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

[Fred Sturm]

    I'll agree with Eric essentially about the current Steinway hammers. My
last couple sets - pre-lacquered in the factory - were about where they
would be after my first lacquering, and needed more in the top couple
octaves. So it was basically a time/step saver for me. The evenness and
shape are far better than even two years ago. (One set I bought prehung, and
I'm not sure I'll do that again - needed too much travel and burning. They
were pre-traveled, and half my traveling was removing their paper, meaning
it was twice as much work as doing it myself). But for those who hate
lacquer, obviously you don't want these hammers. Hey, they're lacquered!
They're intended to be lacquered!
    I have found that bringing down lacquered hammers that are too
harsh/bright for the customer can often be done quickly and in a very
controlled way by using small diameter needles in a fixture. The Steinway
guys are using, for una corda, a hammershank with a sawn slot, jammed with 5
- 6 #6 needles (pressed against one another with no gap), held in by glue. I
find this a rather crude tool, and have made my own, far more subtle
adaptations of the idea. I use a piece of that Renner spacing material (1/8"
x 1/2" or so hornbeam material used between rows of shanks in the packing
box), and drill holes in the end with a #70 or so bit. It's touchy work to
set up precisely spaced and centerpunched dimples, but then the drill press
(with a pin punch adapter) does a great job. I have several with different
spacings and needle sizes, and find I use #10 and #12 needles the most, with
#8 and #7 for occasional use, usually una corda only. Gaps between each
needle range from a little less than 1 mm to 2 mm or so, and the needles
stick out only about 2 - 3 mm.
    I use these voicing tools in the string groove, straight down to the
hilt into the crown (or not so deep If I choose), and once on either side of
the crown. The #12's do a very subtle job of taking away zing, and can be
used two, three, or more times as needed. Then thicker needles in the una
corda full and between positions.
    Touch up with these tools is fast, and lasts pretty well. I guess I have
"moderate heavy use," not like what Eric describes <G>, but I find that a
voicing touchup will last a few months before it is getting raucous again. I
find these thin needles especially effective in the high treble, where fat
needles just make woodpecker holes and are quite ineffective and
uncontrollable in changing tone color. I use these same techniques with
hard-pressed hammers as well.
    I guess I should add that these needle sizes are available in large
fabric stores, for embroidery or other special use. While you're there, you
can find nice circular wheel cutters of various diameters (Olfa and other
brands) and large cutting pads, an array of fine scissors, eyelet tools and
supplies, and lots of other handy stuff - yet another tool store to spend
money in <G>.
    About hammer longevity, I have a theory that needling style has a big
effect. I think there is a big difference between sudden jabbing and
relatively slow pressing of the needles into the felt. Jabbing tears far
more fibers than pressing. So jabbing will lead to more rapid wear. And with
Steinway, it's more a matter of diameter of needle. The narrower ones do a
lot less fiber tearing.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico

On 9/13/07 2:19 PM, "Wolfley, Eric (wolfleel)" <WOLFLEEL at ucmail.uc.edu>
wrote:

> Dennis,
> 
> I've had nothing but good experience with these hammers and I've found
> that the quality control (i.e. shape and uniformity) is much better now
> than it was even a couple of years ago. After experimenting with many
> other hammers over the years, I won't put any other hammers on a NY
> Steinway. In the past I would find myself soaking Steinway hammers 2-3
> times in a 3:1 lacquer thinner to lacquer solution (2:1 for large
> grands) before I felt there was a good foundation to the tone. With the
> pre-lacquered hammers I'll still find myself soaking the set at least
> once. Obviously this will make the surface quite bright. It is easy and
> quick to get this harshness to go away with shallow needling at the
> strikepoint which leaves the firmness underneath producing a big, fat
> tone. This is the method that the Steinway concert techs use and it is
> quite effective. I use this method whether the piano is going into a
> practice room, living room or onstage though the smaller, lighter
> hammers tend to need less lacquer. There must be a differentiation made
> between the term "power" and "brightness". Some people (notably
> pianists) seem to use those words interchangeably. The current NY
> hammers sound fairly "bright" right out of the box but it is mainly
> surface brightness. This brightness can be manipulated by surface
> needling but if the hammer doesn't have a good foundation the tone may
> then sound dead. If the hammer seems to "die" when you shallow-needle
> the strikepoint, it probably needs more lacquer underneath.
> 
> The hammers are lacquered at the factory by being dipped together as a
> set in what I was told is 3:1 lacquer for 30 seconds. This ensures a
> certain amount of uniformity. It is hard to imagine that you have gotten
> a set that is overlacquered unless somebody lost track and dipped your
> set twice. Of course, stranger things have happened. BTW, I always
> listen to the hammers in the piano before doing any lacquering.
> 
> Also BTW, Steinway will be offering a voicing class as part of the CAUT
> program next June at the PTG convention in Anaheim. All, as always, are
> welcome, of course.
> 
> Eric
> 
> Eric Wolfley, RPT
> Head Piano Technician
> Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music
> University of Cincinnati
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
> johnsond
> Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:31 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
> 
>