What are benefits of new shanks on upright hammer replacement ?

[Greg Newell]

Don,
         Did you miss the part where he wrote 
"upright"? No knuckles there. Otherwise I agree. 
I'm currently installing hammers on an upright 
where butts and flanges aren't part of the 
picture for a fairly strange reason. Seems the 
deceased mother took great care to put on bridle 
tapes by herself when she owned the piano and now 
it's special to the daughter. Anyway I'm also 
trying to decide whether to bore out the butts 
and use new shanks or just hang on the old ones. 
Boring the butts wouldn't be too difficult but it 
does take more time and effort.

best,
Greg Newell



At 10:20 PM 8/28/2007, you wrote:
>Gordon,
>
>Here are my reasons for always preferring new shanks:
>
>- Shank wood ages and becomes more flexible with 
>time.  New hammers with more felt are heavier 
>than the old worn hammers, and will cause the 
>shank to flex more in forte playing.  The tone will be weak as a result.
>- If hammers are worn, knuckles are worn.  You 
>can replace them separately - but then the labor begins to justify new shanks.
>- Action centers have often been gummed up at 
>some point in their lives, and the bushings may 
>not perform as well as they once did.  New fresh 
>bushings with even pinning makes for good tone and even touch.
>
>Don Mannino
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp at yahoo.com>
>To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 1:20 PM
>Subject: What are benefits of new shanks on upright hammer replacement ?
>
>
>>If any.  I'm trying to decide if the added expense and
>>trouble is justified, for several of the pianos I'm
>>working on.
>>     Peace,
>>     Thump
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>____________________________________________________________________________________
>>Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly 
>>Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.
>>http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow
>

Greg Newell
Greg's Piano Forté
www.gregspianoforte.com
216-226-3791 (office)
216-470-8634 (mobile)

2003,04,05 & 06 winners of
Angie's List Super Service Award