<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Ed,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> As I have read your posts I keep thinking to myself, isn’t it funny how we can all be using the same group of hammers and have such different results and opinions of them? My experiences with hard-pressed hammers here have been almost exactly the opposite from yours. I’ll digress a moment here to mention that I used to be quite enamored of the Abel hammers I was getting from Wally Brooks, especially the larger “performance size” hammers. (This was during the period where you couldn’t count on getting a set of Steinway hammers within 6 months after ordering them and when they came they looked like potatoes). I put them on everything from Steinway Ds to Baldwin Ms and thought they were the cat’s pajamas because they made the pianos speak right up with a clear voice. After a while though, I found that there was something that just wasn’t satisfying about the sound to my ears. I found the same thing with Renner Blues, though I didn’t use them as much. When I put them on a Steinway, it sounded like….well, it sounded like a Steinway with Renner hammers on it. It was missing something to my ears. At about this time, Steinway decided they were going to have a real parts department with parts in stock and I decided to try Steinway hammers again. I was pleasantly surprised. The hammers looked better than ever and have been improving ever since. When I fax in an order the hammers are here 2 days later without fail. They also filled in what I heard was missing in the sound…they made our Steinways sound like Steinways. I like the Ronsen Wurzens too, and we have put them on quite a few older <st1:place w:st="on">Baldwins</st1:place> we have in our practice and rehearsal rooms. A caution: the 16 lb Ronsen Wurtzen are pretty darn heavy so you’ll need an action with a good ratio to handle them. I put them in larger pianos and they sound really good. The 14 lb hammers work well in the smaller grands. I’ll probably try Wurzens on a couple of practice room Steinways next chance I get to see how they compare. I love being able to experiment on instruments that get a lot of use…you can find out a lot in a short period of time.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> As far as longevity goes, I’ve found that 2-4 years in one of our piano-major practice rooms will pretty much do in any hammer made. The more popular pianos will wear out faster because they are probably played 20% more. I tried putting Abels on a couple of our Steinway Ls and they sounded great for about 2 months and then started becoming harsher and harsher very quickly. They sounded like hell after 1 year and were beyond voicing because they were so flat on top. I replaced them with Steinway hammers and found that they sounded better for a longer period of time and were easy to voice down when they got harsh. Even though they will ultimately wear out nearly as fast, they have what I consider a longer “useful” life. That is, they sound better longer. Ronsen Wurzens are about the same as the Steinway hammers. My experience is that they have a longer useful life. The Ronsen Bacon hammers are an economical alternative but don’t sound as good to my ears and need more juice to get them to speak.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Eric<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> Eric Wolfley, RPT Head Piano Technician Cincinnati College-Conservatory of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Music</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cincinnati</st1:place></st1:City> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of A440A@aol.com Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 7:41 AM To: caut@ptg.org Subject: [CAUT] Oops,My take on them,<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> I writes: <o:p></o:p> I think I am going to do just that. <o:p></o:p> I think I am going to pay more attention to where I send the "reply" button, sorry for the off-list reply, BUT,  while I am here.....    I have no particular allegience to any hammer, but have been using theRenner because I became familiar with how they develop and how I can maintain them.  I don't like the amount of needling work they requre but it has been worth it for the longevity and tonal range I can get out of them.      How have the Ronsen AA Wurzen and the Ronsen Bacon felt hammers performed in heavy use situations, out there?  Thanks and mea culpa, Ed Foote RPT ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com<o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>