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<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Hello,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>I find
the tone of Abel hammers always stronger but less open than Renners. =
Indeed they
surely press more, or heat more the fiber (I like their moldings better
eventually) My experience with Abel, while many like their hammers, is =
that they
tend to sound a little 'cardboarding' with not enough
mellowness.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Sorry
if I was not clear about the Renner blue , I had one sample of one =
hammer and I
tried it on a piano. Of course it is not enough to understand how to =
treat
them.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>it was
not at all sounding dead, but had very low additional tension, and a =
slow
rebound figure, as I can see on some US Steinway (longer string time
contact)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>The
felt was not really soft but I felt the tension was distributed more or =
less
from the center of the molding all around, only by pressure, as in cold =
pressed
hammers, by opposition of hard pressed which have a lot of tension =
appearing
from the inside towards the top of the hammer since they are
needled.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>I
understood that to voice them you use the natural resiliency of the =
hammer, I
believe that the low needling can't be done extensively (as on stapled =
hammers
on witch you can almost transform the underside in cotton if you are to =
take the
last resources out of old heads.), as then when you needle, all the =
fiber will
react, while when there is a staple, hopefully the inside will move more =
than
the outside when "battery" needled (why, because there is more felt near =
the
middle of the hammer than on the outer edges)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Voicing where the crown is less tensioned tend to last longer, =
as
being less an equilibrium state than more European style' voicing. But =
the crown
being less tensioned is more reactive to string mating, capo noise and =
so on.
I've always noticed that on a very dynamic hammer that respond well even =
to soft
playing, it is easier to tune even unisons, and mask the defects in the =
high
spectra. if the power appears only with a more stronger play, then more =
zinging
is there generally.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>On
Abel hammers if you obtain that extra compression in the crown, you =
could
install a somewhat deep (4mm) damping zone near of it mostly on the back =
side of
the hammer, so you keep the benefit of highly tensioned crown without =
the hard
knocking when played medium (some knocking remains). That will cut a bit =
in
medium playing spectra, but can add a clear layer of change in the sound =
that
can be agreeable. I've seen that kind of voicing and they are OK, the =
crown then
is springy in a vertical plane, the "hole lessen the knocking when =
the
hammer deform on impact, the front high side remain more progressive but =
harder,
as more involved in heavy playing.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>it is
probably a faster method that trying to even everything while taking =
risk to
loose too much power. (but it is probably what you do with the single
needle)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Beside, all the hard spots remaining are reserves of energy for =
future
maintenance, so you can have things treated differently after that if =
you
wish.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>yesterday I experimented on shot Steinway hammers I was about =
to replace
(on a D) and , using a single long needle (8 mm) I tried to find hard =
spots in
the zone of felt above the staple & under the shoulders but =
nearer the
molding than usually. It was amazing that the hammers became very fast =
totally
playable and round and pleasing (these where 'old style Steinway Hamburg =
hammers')</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>The
hammers even grow a bit and they could be shaped a little and used as =
that for
some time. Incredible is the quantity of resource available there on =
these (very
strong')hammers.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Best
regards.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2>Isaac
O</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=791390311-22092002><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff =
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT =
face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Message d'origine-----<BR><B>De :</B>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>De la =
part
de</B> David Love<BR><B>Envoyé :</B> dimanche 22 septembre 2002 =
06:42<BR><B>À :</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Objet :</B> Importance =
of the
staple: was hammer felt (Renner Blues)<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If you mean that the staple is important in high =
humidity
areas to ensure the hammer doesn't come apart, I'm not sure I =
agree. My
experience is that if the glue joint fails, no staple will hold it
together. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>As far as the hammer experiencing changes in =
tension, I must
admit that living in an environment with fairly constant humidity year =
round
(and a bit on the high side), I've never thought about tension in the =
hammer
changing from season to season and with it the tone. On the =
surface it
makes sense. I wonder though whether the change is enough to =
create a
real perceptible difference, or if it does, how you would separate =
that change
from tonal changes that might occur as a result of changes in =
the crown
of the board. Difficult to tease out all the =
variables.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The other question, however, still remains. =
How
important is the staple for creating tension in the lower part of the
hammer. The proponents of the Renner blue evidently feel =
that it is
unimportant. I know from listening to Brooks and the Abel =
clan that
they feel it is a crucial part of the hammer. Isaac =
O's
remarks suggest that the stapled Renner is a different animal than the =
Renner
blue in spite of the similarities in felt type. I have to say =
that my
experience suggests that the Renner blue has a high degree of tension =
in the
felt which is responsive to needling. The Renner hammer =
used for
H. Steinway is also highly tensioned, and much harder at the =
outset. My
experience tells me that the needling requirements to get the H. =
Steinway
hammer to open up are just that much greater. But when all is =
said and
done, is what you have left all that much different? I haven't =
really
done a side by side comparison. Maybe somebody out there =
has. I'd
be interested to hear what they think. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>One interesting sidebar to this is that I have =
found out the
hard way that you need to be careful when (if) preneedling the Abel
hammer. It is very easy to release a tremendous amount of =
tension
into the crown of the hammer which can make the hammer very bright and =
difficult to work with. Whereas I almost always preneedle =
Renner
hammers feeling for some give in the shoulders with a firm squeeze as =
I go, I
find that a slower approach is more advisable with Abel hammers. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>David Love</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> ----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=caute@optusnet.com.au =
href="mailto:caute@optusnet.com.au">Tony
Caught</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> September 21, 2002 7:43 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: hammer felt =
(Renner
Blues)</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Dave,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>You wrote</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The importance of the staple is somewhat
controversial. There are those who argue that it adds tension =
to the
lower part of the hammer and those who say it doesn't make any
difference. The Renner blue is, of course, without a
staple. </FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Not having a staple would mean that you cannot use this =
hammer in
high humidity conditions. However,</DIV>
<DIV>As the hammer absorbs moisture from the air, the tension =
created varies
greatly as does the tone. Possibly being not stapled would allow =
this
increase of tension to spread more evenly over the hammer and not be =
restricted by the staple.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Tony Caught<BR><A
=
href="mailto:caute@optusnet.com.au">caute@optusnet.com.au</A><BR></DIV>=
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=
size=2></FONT> </BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTM=
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