<HTML><HEAD> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2715.400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY>Lance:  I don't know the answer to your questions, but you could ask the manufacturers:  Wally Brooks (for Abel), Lloyd Meyer (for Renner), and Ari Isaac.   Don't discount Ronsen hammers either.   I wouldn't take the approach of "selling" someone on a hammer.  When you are going to do a hammer job, put on a sample or two if you are not sure what will sound best.  Usually one around note 40 and one around note 60 will give a good indication if you think the customer is capable of choosing.  I usually carry a few sample hammers of each of the manufacturers that I tend to use, shanks can be made to work on any piano.  I sometimes like to hear what the differences are myself to see what the piano will deliver.  My tendency, however, is to stick to one or two types of hammers:  One very resilient hammer that will develop nicely for a lively board, and one slightly firmer when that is needed.  I don't put really hard hammers on much of anything.  There are exceptions, of course, and with certain manufacturers I tend to stick with the program, as it were.  I think you will find a range of tastes among rebuilders for make and style of hammer.  I think it's important to work toward developing your own sense of what constitutes good tone.  Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts, it comes from years of careful and comparative listening. David Love davidlovepianos@earthlink.net > [Original Message] > From: Lance Lafargue <lancelafargue@bellsouth.net> > To: Caut \(E-mail\) <caut@ptg.org> > Date: 4/1/2003 5:00:38 PM > Subject: Hammers (resend) > > I thought I'd post this again; got no takers the first time.  You may > respond personally if you feel the need.....  Thanks in advance. > > In our recent thread on Isaac hammers I began to wonder who makes hammers > for manufactures...  I see the list from Renner's web site on who they make > hammers for, but I am also told that Abel is huge (the largest) in Europe > and makes hammers for many of the same brands Renner mentions.  Does anyone > have a source (I've tried to get it visiting several MFG web sites) for who > makes what for whom?  Does a mfr use Isaac hammers?, etc... What hammers are > _only_ used for aftermarket rebuilders?  I'd like to be able to use that > info to sell certain hammers for certain pianos, considering what the > customer is telling me they like, especially when it is not a familiar name > to the customer at hand.  Some ONLY want Steinway, some know Abel, some know > Renner,etc., etc.  Thankfully, most of my customers leave it to me  ; ) I > have two brands that I like. > Thanks. > > Lance Lafargue, RPT > Mandeville, LA > New Orleans Chapter, PTG > lancelafargue@bellsouth.net > 985.72P.IANO > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives </BODY></HTML>