Jeff, I don't know what kind of hammers you're using, but the short answer to why the holes are small is either because you don't specify otherwise, or the supplier doesn't allow you to specify otherwise. I like Ronsen hammers, for a variety of reasons, and I can get them bored to fit whatever shanks I use. Other manufacturers will provide the same service (I'm pretty sure Renner does), as well as supply houses. I know Pianotek will, and I think Pacific will, too. Once you add in the cost of the additional prep work, the price difference goes away, in my experience, often to the point that the "more expensive" hammers are actually cheaper. If your supplier loses enough business because they won't bore to specs, they'll have to wake up, eventually. Touchweight changes with new hammers has always been and will always be an issue. That's why I take David Stanwood's classes every chance I get. And others, too; I know he's not the only one working on that problem. Ken Z. -- Ken Zahringer, RPT Piano Technician University of Missouri School of Music 297 Fine Arts Bldg Columbia, MO 65211 573-882-1202 cell 573-489-7529 On 4/12/05 10:30 AM, "Jeff Olson" <jlolson@cal.net> wrote: > Thanks for the input on the hammer installation question, everyone. I agree > with one poster, who wrote it's too complex of an occasion to answer simply. > > For me, the main difference between grand and upright hammer hanging is the > generally greater prep and post work needed in my experience for grand > hammers. The stock American grand hammers, which I often use for more > moderate quality baby grands, are drilled with tiny holes that require > either being enlarged or the shanks dramatically reduced, or some > combination thereof (can someone explain why stock American grand hammers > come with such tiny holes, when virtually all grand shanks are thicker than > upright shanks, and American stock upright hammers come with larger diameter > holes?) > > Another problem for grands in my experience is the affect on the action that > hammers of slightly different weight cause (I rarely notice it on uprights, > perhaps because such installations are generally performed on large uprights > with longer keys), so hammer-tail shaping, key-weighting, or action > adjustments often seem necessary to make the grand action work decently. > > But perhaps part of the problem is due to the grand hammers I often use > (though I've had the same weight problem with more expensive grand hammers > also). > > Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions -- > > JeffO > > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives --
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