hammers

[Dave Nereson]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: antares@euronet.nl=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 8:58 AM
  Subject: Re: hammers
  On zaterdag, mei 31, 2003, at 13:12 Europe/Amsterdam, A440A@aol.com=20
  wrote:
  >    It is plausible that the deformation of the hammer under a strong =

  > blow
  > would flatten out this strike point, so I wonder if the egg-shape=20
  > allowed the
  > more efficient production of the higher partials under soft play?  =
ie,=20
  >  if it has
  > a small contact area when played softly, there are less higher =
partials
  > cancelled out by the "footprint" on the string, creating a more=20
  > complex spectrum,
  > even though the softness favored the fundamental.
  >    On a lacquer soaked hammer, there seems to be little difference =
in=20
  > the
  > tonal range due to shape.
  > Regards,
  > Ed Foote RPT

  As you said, "a small contact area cancels out less higher partials".
  What I find so interesting is that STW's in particular need this=20
  diamond shape hammer and change for the better if indeed we take the=20
  time and energy to do a beautiful hammer shaping job.
  A Bechstein for instance changes for the worst with the diamond shape=20
  and, as said before, the YAM's too.
  Equally important is the hammer felt and what you put into it, or not=20
  plus, of course, what kind of felt was used in the first place? and=20
  indeed, was it 'doped', or not?

  Antares,
  The Netherlands
  see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl
  pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

      What??  The Steinways I've seen have always had an egg-shaped =
hammer.  Aren't we sposeta file trying to remove only one layer of felt, =
or enough to remove the string grooves, without changing the shape of =
the whole hammer (unless it's a grossly misshapen mess due to someone =
else's botch job)? =20
      And why would a Bechstein change for the worse with a =
diamond-shaped hammer?  =20
      At Yamaha's Little Red Schoolhouse, they explained that Yamaha =
purposely shapes their hammers with more of a diamond- than an =
egg-shape.=20
      Are we saying that if the felt is on the soft side (Steinway, =
especially early ones, and even late ones, compared to Asian hammers), =
it will compress too much on a hard blow, flattening out and cancelling =
partials, giving a dull tone, so we should file them to more of a =
diamond shape?  How do you do that without cutting across layers of felt =
in the hammer? =20
      And if the felt is dense (Asian and others) and already =
diamond-shaped (Yamaha and other Asian pianos), then it should have a =
richer tone because it does not flatten out and cancel partials?  But =
you said YAM's change for the worse with a diamond shape.   What do you =
mean, "change"?  They already have the diamond shape....???
      --Confused,    David Nereson, RPT=20


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