Hang'n dem Hammers

gordon stelter lclgcnp@yahoo.com
Sun, 29 Sep 2002 12:39:07 -0700 (PDT)


Dear Stephane,
     One would presume that, as part of the scaling,
the difference in percentage of string length where
the hammer strikes a particular string, from note to
note, was already designed in: hence the "sweep" of
the upper plate bridge on uprights, and aggraffe line
/ curved capo in grands.
     That said, I just did a 1922 Krakauer, a fine
little upright, and carefully designed where, after
checking and rechecking, the original hammer line was
NOT straight, but rose in an elongated "V": from tenor
to lower bass, and tenor to treble. Looks utterly
ridiculous, but the customer was pressuring me to
finish it and I did not have time to find another one
with which to compare it, I duplicated this
arrangement with the new hammers. Seems to sound fine,
but I am still curious as to whether this was a
factory defect, or by intent??? ( Can anybody help?
1920's Krakauer, about 48" tall. Email privately if
you can, please.)
     I do though, find it hard to believe that any
noticeable difference in tone would occur by changing
the strike point a few millimeters once you are below,
say, the top 1-1/2 octave. ( Which is why many
manufacturers have the lower tenor hammers on uprights
rise in the strike line, to make possible full, rather
than cut dampers in uprights atthis spot.)
     But, if it did, this might,perhaps, be useful for
finding the ideal spot in deteriorated boards ( just
leave a note for the NEXT tech, to tell him/her what
you've done!)
     But TOUCH is a totally differnt question. 
     Anybody? Everybody? Please feel free to beat up,
on me at this occassion, especially if you are
horboring lingering resentments towards me for my
previous posts.
     Sincerely,
     Gordon Stelter


--- Stéphane_Collin <collin.s@skynet.be> wrote:
> While on that subject, may I ask the list opinion
> about this fact :
> 
> depending on (I think mainly) the hammer quality and
> hardness, the exact striking points where the magic
> of sound colour and best dynamic capabilities occurs
> happen not always to be in a straight line, from
> section to section, all over the scale.  With softer
> hammers, this appears to be less obvious.  But in
> some cases, aesthetic considerations led me to try
> and glue hammers sometimes as far as 5 mm out of
> line, even in bass section, where you sometimes can
> achieve (even far more out of line than possible) a
> much more interessant sound, that has more power,
> more colour shades and less harsh in ff playing
> (and, last but not least, much more agreable touch
> feel).
> So what would you think about a piano which has bass
> hammers glued say 12.5 cm from center pins, tenors
> tapered from 13.1 cm to 12.8 cm, trebbles 13 cm and
> last high trebbles per note all differing ?
> 
> Am I completely out of tune again ? Or do some
> listees encounter the same situation ?
> 
> (I also use Spurlock jig, for straight lines).
> 
> Stéphane Collin.
> 
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info:
https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives


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