Evidence of overlacquered hammers

[David Ilvedson]

The Hamburg and NY Steinways are two really different beasts.   The Hamburg uses Renner hammers of some sort...right?   The Hamburg goes for the same shape....?

David Ilvedson.



----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
From: antares <antares@euronet.nl>
To: Pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>
Received: Thu, 30 Sep 2004 18:36:19 +0200
Subject: Re: Evidence of overlacquered hammers


>On 30-sep-04, at 10:00, Richard Brekne wrote:

>> All this said... I cant say I see any reason to subscribe to the idea 
>> that tensioned hammers will cause a soundboard to distort when 
>> laquered hammers wont... let alone hammers that have reasonable weight 
>> characteristics. A soundboard simply has to function as it is meant 
>> too with in reasonable parameters... if its so screwed up that a 
>> hammer needs to be so soft and light as to avoid driving it into some 
>> or another form of distortion, then it seems to me the soundboard 
>> should be fixed first.

>There is another thing(ee) connected to this issue, and that is the 
>shape of the hammer and the shape of the crown.  A Steinway needs a 
>real pointed, diamond like hammer. You put that same hammer on a 
>Bechstein and you get an ugly monster.  It has to do with overtones.  
>Bechsteins are known for their brilliant treble and their weaker bass. 
>That's one of the reasons why in the Bechstein factory they start 
>needling up from the beginning. Actually, they have three voicings 
>there : a first voicing to release the tension just above the staple, a 
>second voicing, to make cushion, and a third voicing after da 'banging 
>machine'.
>Steinways always sound dull without their particular shape.



>>
>> I dismiss hammers that need lacquer for entirely other reasons. I just 
>> dont like the way they sound.  But then thats the great thing about 
>> dissagreement eh ??? Leads to the very diversity seems to provide the 
>> right piano for just about everyone !

>Richard, I have come to the definite conclusion that talking about this 
>issue (of lacquer versus tension) is a complete waste on both sides.  
>If somebody really likes the sound of a lacquered hammer, than so be 
>it.  I don't know what it is or why it is but this well never settle 
>down. I gave up on that a long time ago.
>We might say that there are two schools of listening and there it ends.
>>
>André Oorebeek

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