<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2802" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY id=role_body style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: = Arial" bottomMargin=7 leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7><FONT id=rol= e_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>    <FONT size=3>I'll politely disagree. It's more tha= n semantics in reality. I have experience with each of the stated hammers &amp= ; the Ronsen are not a low compression Hammer in the truest sense of the word & not all that close Imo to the Steinway concept. I realize perhaps the distinction is probably to lacquer or not to lacquer & frankly I've ofte= n used little or  almost zero lacquer in the Ronsen Wurzens. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>    I had dinner with Lloyd & Do= nna Meyer 3 weeks ago & actually he helped Jack Brand in some capacity re-op= en the Wurzen plant in the early 1990s & has always used their felt.  = As to wether  he's using the Double AA qualities , Ididn't think to a= sk. Sorry</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3> I's my opinion that the Ronsen & Renner hammer= s have been moving closer to a more similar range of compression or stiffness. It shouldn't take massive amounts of needling or lacquer to get essentially to = the same place. Know what I mean? I think the euro Wurzen are probably even clos= er from what I Hear.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   I still really like the color range that co= mes from a decent set of Steinway hammers as well.  Treated correctly.... whatever that means to you'all</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   As far a compression goes cut open a Ronsen= & Renner or whatever & tell me which one blooms the most. The one that blooms the most technically & scientifically  has mo= st inherent compression & hence resilience. If a hammer doesn't' bloom then= the resilience of the felt is being reduced by some mechanism in pressing be it = heat or pressure or both.Wow I don't really want to get to far into this again bu= t Jeannies last Statement is as true as they get</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  Regards</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><= FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><BR>  Ronsons have always had a similar<BR>approach to hammer-making as Steinway:  Hammers very soft initially, with<BR>the = tone built into the hammer.  Renners have always had the harder hammers<BR>from their pressing.  <STRONG>Bottom line....if they sound= good for a specific<BR>application....use them.  Knowing which to use= and when comes with</STRONG><BR><STRONG>experience and listening.</STRONG><BR><BR>Jeannie Grassi, RPT<BR>Assistant Editor, Piano Technicians Journal<BR>mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></= DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>