On July 19, Robert Dettling wrote, >>Could any one give me advice on what hammers to get for a Steinway O grand >I did one before and did not like what Steinway sent me . I heard that Renner's >royal blues are good . I would like the hammers to be light. If light hammers are a concern try Steinway again, you will not experience the problem with heavy touchweight especially in the bass section as will happen using either Renner or Imadegawa hammers. We receive Steinway hammers on a regular basis and I do not have any problem with them although I would suggest getting them unbored. I have Peter Collora in Dallas bore and taper the sets. His work is better than factory and very consistent. His phone number is 214-351-6636. Wally Brooks also has excellent hammers made by Able with mahogany mouldings for lighter weight and his service is fast and workmanship great. The enlightening discussions on hammer weight and geometry have certainly made me re-think our approach to rebuilding performance instruments. One parameter that we feel is required is the issue of key ratio, which to get right we now send our keyboards to Bob Marinelli for complete new keys and balance rail positioning. This builds a foundation that I think would enable one to use the denser hammers without sacrificing responsivness. Steinway felt is still the easiest to file and shape in my opinion and is not over pressed. I still prefer the quality of sound from soft hammers judicously hardened rather than needling hard hammers down. Authenticity of parts used is an issue not often mentioned here but in the concert arena anything but Steinway parts on Steinway pianos can be a problem with artists. The voicing of the Renner hammers on a New York "D" may be perfect for one pianist but become an issue for another only because they are not factory endorsed. It sometimes is a factor even with the average customer so we are careful when explaining to the customer whose parts are being installed in the instrument. The first Steinway I owned was an "O" with original parts. The hammers were large but light in the bass and quite small in the treble with mahogany mouldings and the piano had a big sound even before being rebuilt. Ronsen may be our last link with tradition with their cold-pressed hammers. Hope this has been helpful. Brent Fischer Arizona State University Brent.Fischer@ASU.EDU Arizona State University/Tempe
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