feltmakers vs hammermakers

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Birkett" <birketts@wright.aps.uoguelph.ca>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: January 15, 2001 9:44 AM
Subject: feltmakers vs hammermakers


> This gets a little bit at the point of Del's rant, i.e. was there
> something unique about the Royal George felt (as has been often believed)
> or have they successfully adapted to a new source (the feltmaker), with no
> changes to the properties they desire in their hammers (the hammermaker)?
>
> An interesting water anecdote I was told by someone who worked at Royal
> George Mills. Apparently people would come for miles around to imbibe the
> pristine, pure Spring water for which the area was famous. Just before
> the mill closed, the engineers decided to clean out the pipes, inlets
> etc., whereupon they discovered the rotting corpses of many a sheep and
> other biological detritus. The water never tasted the same after that.
----------------------------------------------------

Stephen,

It is, of course, possible that there is something in the water that might
account for some obscure and subtle difference in the characteristics of
felt made in one location vs. another.

However, the kinds of changes and variations we are hearing and seeing
between the traditional old piano hammer construction and the so-called
'modern' piano hammer construction are not that subtle. What you are
referring to are the functional and performance differences you might see
between a Chevy and a Ford when what we are really faced with are the
differences you might find when comparing a Chevy with a Freightliner. (For
the non-U.S/Canada reader, the Freightliner is a very large, brute force
semi-truck tractor.)

Yes, there was something different about the Royal George felt and it was
something Bacon could easily have duplicated had their customers wanted
their felt done that way. When I first visited Bacon, both they and R-G were
all part of the same group (the SCAPA Group?) and the Bacon people were well
aware of the various processes R-G used. It wasn't the water. Nor was it
just the felt. When I was doing my hammer making experiments we were able to
compare both feltmaker's products and there certainly were differences but
good hammers were pressed from each type of felt. And either company could
easily have met the others specifications.

Regards,

Del
Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Designer & Builder
Hoquiam, Washington  USA
E.mail:  pianobuilders@olynet.com
Web Site:  http://pianobuilders.olynet.com/