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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>On one hand I see the issue as a conundrum for piano and hammer manufacturers. The choice is soft, in which case it may have to be hardened, or harder. Why not just right? Difficult to know what that is. We would all like them just right, but what is that? If a hammer or piano manufacturer wants to insure that hardeners aren’t used on their hammers (understandable as hardeners are anathema to many) then the only choice is to target something somewhat harder than is needed to insure that the voicing procedure only goes in one direction. Trying to hit a target just slightly above the lowest acceptable level is tricky and subjective. So many hammer makers play it “safe” and hit a target higher than that, and higher than many people want or higher than many pianos need. <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'>In the case of harder hammers, however, the issue is less about the starting density than it is about responsiveness of the hammer to needle voicing procedures. A hammer that maintains a good amount of tension in the felt through the manufacturing process and is not too dense will respond to needle voicing and can be manipulated adequately. <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'>But the greater issue is matching the hammer density to the scale and belly. Soft hammers will not work on every piano just as harder hammers won’t work on every piano. A basic understanding of how that matching needs to be done will save a lot of grief that comes with trying to manipulate a hammer into something that is wasn’t designed to be. <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'>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><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><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>Dale Erwin<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, August 05, 2012 2:58 PM<br><b>To:</b> pianotech@ptg.org<br><b>Subject:</b> [pianotech] Hammer Felt discussion<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 2.0pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Dear Ann,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> Thank</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>you for your perspective. You couldn't be closer to the truth.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'>They were perfect</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:mediumblue'>. <i><u> <b>Don't you think that in an artistic sense, the demise of </b></u></i></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><b><i><u><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:mediumblue'>global tone quality was the demise created with the loss of the soft hammer?</span></u></i></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>I think your call to arms is admirable. You can be proud of that.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> Sincerely,</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> Brent Fischer</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div id="AOLMsgPart_1_0815ec68-a002-40cb-947f-7934203d2b87"><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'>Something I can almost agree with you on. The soft or less hard hammer is not lost. It lives on in my work </span><span style='font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>(and in that of many) </span><span style='color:black'>and is still made at Ronsen piano hammer in the Catskills just in case you missed that.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div id=yiv106888092><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Dale<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:darkgreen'><br><tt> </tt></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Yes, so is this the felt that Andrew Anderson is getting when he<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>orders " Euro voicing " instead of the " American " with the Abel Naturals?<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Brent<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><br><br></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>No, not the same felt. I don't know what the Abel felt is and they tend to keep those things a secret. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'>Ronsen piano hammer co. and Renner usa/Renner Germany have exclusive Weickert special felt distribution rights currently, as Ray Negron , myself & Rick Baldassin, worked on this project and contributed as colleagues several years to the R & D for Jack Brand. Jack is the owner of the Wurzen felt co. In Germany, formerly the J.D.Weickert co. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> Jack is a felt master, wizard, guru and the world of piano techs. at large don't have any idea how fortunate we are to have some one like him developing fantastic products for us...yet.</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> The Weickert special felt has a distinctive marker in the bass end hammers.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> It is a solitary gray or black semi circle. This way, no secrets, you know what felt you're getting. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> The Ronsen Weickert and Renner blue point (Weickert felt) products are in our opinion complimentary products.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> I suspect one of the felts Abel uses is the Wurzen AA felt, another Wurzen product. This is also marked but, by two grayish circles.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>The source of the Abel "Natural felt" is a closely gaurded secret.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'> The Abels are great people and fierce competitors. IMO they are currently running to catch up as well as keep their own market edge. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'> Its wonderful to have so many choices in hammers. I have been pounding the drum about how horrible hard hammers are for 25 years now and finally manufacturers are listening and producing what we want and what musicians have been searching for.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>Its a great time to be a piano tech.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>Dale Erwin<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:black'>Whistling a happy tune<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Comic Sans MS";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div id=yiv106888092><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div id="AOLMsgPart_1_c3123795-53c7-4c34-aa27-9e822e5c2f4c"><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div id=yiv106888092><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:darkgreen'><br><tt> </tt></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New";color:navy'><br><tt> </tt></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div id="yiv106888092AOLMsgPart_1_ce4cdd4a-12ae-48a1-8c50-6c0e2fd06a86"><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><hr size=1 width="100%" align=center></span></div></div><div id=yiv106888092><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><div id=yiv106888092><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>