<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> That must be one of the early iterations when they were experimenting with different hammers.  The Abels were tried first, I believe.  And that’s what those are.  I would definitely avoid any type of hardener with those hammers.  File and polish and leave well enough alone.  As Del mentioned, if that piano is in a large showroom now and you harden things up to get it to present well there, somebody will be regretting the use of hardeners once it gets to a living room.  It’s a small piano with a low tension scale, light soundboard and isn’t designed to knock the walls down.    <div> David Love davidlovepianos@comcast.net www.davidlovepianos.com </div> -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Mark Dierauf Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 6:21 PM To: Pianotech List Subject: Re:Walter 175 hammers   Thanks, Del, Dale, and David. The hammers have mahogany-colored moldings, so I guess that means Abel? Interesting. The piano is in a large showroom, so I will advocate hardeners only as a last resort. Meanwhile, it'll be fun to see how far I can take it with polishing/ironing. - Mark Delwin D Fandrich wrote: <pre style='margin-left:.5in' wrap="">I don't know what Renner hammers look like these days so from your description</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>I'm not sure which hammers this piano has. If the moldings are dark-colored they</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>are Abel. If the moldings are maple then the hammers are Ronsen. If the felt is</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Wurzen then the name "Wurzen" will be stamped on the sides of several hammers.</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'>Please remember that these pianos are not supposed to be bright and/or hard</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>sounding. They are supposed to be somewhat on the warm side. In fact, if you try</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>to take them up too far the tone, especially in the bass, is going to get some</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>knarly and nasty sounding.</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'>If this piano is in the typical dealer's showroom the first thing I would do is</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>to try and get it moved to an appropriately sized room. These pianos are not</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>intended to be used in large, open rooms and they can sound weak and overly soft</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>when compared to other pianos having higher tensioned scales, stiffer soundboard</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>systems and heavier, harder hammers. Put them into a room the size of the</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>typical household living room or small music room, however, and they sing with a</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>tonal palette that is quite satisfying (and one those other pianos are</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>completely incapable of delivering).</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'>I agree with David on this; avoid strong chemical hardeners if you can. Frankly,</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>if the hammers are using Wurzen felt I would decline to harden them under any</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>conditions but, obviously, that choice is between you and the dealer involved.</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>If you do use a chemical hardener, use it judiciously and gently remembering</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>that once the piano is located in someone's home you may well be asked to take</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>it out.</pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Del</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| -----Original Message-----</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| From: <a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| [<a href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>] On Behalf Of Mark Dierauf</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| Sent: October 07, 2007 5:13 AM</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| To: Pianotech</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| Subject: Walter 175 hammers</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| I have been asked to voice up a set of hammers on a new Charles Walter</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| 175 grand. They look like Renner hammers, but are quite </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| mellow sounding. </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| Does anybody know if these are Wurzen felt? If I lacquer, </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| should I use the same techniques as on Steinway hammers, or </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| is there a better procedure for this type of hammer? The bass </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| in particular needs a lot more oompf.</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| - Mark Dierauf</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>| </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left: .5in'>  </pre>   </div> </body> </html>