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

[David Love]

The manufacturing improvement is that they are prelacquering the hammers out
of the factory.  I won't use them because of that and I think it's covering
for bad felt or poor pressing practices or both.  Ronsen Bacon or Ronsen
Wurzen will suit your needs the best.  The Bacon felt might need a slight
bit of lacquering but not stronger than 8:1 and usually only in the treble,
depending on the solids content of the lacquer and you goals.  The Wurzen
won't need anything but a fine polishing with up to 1000 grit paper and
sometimes they will need to be voiced down slightly.  Generally I'm finding
that the Bacon are good for the smaller pianos or those pianos with slightly
"looser" boards.  The Wurzen work well for B's and D's or boards that are
stiffer or heavier (they do vary).  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
johnsond
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 8:31 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