[pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt

[David Love]

In know you're not asking me but my experience has been that, no they don't
need any more cushion.  The shoulders already have enough give--sometimes
too much.  If anything they need a more solid footing below the shoulder so
that the flexible shoulder has something to spring against.  Thus the
periodic need to strengthen the lower part of the hammer on some sets.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of David Ilvedson
Sent: Tuesday, December 15, 2009 8:40 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt

I find it interesting that you didn't need to do any shoulder needling.
The "cushion" is there already?   You immediately had projection...tone
above the strings?   

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: erwinspiano at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 12/15/2009 8:31:08 PM
Subject: [pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt



> As some may recall I reporting that we were doing a modest face lift to a
1976 
>Mason Hamlin BB. The dreaded Aeolian years.
> We applied two new top sections of bridge cap and rehabbed the pins in the
rest of 
>the bridge. We replaced Shanks and installed the New Ronsen Weicker felted 
>hammers. The piano is done and the tonal results are very pleasing. The
teacher in 
>charge of getting it done is very talented young man with good repertoire
and he 
>was greatly impressed with the dynamics power and clarity.
> The final voicing protocol other than careful strike weight prep and
filing was 
>embarrassingly easy for the result. In the bass I added some 12 to 1 lac
acetone to 
>the mono-chords only for a bit more initial boost and four drops on the
strike point 
>from note 9 thru 21. The tenor was three drops on the top of each  up to
f-3 and 
>nada, zip, nothing from there to the top. Not exazctly filling the hammer
with lacquer 
>eh? No needling at all. Impossible?
>   I could not ask for better result and with minimul efforts. I've always
considered 
>that the Mason Piano needed a fairly stiff hammer and these were dense for
sure 
>but needles are no problem but presently it needs nothing. After some play
in time 
>I'll post back with a further review. I've just recieved another identical
set & they 
>have the same density, shape and weight as the first set. 
>  Kudos to our hammer head ally...Ray.
>  It occurs to me that some may weary of the hammer felt news, but then
that's 
>what the list is for and also what the delete button is for. 
>   I hope no one is snoring
>   You have my open invitation If you are in the area to stop by and enjoy
the sound 
>for your self!
>  Kindest regards
>  Dale Erwin

>WWW.Erwinspiano.com