<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: advice on action/hammers</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY>        Dear Mr Moffat,        Thank you for the 'correction'.<= BR> <BLOCKQUOTE>Because I live in a country where the native language is not En= glish, it might be possible that I made an error. After reading your e-mail is obvious that I made an error. I apologize for making that error. Mr Antares From: "Robert Moffatt" <moffattr@cadvision.com> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 22:53:26 -0700 To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Subject: Re: advice on action/hammers </BLOCKQUOTE> <BLOCKQUOTE>Dear Mr. Antares, A restoration does not, in musium work, include repla= cing any thing! If one were to replace any parts, it is not a restoration, but, at l= east, an attempt at a partial rebuild!!  I am addressing the diff= erence between restoration and rebuild of course. Bob Subject: Re: advice on action/hammers > Dear Mr. Larry McFatter, > It is my opinion that when one does a restoration, one should go all t= he > way. It is therefor necessary to replace, in any case, the shanks and = the > hammer heads. > Friendly greetings > from > > Antares > Amsterdam, Holland > > > From: Larry E McFatter <mcfatter@csusb.edu> > > Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org > > Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 14:37:04 -0800 > > To: pianotech@ptg.org > > Subject: advice on action/hammers > > > > I'm not a technician but a performing pianist who is very interes= ted in > > great piano sound. I'm facing a decision about my own piano for w= hich I > > need the advice of professionals who make these decisions on a re= gular > > basis. Eighteen months ago I bought from a rebuilder/restorer a M= ason & > > Hamlin A made about 1918 that is used as my practice piano at hom= e. At the > > time of purchase everything had been restored/refinished (new pin= block, > > pins, shimmed and refinished soundboard, dampers, new strings, ca= se > > refinished, etc.) except the action and hammers which are the ori= ginal > > ones. The piano had apparently not been played much in its previo= us life and, > > since the action and hammers were still in acceptable condition, = the > > decision was made not to rebuild/replace them yet. I've given the= piano a > > workout and listened to it very closely since its purchase. I'm n= ow > > satisfied that the restoration work that has been done to date ha= s been > > good and that the piano has inherently a fine, broad tonal spectr= um, but > > the tone is being compromised by the old hammers and action. So I= 'm asking > > for your advice on which action and hammer combination (i.e. Renn= er action > > + Abel hammers, a Japanese action + Renner hammers, etc.) you bel= ieve will > > give me the tonal results that I want to achieve and superb contr= ol, even > > at very soft dynamics. Because the piano is used in my home I nee= d somewhat > > different tonal characteristics than I might need for a piano in = a recital > > hall or playing with an orchestra. I'm very concerned to avoid th= at > > shallow, over-bright, strident tone that tends to plague the asia= n pianos > > (especially) after only a few years of regular use. It's been sug= gested to > > me that I avoid high tension hammers in favor of ones that may in= itially > > sound a bit mushy but will age more gracefully. True? Here's what= I want: > > > > 1. a dark, rich tone at soft dynamics (like dark chocolate?); > > 2. a warm, round tone at medium dynamics (milk chocolate?); > > 3. an edge of bell-like brightness (but not over-bright or stride= nt) at loud > > dynamics (milk chocolate swirled with tart raspberry?). > > > > Any thoughts? (about the piano, I mean; I already have plenty of = chocolate). > > > > Larry McFatter > > Music Department > > California State University, San Bernardino > > mcfatter@csusb.edu > > > > > > > > </BLOCKQUOTE> </BODY> </HTML>