A new used instrument

[A440A@aol.com]

 Richard writes:

<< the New York has 369XXX 
so we have quite an age difference that has to be taken into 
consideration. But still.. The New York hammers dont even resemble 
anything I've ever seen on a Hamburg. These are original by all 
appearances... quite heavily lacked and later needled down. Reshaped 
several times. << 
 
    The hammers from the early '60's are often very poor. It seems that they 
had lost control of the quality at the time and were making too many decisions 
on a very individual basis. Some of this vintage also had a mix of teflon 
back-actions with poor geometry and felt-bushed flanges elsewhere.  Junk the 
hammers and shanks. 
 
>>The action is really sluggish... feels like you are 
dragging your feet through about 6 inches of wet cement.  Yet friction 
taken as DW - UW / 2 reads out around 12 - 14.  Its a so called 
accelerated action. Part of the deal is too get the touch to feel more 
comfortable... lighter... so it will be fun to tear this action apart 
and put it back together again. >>

Don't be surprised if the action plays better with lighter hammers on longer 
knuckle distances.  Pay attention to the key leading, this vintage can get 
slowed down with too much lead out there.  
good luck. 



Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html