<HTML>In a message dated 7/17/2002 4:26:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time, dm.porritt@verizon.net writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Subj:Re: Shellac vs. lacquer Date:7/17/2002 4:26:29 PM Pacific Daylight Time From:<A HREF="mailto:dm.porritt@verizon.net">dm.porritt@verizon.net</A> Reply-to:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> To:<A HREF="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> Sent from the Internet Dave wrote This has been an interesting thread.  As a proponent of Renner Blues, I'm amazed at the gyrations one goes through to make NY S&S hammers useable.  All the different concoctions from Collodion & ether, lacquer, plexiglas, sanding sealer, keytops and shellac (have I left any off?) to make a hammer what it's supposed to be.  I've done it and it isn't fun. </BLOCKQUOTE>      Hey Dave ,but the sound of the piano when its right,lacquer and all, is unlike any Renner I ever heard. Yeah it's more work ugh but I must agree with Dave Love on the tone and dynamic resources.  As hard as it has been for me to except this at times Stwy makes hammers this way on purpose and when you get the procedure down the sound is awesome and its not as tough as you think. The other thing is the factory could make em more densified if they really wanted to, but they don't because this is the design concept that works for the tone want. I personally would like to see them densify it a bit more my self.     The biggest problem with Renners is getting the unyielding core of the hammer to flex so the sound doesn't hurt my ears. I want power without pain.  May be a few drops of water and alcohol thru the side of the hammer would do it right above the molding. Some body out there try this and get back to me I don,t have any spare Renners   JMHO>>Dale Erwin </HTML>