This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Terry and list Just got back from Reno. I spent all day at the Stwy& sons = presentation. It does appear that intelligent and thoughtful changes = are being slowly incoporated into parts making as my previous post = supported. The company has new and very expensive parts machining = equipment that has obvious quality enhancment benifits of action parts. = They have invested about a million $ a year to improve the parts = division. I did handle a set of hammers at the booth that looked better and = denser feeling but what I'm being told by many peole using them is that = many sets are still requiring 3 applications of 3 to 1 laquer! If thats = the case I still can't jump up and down about using them. My prefrence = would be to start with a bit denser felted hammer,meaning one that is = more firmly pressed from its manufacture and one that I can get the = tone I like with a minimum or less than 3 applications of juice . Experience tells me the more juice needed to get tone the more = problematic is the voicing process and potential for error in over = juicing. That being said I really love the sound of a properly and = judiously laquered hammer. This is the way Steinway has always = developed there sound and people like it including me.There is a sound = that comes thru that is a warmer, clearer and more(complex) = interesting(I.M.H.O.) than the hard hot pressed vareitys(Totally My = bias). The down side is that laquer (not plastics)voicing takes more = time to set up get hard and changes over time. That being said I'm going to try a set. I like there shape, the = molding and especially the amount of felt that sits over the top of the = hammer in all octaves but especially octaves 5 and 6(The money notes) = I'm very familiar with the felt being used and its from a top quality = domestic source (the Bacon Felt company). If any of you listers are = trying a set remember they are a way heavier than old original sets. I = will still get mine unbored and will fully taper and weight prep them = myself.=20 If the piano is in the shop applying multiple sets of juice is not = such a big deal but if you are traveling back and forth some where far = it's very expensive to return multiple times to check on the progress. I always listen to the raw set before applying any hardner. It's a = conservative approach and it just makes sense until one is completely = familiar with a given product(style of hammer). One last word concerning the action parts is that Kent webbs portion = of the presentation was one That is suggesting rather loudly that one = size fits all situations. Meaning that a 17mm knuckle placement and the = new wippens will work equally well for touch and regulation on all the = stwy actions. And it just ain't so. Any of us who have been doing this = kind of work for some time know that because of the stwy actions = floating capstan line that the geometry is and can be radically = different from action to action. Hence the pre- 1984 parts and the = current parts of varying dimensions. It pays to make the right choices = here and that begins with a thorough anlysis prior to ordering parts. =20 Dale Erwin ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Farrell=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 4:20 AM Subject: Re: New and improved Steinway parts.BUT not the hammers! I went to an Arlington class by Nick Gravagne about how wonerful the = new S&S hammers are (and other parts). If I am understanding your post = correctly, the soggy hammers you refer to are the original hammers off a = S&S built at least 6 years ago? So this may not be representative of the = "new and improved" S&S hammers. The ones we used in class were real nice = right out of the box with just a little shaping, etc. He even advocated = trying them with any juicing to see how you like 'em. They are indeed = real mellow before juicing - but within the realm of a real piano hammer = - definately within the range for those that like that real soft, dark, = mellow sound. Grappling with Square-One in Piano Hammer Technology Terry Farrell =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Erwinpiano=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 11:13 PM Subject: Fw: New and improved Steinway parts.BUT not the hammers! Hi Rodger I forgot to tell you that at this point in time I do not use the = Stwy hammers. Yeah I know many who do. Resilient felt is one thing and = flabby is another and I just plain like to know what I'm getting. I = just changed off a set that came with a 6 ish yr.old model L"The = Immortal series" turn of the century style case. Nice board no = tone.Soggy hammers. I could push them all over the molding with my = thumb. Just my humble opinion and preference but I've had trouble with = hammers I had to douse with 2 to1 or 3 to 1 lacquer to make tone. Often = by the time the hammers start to speak it's hard or Impossible to get = needles in. However I would use factory hammers if they were better but to my = knowledge the presses and procedures are still the same. Enough said. Flame suit at the ready. Dale Erwin =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: jolly roger=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 7:50 AM Subject: Re: New and improved Steinway parts. Last month I installed a new set of h/s/f. I thought they turned = out OK.=20 Anything in particular you need to know about?=20 Wim=20 Hi Wim, Looking for a consensus of consistency of fit, and = accuracy of mfg. Roger ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/44/bb/36/a7/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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