument more often than
figuring out what it needed. Sometimes it didn't work out so good.

One thing you learn early living on the edge of the Staked Plains is that
tornados always blow from southwest to northeast- except when they don't.
It's good to have a Plan B and, as the locals refer to it, a Son of B. It
really helps to figure out which way the wind is blowing. It's even better
if you know what to do before the tornado hits. 

Down in the bar ditch,
Dale
Dale Probst, RPT
Registered Piano Technician
Midwestern State University

(snip)