At 09:49 AM 12/29/04 -0500, Matthew wrote: >This is my first post to the list serve so please be merciful. :-) Welcome to the list! >I will be purchasing a new tuning hammer soon as my old lever has seen >quite a bit of wear and tear. I am curious as to the different styles of >hammers you all use and if you have any recommendations as to tuning >levers that have stood the test of time and ones that may not be quite as >good as they were advertised. I use a "Wonderwand" style lever made by Mike Swendsen and I think sold by Joe Goss. It has a custom-made hardwood "ball" on one end shaped to fit my hand so it's very comfortable. If I was to purchase a new tuning lever I'd probably go with a titanium one from Charles Faulk (www.faulkpiano.com). They are well-made, extremely light and well-balanced. >Do some of you carry multiple tuning hammers depending on the piano you >come across? Say, a heavier hammer for pitch raises and then switch to a >lighter one for more precision work? Not me... just the wonderwand. I do carry three different tips for it though. One REAL short tip for everyday use, one a little longer for uprights with a lip over the pins and a fairly long one for grands. While some people say that the long tip tends to bend pins, I've been using it for over 20 years and haven't had a problem with it. I also have a very old Hale hammer I inherited from my father, who inherited it from his father, but I find the Wonderwand to be more comfortable and I wouldn't be sad if it ever got lost. John Musselwhite, RPT
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