I would like to suggest that when a set of interesting hammers is replaced, a representative sample (at least highest and lowest and middle C, preferably more) be saved, identified as to source and characteristics, and sent to a museum where they can be preserved for future study. The loss of old hammers (and other parts) seriously impedes understanding of historical voicing trends. Old, worn-out hammers might seem like junk, but such junk from the 19th century and earlier offers priceless tangible evidence, for example as a guide to replication.
Thank you for considering this effort.
Laurence
----- Original Message -----
From: Dale Erwin
To: caut at ptg.org
Sent: Sunday, February 20, 2011 10:53 AM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fwd: Lacquered hammers
Many times I will find a set of pre-war hammers that are almost intact. Thinking perhaps I can use these,... only to find upon inserting a needle that the felt grabs the needle and the felt gets harder and grabbier the deeper I push. This is not the characteristic I expect in an untreated/un-hardened pre-war Weickert felt hammer.
AS David L. said...the virgin ones are quite different. I agree.
One virgin set I encountered 2 years ago was on an all original 1920s Steinway M in a catholic church. It was lined with much marble with acoustics resembling a stairwell. These hammers were grossly worn out & quite flat with huge long string grooves....yet... I was surprised that the piano sounded amazingly musical and sweet. Pulling the action I inserted/pushed the needles into a variety of hammers to test density & they went in so easy. No grabbing. It was effortless. I shaped one as best I could and the sound became a bit more focused and not harsh or gnarly as would be expected from many hammers on the planet. I was hoping to rebuild the action and save the hammers for demonstrations. Still waiting.
My Wifes cousin in Vancouver has a Canadian upright. The name I can't recall. Same experience. He is a professional musician and has played this upright hard and the thing still sounds amazing. The action looks like its in a time warp. I can't be sure what the felt is but Jurgen tells me this brand most likely employed Weickert felt.
For whatever the reason, our experience is different.
Dale
If one is exposed to enough original sets of pre -war Steinway hammers and tried to get needles into the suckers then the odds are greater that you can't because there too D_ _ _ hard due to lacquer/shellac/or magic crystals. When that solution was applied of course is anybodys guess but it was obviously done for a reason. SO lets extrapolate! ok?Somebody wanted a change in tone.
Odd. I’ve been exposed to quite a few pre-war Steinway hammers and have rarely found evidence of chemical hardeners.
ddf
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/caut.php/attachments/20110220/f6be045b/attachment.htm>
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC