I'll attend... David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 12/15/2009 9:28:42 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt >Let's not confuse tension with stiffness of the felt. Ronsen's have plenty >of tension but the stiffness may be lacking for some applications (and it >depends on which felt and the pressing). Some hard pressed hammers have >very little tension most of it having been cooked out of them like throwing >your nice wool sweater into the hot drier. Of course whether the hammer >sounds right depends on a number of factors including the match between >hammer and piano and, of course, consumer taste. It depends on what you're >after. I like Renners on the right piano and can't stand them on the wrong >piano. Same is true with, say, Ronsen Bacon felt hammers. Personally I >have a lower tolerance for a hammer that is too hard than for one that is >too soft. Overly soft hammers which are typically cold pressed, almost >always respond well to careful use of hardeners/densifiers/stiffeners, >however you like to call them. Overly hard hammers often do not respond >well to needling when the amount of needling required is excessive and on >top of it they may be unstable. A hammer which is modestly too hard can be >fine to work with and stable. A good example of the difference is those old >Yamaha hammers used on the production pianos and the new hammers used on the >CF or even the C7 pianos. Those older hammers simply don't respond to >needling the same way the newer ones do even though the newer ones are still >quite firm. So it also depends on the overall quality. Renner hammers vary >so much that it's hard to lump them into one category. It's like saying, "I >like (or don't like) jazz". There are too many different iterations and >styles to not be more specific. Some of Renners hammers are ridiculously >hard and some are firm but nice to work with. Same with Abel. We do have a >lot of choices now, which is nice, but also a lot of uncertainty about just >what you're going to get when you order something using only the >manufacturer as your criteria. >Anyway, attend my seminar next year (date undetermined) on choosing >replacement hammers. All the criteria and methods needed to make a sound >decision about what to use will be covered--time allowing. >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 9:08 PM >To: pianotech at ptg.org >Subject: Re: [pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt >Hi David, >I'm seeing a lot of Ronsen hammers these days and I'm not sure I'm that >impressed...I am impressed with some Renner hammers and others and have to >wonder if something is missing when you don't build that tension into the >hammer. The necessity of opening the shoulders to make a cushion and the >solidity of the low shoulders...I'm just posing some questions for >discussion since the Ronsen seems to get so much press from those who use >it... >David Ilvedson, RPT >Pacifica, CA 94044 >----- Original message ---------------------------------------- >From: "David Love" <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> >To: pianotech at ptg.org >Received: 12/15/2009 9:00:16 PM >Subject: Re: [pianotech] Follow up report on BB Mason and Weickert felt >>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
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