Action Parts

[RJAY440@AOL.COM]

Lance,
My two cents; I agree about Renner parts especially for Steinways. With the 
kit one can almost always find a combination to use that will be perfect. On 
the rare occasion a customer will specify New York parts and while I don't 
feel that the workmanship is up to the standards of Renner a reasonable combo 
can usually be had. Note that I am speaking of Steinway. AS far as Mason & 
Hamlin and others I have to use what works. That almost always ends up being 
Renner on a Mason and whatever on whatever. The key is knowing in advance 
what will work by hanging samples and experimenting.
Now on to the flamesuit portion; Unless specifically requested by the 
customer I use Steinway hammers on all the Steinways and have even used them 
on a few Masons in the past. I am aware of the reputation that these hammres 
have of being difficult but so was my first attempt at tuning! After a few 
thousand tunings it is so automatic that ... well all that has been covered 
before. The point being that to MY TASTE I have found no hammer that provides 
as satisfying a sound as the Steinway hammer on a Steinway. As to the problem 
of touchweight with these hammers I have found it to be no problem 
whatsoever. Since it is my habit to order all hammers unbored and unshaped it 
is relatively easy to taper and shape them to an acceptable weight in 
combination with the right action parts.
As with all piano work the devil is in the details and simply attending to 
them and not trying to re-invent the wheel one can produce outstanding 
results!
Flamesuit-donned-extra-beer-in-the-cooler!


Rod Pierce