Chickering tone

[Jon Page]

Two things come to mind.
How much hardener is in the hammers and
is there enough in the shoulders for power.
Secondly, weight; the original hammers were
probably light. A heavy hammer may deaden tone.

I have achieved a better sound from rebuilt vintage
pianos by lightening the modern, heavy hammers.
This would be my first course of action.
Possibly different hammers altogether.

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
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At 04:20 PM 4/17/97 -0700, you wrote:
>I would like your ideas on ways of enhancing the " volume " from and
>tonal quality of the strings in the treble section of a Chickering grand,
>8 1/2 ft., c. 1850 ?   This piano had previously been given a new
>soundboard, tenor and treble bridge re-capping, new shanks & hammers, new
>strings and the action regulated.
>   Crown is present in the board. (amount ?)  Bridge is said to be tight
>to the board. Soundboard is tight to the inner rim. (as can best be
>determined). Hammer manufacturer unknown. (hammer felts have been
>chemically treated to harden).  Piano is tuned to A-440.
>    I would appreciate this information for my own knowledge and also for
>a fellow technician who's not " on line ".

>    Michael Hart
>    thart@tcnet.net

Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
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