[CAUT] The "new" S&S Hammers.

[Porritt, David]

Dennis:

I've gone to the Ronsen Wurzen hammers and have not looked back.  To me
they give the sound that Steinway has been trying for but haven't
achieved.  Have you used any of these?

dp

David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
johnsond
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:31 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: [CAUT] The "new" S&S Hammers.


Anyone care to share your experiences with the new S&S Hammers from this

summer?  They come with a note to us Technicians......
________
"Due to a process improvement in the manufacturing......  you may notice

a slightly harder hammer.  With this in mind we would suggest that you 
do not juice these hammers before testing in the piano.  Juicing these 
hammers before installation and pre-testing may result in a brighter 
than anticipated tone. "
________

OK-   Actually the hammers looked good and shaped up just fine.  I did 
not put one drop of lacquer or any other hardener on  these hammers 
except for  4 notes in the high treble.  The piano has been back in 
service now for a couple months.  They are bright indeed!!  Just this 
morning the faculty pianist actually told me that now he "hates" this 
piano.  I am trying keep him patient and working with them, but there is

only so much needling I can do.  I can't take the piano out of service 
to wash them with thinner until maybe Christmas break.  The worst part 
is that it starts to make me look bad when the player is beginning to 
wish he had the old worn hammers back......  @#$!    I'm sorry, but we 
are not paid enough to take that kind of responsibility for materials. 


So....   Anyone else have a better experience?  Maybe it's just this
set-

thanks,

Dennis Johnson
St. Olaf College