advice on action/hammers

[Robert Moffatt]

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Dear Mr. Antares,

A restoration does not, in musium work, include replacing any thing!
If one were to replace any parts, it is not a restoration, but, at =
least,
an attempt at a partial rebuild!!   I am addressing the difference =
between
restoration and rebuild of course.

Bob




Subject: Re: advice on action/hammers


> Dear Mr. Larry McFatter,
> It is my opinion that when one does a restoration, one should go all =
the
> way. It is therefor necessary to replace, in any case, the shanks and =
the
> hammer heads.

=20
> Friendly greetings
> from
>=20
> Antares=20
> Amsterdam, Holland
>=20
> > From: Larry E McFatter <mcfatter@csusb.edu>
> > Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 14:37:04 -0800
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: advice on action/hammers
> >=20
> > I'm not a technician but a performing pianist who is very interested =
in
> > great piano sound. I'm facing a decision about my own piano for =
which I
> > need the advice of professionals who make these decisions on a =
regular
> > basis. Eighteen months ago I bought from a rebuilder/restorer a =
Mason &
> > Hamlin A made about 1918 that is used as my practice piano at home. =
At the
> > time of purchase everything had been restored/refinished (new pin =
block,
> > pins, shimmed and refinished soundboard, dampers, new strings, case
> > refinished, etc.) except the action and hammers which are the =
original
> > ones. The piano had apparently not been played much in its previous =
life and,
> > since the action and hammers were still in acceptable condition, the
> > decision was made not to rebuild/replace them yet. I've given the =
piano a
> > workout and listened to it very closely since its purchase. I'm now
> > satisfied that the restoration work that has been done to date has =
been
> > good and that the piano has inherently a fine, broad tonal spectrum, =
but
> > the tone is being compromised by the old hammers and action. So I'm =
asking
> > for your advice on which action and hammer combination (i.e. Renner =
action
> > + Abel hammers, a Japanese action + Renner hammers, etc.) you =
believe will
> > give me the tonal results that I want to achieve and superb control, =
even
> > at very soft dynamics. Because the piano is used in my home I need =
somewhat
> > different tonal characteristics than I might need for a piano in a =
recital
> > hall or playing with an orchestra. I'm very concerned to avoid that
> > shallow, over-bright, strident tone that tends to plague the asian =
pianos
> > (especially) after only a few years of regular use. It's been =
suggested to
> > me that I avoid high tension hammers in favor of ones that may =
initially
> > sound a bit mushy but will age more gracefully. True? Here's what I =
want:
> >=20
> > 1. a dark, rich tone at soft dynamics (like dark chocolate?);
> > 2. a warm, round tone at medium dynamics (milk chocolate?);
> > 3. an edge of bell-like brightness (but not over-bright or strident) =
at loud
> > dynamics (milk chocolate swirled with tart raspberry?).
> >=20
> > Any thoughts? (about the piano, I mean; I already have plenty of =
chocolate).
> >=20
> > Larry McFatter
> > Music Department
> > California State University, San Bernardino
> > mcfatter@csusb.edu
> >=20
> >=20
> >=20
>=20
>=20

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