<!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 6.00.6000.16544" 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=role_document face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> <DIV> <DIV>   JD</DIV> <DIV>   Don't shoot me yet or flambeau me.  I may be the only lacquer maverick in the herd, but all the friendly & accurately assessed cynicism aside, I find a <STRONG>properly</STRONG> made Softer hammer with quality felt will illicit a tone character I find very attractive when treated lightly with a low dosage of lacquer. To my ear, this sound is difficult to replicate with hammers without it.The lacquer in this specific case doesn't render it un-needle-eable  un- less over done.</DIV> <DIV>  I admit lacquer- ing hammers is the most abused voicing technique.(Well maybe not) but it really may not have to do with a hammer that's <STRONG>properly</STRONG> made.  The hammers themselves are made to be lacquered such as Steinway hammers <STRONG>used to be</STRONG>.  No there pre-lacquered before shipping & I can't use these any more.</DIV> <DIV>  A Softer hammer will illicit a very strong & gloriouos fundamental from the git go,which is the very thing harder hammers fail miserable to produce & often,even after considerable needling.  And since sustain is so vital to the musical experience, not noise as Ron points out, its a curious as to how we've been brainwashed to think hammers made like concrete that need  hours & hours of needling are the answer either. If a hammer needs to be lacquered beyond the point where needles are effective then it may be improperly made or simply the wrong hammer choice for that particular sound board system. The list is replete with this insightful discussion just this year</DIV> <DIV>  I think you guys that can custom order from Renner in Europe can mostly avoid this as Andre & Ric have & here we have the beautiful variations of the Ronsen Product utilizing three or four different felts.</DIV> <DIV>  Just my perspective</DIV> <DIV>  Dale</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>> I read a lot on this list about doping hammers.  Why should it be <BR>> necessary to dope any hammer that is properly made from the proper felt <BR>> in the first place?<BR>> <BR>> JD<BR><BR>Lots of reasons, mostly having to do with soundboard <BR>efficiency or lack thereof, followed by hammer quality, and <BR>generations of consumer training to the effect that any piano <BR>not producing noise well beyond the ever rising pain threshold <BR>needs harder hammers.<BR>Ron N</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's new at <A title="http://www.aol.com?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001170" href="http://www.aol.com?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001170" target="_blank">AOL.com</A> and <A title="http://www.aol.com/mksplash.adp?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001169" href="http://www.aol.com/mksplash.adp?NCID=AOLCMP00300000001169" target="_blank">Make AOL Your Homepage</A>.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>