Evidence of overlacquered hammers

[David Love]

There are a number of factors that should come into play when choosing a
hammer for a particular piano.  The condition of the belly is a crucial
one that is often neglected.  People tend to pick a single type of
hammer because that is what they are familiar with or because they like
the supplier, the price or the name.  My experience suggests that
certain hammers are simply inappropriate for certain pianos.  An old
tired soundboard, for example, will not benefit from a very hard pressed
and/or heavy hammer that requires a lot of needling.  The ease with
which the board can be overdriven or the terminations stretched beyond
their limit will render such a hammer most likely too hard to control
and one will always be fighting a harsh and distorted tone.  In this
case a softer, unheated and lighter hammer may be the best choice.
Those types of hammers may need some firming up of the felt in order to
achieve the optimum density and an application of lacquer or the
hardener of your choice works quite well.  

At best, hammer selection is a difficult one when you are dealing with a
variety of pianos and soundboards in various conditions.  High, medium,
or low density hammers built up with an application of lacquer all have
their place depending on the piano.  Most people, experienced of
inexperienced,  would be better off running through a few samples of
each before making a decision on which hammer is the right one for a
particular job.      


David Love
davidlovepianos@comcast.net 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On
Behalf Of Richard Brekne
Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 12:48 AM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: Evidence of overlacquered hammers

I think we are bound to dissagree on this one David. We operate with a 
different picture of the (hammer) universe to begin with.  Guys like 
Andre, Bernhard, and I have long since come to the conclusion that where

it is appropriate to harden to begin with reflects hammer felt that is 
inappropriate to use. One is forced ofte times to resort to lacq in the 
highest treble and sometimes in the bottom 3-5 notes.... but otherwise 
one can avoid laquer by the choice of hammers.  Reasonings behind such 
choices have been discussed many times and probably will be again :)

That said.. I will be the first to admit that those who have mastered 
the <<art>> of mushy hammers being laquered to tone accomplish something

entirely different then the inexperienced tech with his bottles of 
keytops and acetone.

My preferences for the needled hammer remain, however very firm and are 
the result of many many years of experimenting with voicing techniques.

Cheers
RicB

David Love wrote:

>I think you have to differentiate between "hammer hardening" and
>"overlacquering". For some hammers, hardening, or making the felt more
>rigid or dense, is quite appropriate.  
>
>David Love
>davidlovepianos@comcast.net 
>
>  
>

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