[CAUT] Fwd: Steinway sound-Hammer weights

[Fred Sturm]

On Mar 3, 2011, at 4:12 PM, David Love wrote:

>  The Ronsen
> Bacon felt hammer is in the same category, I think.  However, the  
> Ronsen
> Wurzen and Weickert felt hammers are firmer and will rise to the  
> appropriate
> level with some play-in and a minimum amount of hardener.


	Thanks for the detailed feedback, David. I agree that unadulterated  
Steinway hammers and Ronsen Bacon simply won't "come up" with play, at  
least in my experience. It is good to know that Ronsen Wurzen and  
Weickert are enough firmer that play in at least might be sufficient.  
I have heard some enthusiastic stories about those two hammers, but on  
follow up privately the story changed a bit to be that the tech loved  
the sound, but to please people hardening was needed. I haven't had  
the spare time and money to experiment myself.
	I think I will stick to a moderate voice down. Or a major voice down  
if that's what it takes. Unlike some, I am not afraid of 40 - 100  
strokes per hammer, as long as they are not gut-wrenching strokes.  
WIth mildly dense hammers, it is more a matter of 10 strokes per side,  
which I find quite reasonable. I prefer voicing down (to the dream of  
just putting hammers on and having them be perfect as is), as I can  
feel the hammers, adjust them in more than one direction, actually  
influence the voice of the piano. I have the impression that there not  
too many techs who have the basic fundamental chops in that line of  
work, judging by all sorts of comments.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
http://www.createculture.org/profile/FredSturm