[CAUT] My take on them, (was The "new" S&S Hammers).

[David Love]

I would concur with that.  While the Wurzen felt hammers are firm, they
maintain a high level of resilience which I don't find in heat pressed
hammers.  That resilience (which I define as the ability for the hammer to
regain its original form after it is compressed) is important for how the
tone develops over time.  Less resilient hammers, made so by the excessive
use of heat in the pressing process, lose that resilience and while the tone
may start off ok, it doesn't do as well over time.  

 

The Bacon felt hammers are softer and should be chosen where a softer hammer
is more appropriate.  If you have to add a lot of lacquer to them then I
think you should have chosen a firmer hammer to begin with.  Lacquer, in my
view, also destroys resilience by virtue of the binding together of the felt
fibers and because it continues to harden over time.  Resilience, again in
my view, is essential for power without distortion and for maximum sustain.

 

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
Porritt, David
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 7:03 AM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] My take on them, (was The "new" S&S Hammers).

 

Ed:

 

I haven't seen a Ronsen Bacon felt hammer for a long time but that's what I
understand also that the Bacon felt is softer.  My experience with the
Wurzen AA felt ones has been very good.  The denser felting doesn't pack
like softer hammers, yet if they get bright needles penetrate quite easily.
I don't have an electron microscope so my observations are very unscientific
but the Wurzen felt seems just more dense from the felting process rather
than the hammer pressing process.  From what I heard of the testing on a new
Walter grand, the Bacon felt was better on the very live sounding board
assembly.  On most sounding boards that we see the Bacon felt needs some
hardener.  

 

Try a set of the Wurzen AAs I think you'll really like them.

 

dp

 

David M. Porritt, RPT

dporritt at smu.edu

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
A440A at aol.com
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 6:35 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] My take on them, (was The "new" S&S Hammers).

 

Hi David 


I would recommend trying a set of the Ronsen Wurzen hammers.  I think
they'll work well with your approach to voicing.


I think I am going to do just that.  I spoke with Roger Jolly recently and
he mentioned that the Bacon felt hammers from Ronsen were softer,and would
need some hardener in the extreme ends, but the AA wurzen felt was harder.
Do you have experience with these two different hammers? 
Thanks for the note, 
Ed 






Ed Foote RPT



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