[CAUT] Ronsen-Wurzen hammers

[Alan McCoy]

Hi Paul,

Not on a Baldwin D, so no help there. I do have a set of Wurzens on a
Baldwin L, but it is in a practice room so it's hard to compare with pianos
in a normal space. When I first installed this set of hammers we had a 6
piano piece in our small recital hall. This Baldwin L was one of the six.
That is when I really had to deal with the voice of these hammers on this
piano. There were 2 Ds and a couple S&S As and an L along with this Baldwin.
The Baldwin didn't project at all and did not have any definition (no edge)
to the tone in any part of the scale at any dynamic level. I had not juiced
prior to moving it onto the stage. Luckily there were a couple days before
the gig. There was time for lacquering and needling down and it was a much
better match for the other pianos on stage. Back in the practice room I've
needled down a bit more, but now there is a better core (as Eric mentioned)
to work from. I still feel though that there is something missing to the
tone (for me at least.) But by and large the students like this piano.

Alan


> From: Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:42:25 -0500
> To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Ronsen-Wurzen hammers
> 
> Thanks Alan,
> 
> Have you tried Ronsen on a Baldin D?  I know Baldwin's are a bit pingy-er
> traditionally, but is that just the Baldwin hammers?  I gotten lots of
> positive reccommendations for this particular piano although I don't think
> Richard West ever used them.  Most of the pianos I see around school have
> Renner or Abel. Nothing against either one.  Actually, my favorite is
> Wally Brooks/Abel Natural felt hammers.  I just wanted to try something
> that so many techs are endorsing.  This piano is used by undergrads,
> chiors, and orchestras (unless we have a MM or DMA or guest artist
> performing, then we use the Steinway D). In reality, I wish we could get a
> whole new belly, but for now, we have to go with just a stack replacement
> (Renner wips and shanks, etc). In the end, especially for two piano
> pieces, I want the Baldin to be able to "keep up" with the Steinway.
> Everyone here loves the Steinway!  Whatever I put on will be an
> improvement,  The Baldwin action and hammers were toast probably several
> years ago, but until this year, it was on "loan" from the Lied Center for
> Performing Arts next door.  When I brought up the needs of the piano, they
> "donated" it to us!  They're having some budget issues, so I think it was
> an easy decision to unload it on us.
> 
> Oh well,  a pretty good piano for free! :>)
> 
> Paul
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Alan McCoy <amccoy at mail.ewu.edu>
> Sent by: caut-bounces at ptg.org
> 04/16/2008 11:52 AM
> Please respond to
> College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>
> 
> 
> To
> "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> cc
> 
> Subject
> Re: [CAUT] Ronsen-Wurzen hammers
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Paul,
> 
> One thing that disturbs me about these hammers, at least on the pianos I
> have put them on, is that they never give me the "clang" that I want at a
> fff dynamic level. They are nicely made, don't require much prep, and give
> a
> warm, dark tone quality, but in my experience with a fff blow all you get
> is
> more volume without as much change in the partial mix as I want. I have
> ended up juicing every set. If I could get a set of S&S hammers that were
> completely unaltered at the factory (long uncoved, unarced tails), I would
> use Steinway hammers. I happen to like the sound I can get using lacquer,
> so
> I will  go back to using Ronsen Bacon hammers with lacquer. Having said
> this
> though, so as not to be misunderstood, I do not like a bright piano sound
> that you get from hard hammers. The only time I want clang is at the
> highest
> dynamic levels, so the pianist has to work to get it, as opposed to those
> pianos that are pingy from the getgo at a pp level.
> 
> FWIW.
> 
> Alan
> 
> 
> -- Alan McCoy, RPT
> Eastern Washington University
> amccoy at mail.ewu.edu
> 509-359-4627
> 509-999-9512
> 
> 
>> From: Paul T Williams <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
>> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>"
> <caut at ptg.org>
>> Date: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:01:13 -0500
>> To: <caut at ptg.org>
>> Subject: [CAUT] Ronsen-Wurzen hammers
>> 
>> Hi gang,
>> 
>> This summer I'm rebuilding the action on our 1956 Baldwin D using Renner
>> shanks/flanges and wippens.  I'm also, per your previous
> reccommendations,
>> trying Ronsen-Wurzen hammers for the first time.  I have some time
> before
>> summer arrives to "prep" the parts, weigh off the shanks, check pinning,
>> etc.  My question is; What sort of pre-voicing should be done with these
>> hammers?  Do they require pre-filing, juicing, needling etc.?  They're
>> already bored, tapered and tails shaped nicely.
>> 
>> Thanks for any input!
>> 
>> Paul T. Williams RPT
>> Univ. of Nebraska
> 
> 
>