On this general subject I'd like to report I just got finished with an old S.... actually one of the nicest sounding S instruments I have ever heard. Absolutely delightful treble... and really I suppose I could say that from around F2 upwards... The lowest bass is a bit tubby... or however one chooses to describe that low bass sound Steinway gets. The new hammers were evened so as to conform to a Stanwood top medium curve, and were German Renners Wurzen I felt. They needled nicely and ended up with about 50-60 three needle 6-7 mm deep first needling jabs in the bass.. down to around 25 in the highest treble. Sustain time was quite astounding for this old Steinway... Tunelab registered between 2.1 and 3.4 seconds on C8 !! (6 samples) F7 3.1 to 4.9 ! C7 had a high of 5.5, F6 8.1, and C6 a whopping 11 seconds. Given the many discussions about the Steinway soundboard design... I really find myself lacking for a way of finding compatibility between this result... and the idea that these boards will by definition loose their ability to function well. I might add that the sound was anything but thin and weak... it was full, round and very powerful. I'd put it up against many very new pianos of larger size... A recording of this instrument will be forth coming. In anycase... back to the lacquer / non-lacquer bit.... I still have the old hammers and will see if there is anyone at the UiB who can assertain whether lacquer had been used at any time. Given its a Hamburg instrument... that may be doubtfull... and even if there is, the lacquer could have come from anywhere. I also know of a early 30's B laying around town.... all original and laying hidden in a garage for about 60 years... Cheers RicB
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