Ronsen Bacon felt

[Erwinspiano at aol.com]

My Colleagues
  I recently reported on the hammer changes at Steinway  N. Y.& the 
unsatisfactory results I was getting . I went looking for a  substitute hammer & found 
it in the New Bacon Felted Ronsen hammer.   It's been many years since this 
type of  felt, this nice, has been available. It has  great natural resilience & 
the ability to create all the sustain a  particular soundboard system has to 
offer from the git go. 
     Historically, Steinway pianos have  created that sound they are famous 
for with quite a soft felt.  The company  had really good felt on their hammers 
in the late 60's & 70". Ray Negron  tells me it came from Alhambra Calif., 
until the plant closed. 
      At times we all manage to  hear an original set of 1920/1930's Steinway 
hammers(or others) that have  survived well, though worn.  I  find it 
educational to stick a no. 6  needle into the felt . It's always quite surprising to 
discover how soft they  are unless it's been treated with too much hardener 
and yet what's left of the  tone we hear is very attractive.
     I know it seems counter  intuitive to considering our indoctrination 
over the last several decades has  been telling us that harder is better but I 
haven't found it to be  so.
     In bringing the sound up in a S&S  B, the protocol used was, a good 
shaping that pointed up the hammer into the  more or less "Steinway shape" Which 
will focus the strike point and removes any  fuzzy exterior. The weight prep 
was easy to achieve thru standard tapering  & prepping procedures. bringing the 
tone up is fun & accomplished by  using very fine sandpaper to clean up the 
exterior of the hammer & produce a  very clean strike point.  WHen the felt 
begins to squeak the job is  done.  The tone will be quite dark& rich. Pounding 
the key a dozen  times will begin to pack in the top & more high partials 
content begin  to emerge to balance the tone. " Voicing without needles" is my 
preferred  concept of tone shaping.
     The Mono chords will require some  very dilute lacquer/plastic but not 
much to bring up the growl & bite  Steinways are famous for.  The staple area 
up to 9 am on the hammer (which  is soft in many types of hammers) was 
initially beefed up with heavy  plastic to create the base or foundation for the top 
felt to push down against  ,preventing energy loss.........if that makes sense. 
Pretty easy stuff. No  Tennis elbow or blood on the hammers.  The tone will 
bloom quickly with  some play in time & voicing stability 
is............well...A lock. 
 
BTW ...Ronsen hammer will be giving classes at the Calif.  State Conference 
Feb 8 th.  I'll be demonstrating this hammer & other  in 
              My Class  " Finding the magic strike line/Working with  hammers
  regards
  Dale Erwin  

Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations
4721 Parker  rd
Modesto, Ca. 95357
Shop 209-577-8397
cell  209-985-0990
Web site _http://www.Erwinspiano.com_ (http://www.erwinspiano.com/)  
Restoration & Sales of
Steinway & Sons & other  fine pianos.
" Soundboards by  Design"


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