Laury and Dale, I've often left original parts on note #1 and #88 on older pianos with completely original parts thinking it may be of value to someone most likely long after I'm gone. I absolutely agree with you that this is important... not sure about leaving middle C in there.... Dale, as for felt being grabby... try rubbing the voicing needle on the side corner of your nose.... just a little of that natural grease will make all the difference. As for those old soft hammers sounding sweet I suspect they are very light by today's standard, in which case being very soft would produce a sweet tone the likes of which many of us in this modern age have never known or even had the chance to experience on so called "modern" pianos. Such light hammer weight surely does not drive out the full vibrational potential of the soundboard that modern hammers exploit so fully. Light soft cold pressed hammers still have valid applications in small rooms or salons... not concert halls. I think we've lost touch a little bit with the pianissimo colors that are possible even with modern weight hammers... Tone range can be expanded by extending the pianiissimo ranges as well and for this I absolutely live by the Alfred Dolge guidelines: "The art in hammer making has ever been to obtain a solid, firm foundation, graduating in softness and elasticity toward the top surface, which latter has to be silky and elastic in order to produce a mild, soft tone for pianissimo playing, but with sufficient resistance back of it to permit the hard blow of fortissimo playing." Alfred Dolge - Pianos and Their Makers If we ever feel lost in this modern world we can always find ourselves through context to the past. Understanding and knowing historically how pianos evolved always brings us to center. Very important stuff! thanks Laury, David Stanwood >¤ > >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: <mailto:erwinspiano at aol.com>Dale Erwin >To: <mailto:caut at ptg.org>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
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