<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Except that the “sound” doesn’t ever travel through the “plastic”.  I mean, it travels from the string to the soundboard.  It never gets to the shank in any meaningful way.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The flexibility of the shank can impact the manner in which the hammer strikes the string which can have an effect on the tone but then it seems that the material is only relevant to the extent that it influences that flex response.     <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Though I have not used them other than for a trial I’ve heard good things about them in terms of performance once you get everything on and aligned and, I suppose, don’t have to take the hammers off—not sure what happens there.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I don’t have any particular bias just because they’re not wood.  They probably have a more uniform response through the set than wood being that the process of making them is much more controlled.  The jury is still out for me owing mainly to lack of experience.  <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>David Love<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>www.davidlovepianos.com<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Piano Boutique<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 26, 2011 6:53 PM<br><b>To:</b> joegarrett@earthlink.net; pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Chickering Grand Hammer Flanges?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Joe,</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I think that sound travels threw plastic, differently than it does threw wood.   I also think that the feel of playing aluminum is different than wood.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Have you ever heard a definite thunk when playing a Yamaha grand.   there is a metal support under the key bed that produces the sound.   I don't like it and in fact, I like the absents of sound when playing a Steinway with a wood plank.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>As you would say:  thank you very much.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Willy</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net" title="joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joseph Garrett</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:markb@pianodisc.com" title="markb@pianodisc.com">Mark S Burgett</a> ; <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Tuesday, July 26, 2011 8:41 PM<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Re: [pianotech] Chickering Grand Hammer Flanges?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Mark,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Yes, I have played two  M& Hs, in a side by side test, at Classic Piano, in Portland. I definately did not like the feel of the Plastic. Also, I did not like the tone produced. It must just be me.<G>  (Or...it could just have been those two pianos) <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>I'm a wood worker. It's what I do. Plastic parts, no matter how well crafted, do not appeal to me. I happen to like the sound of pianos with wood parts. I do not like pianos with aluminum rails and/or plastic parts. That includes the difference between the new Kawaii s and the old ones. Two different entities! Truly not intended to be insulting or anything. I applaud the effort you have made in this regard. It is needed, I suppose, for those that like to change the basic character of the instruments they work onyour stuff is just the ticket. It's not to say that that's a bad thing, it's just not my thing. I try to bring out the intention of the designer of the piano, in my rebuilds. Your parts do not do that, IMO.<G><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> I perceive that over the past 40 years, pianos have transitioned into a harsh unmusical entity. I believe it is an evolutionary process that is prompted from modern ears becoming deaf at  earlier years. Also, it is a never ending process to try and get more out of a given piano. Some of the Tonal Perception is due to the poor EQing of modern recordings of pianos. The fact is that pianos will only produce so much of a decible level and that it has reached that! Any further attempt is simply producing more "noise" IMO. Granted, wooden action problems have their problems. I know how to work with them. Plastic is not a repairable product. It is a "replaceable' product. All goes along with our "throw away/disposable" societal mindset.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Regards, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Joe<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:markb@pianodisc.com" title="markb@pianodisc.com">Mark S Burgett</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To: </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net" title="joegarrett@earthlink.net">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>;<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> 7/26/2011 3:23:34 PM <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> RE: [pianotech] Chickering Grand Hammer Flanges?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Hi Joe,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>I guess you haven’t played a piano with the WNG action parts.  They actually sound, play better and the pianist has more control that the wooden action parts.  Anyway, I wanted to share some pictures from Randy Mangus that rebuilt a Chickering with our parts with some creativity.  We didn’t have the correct Rep. flange then but will soon in our stock.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'>Mark<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Joseph Garrett<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, July 26, 2011 1:21 PM<br><b>To:</b> J Patrick Draine; pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] Chickering Grand Hammer Flanges?</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Patrick,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Not no, H%$# NO!<G> First of all, I've redesigned many actions for Chickerings Using Pratt Read and Renner parts. There are ways of putting a new action in a piano. Plastic, IMSO, is not it. It's too stiff and clunky for my likes. But, thanks for the suggestion.<G> I have all of the W.N.& G. action parts kit. I've done the numbers, etc.Just didn't add up for this olde duffer.<G> My point to this exercise is to see if I can save the customer some big bucks and have the piano play as it was originally designed. (which I consider to be correct for the instrument, as this is a pre-Aeolian thang.<G>)</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Regards,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"MS Sans Serif","serif"'>Joe</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>----- Original Message ----- <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:#E4E4E4'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:jpdraine@gmail.com" title="jpdraine@gmail.com">J Patrick Draine</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>To: </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><a href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net" title="joegarrett@earthlink.net">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>;<a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" title="pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Sent:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> 7/26/2011 8:44:30 AM <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Subject:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> Re: [pianotech] Chickering Grand Hammer Flanges?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Joe, <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>I don't have answers to your annealing question but you might consider calling Jude Reveley for information on how he redesigned  a couple Chickering actions: WN&G action rail, WN&G action parts, back action, and a new and redesigned keyboard. Probably more than you were planning on, but perhaps worth considering. If it's the same model Jude has done all the design work on maybe you could work out a deal . . .<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Patrick Draine<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Jude's neighbor, here in cool Billerica<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>On Tue, Jul 26, 2011 at 1:04 AM, Joseph Garrett <<a href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>Anyone have an idea the difference of expansion rates of Steel and Brass.<br>I'm into a Chickering Grand and am planning on trying to anneal them<br>puppies. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></div></body></html>