[pianotech] Weickert special felt update

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Nick

This is an interesting comment. Seems to me that most folks I know, and 
my personal experience would agree, would have things the other way 
around. No problem getting enough bite with NY hammers.... rather 
getting that open warmth and initial swell or bloom seems to be the 
complaint of difficulty.  And if there seems to be any weakness to 
hammers that need needling up it is on the bite site of the equation.  
Georges Amman from Hamburg fame provides an interesting approach in 
adhering to the idea that hammers first must be needled for bloom and 
openness before lacquer is truly useful and this concerns really the top 
octave and a half, and then also the lowest bass area.  As to 
stability... tho in my experience there is really little difference 
between both methods when each is well executed... I do hear as you 
state many claim NY ... ie lacquered hammers have the edge there.

As to what to choose...  I know for sure my own preferences... and they 
have changed slightly over the years....have to admit I was very 
impressed with Ammans approach.... but I think really a really good tech 
knows very well how to get the sound he/she is after with their own 
particular hammer of choice...whatever that may be.  I also think that 
this naturally limits the field of play as clearly there are hammers 
that are just plain difficult to work with... if not down right hopeless. 

Its probably easier to rule out the less desirable hammers then point to 
any specific <<best>> hammer.  That said.... I prefer high quality 
hammers that require needling to achieve openness and power, and the 
best I've run into so far are the Wurzen II's I get from Renner Germany 
or through Andrè. I'm interested in these newly released Able Naturals 
of course... but then I am familiar with Wurzens.

Cheers
RicB


    Many experienced techs are loathe to use S&S hammers, either in the
    past or present, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is
    they feel they cannot get the bite they are looking for. They opt
    for Renner or other or even Hamburg Steinway as they prefer to work
    the hammer down rather than up.Other fine techs take the opposite
    view by only using S&S as they feel they can't get the warmth or
    stability they are looking for. You and others have explained quite
    well the merits of the new Weickerts and I am very appreciative of that.

    I don't know if this post will catch on, and I doubt that any of us
    out here would be interested in a free for all; that is why my idea
    is to consider the opinions of experienced techs when it comes time
    to choose hammers for performance venue instruments such as Bs and
    Ds. We all know that such pianos need to bite as well as carry, and
    that most performers are going to voice frustration if this isn't
    the case.