[pianotech] Wurzen/Weickert felt

[Will Truitt]

I like your explanation,  Bill.  It makes sense.  And we certainly do see
many hammers that have too much felt on them.  Or more to the point, too
much softer outer felt.  Whether one lacquers on the top of the hammer as
Dale suggests or just above the molding as David has offered, it is
important to have determined by filing a lot or a little and then listening,
that the now outer felt is giving as much brilliance from this particular
set of hammers as we can reasonably expect before trying other means.   I
have done enough doping myself over the years to know that a hammer with
very soft outer felt that is lacquered will sound different than the same
hammer that has been filed to get to some harder inner felt and then
lacquered, and it won't sound as good.  No contradiction to what you and
David are saying, just a reminder that this is part of the process too.

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Wiliam Ballard
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 10:09 AM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Wurzen/Weickert felt

 

 

On Feb 17, 2009, at 9:38 AM, David C. Stanwood  wrote:

My other comment.... when I was in School at North Bennet St. (1978) Bill
Garlick taught us a technique which is very useful on these cold pressed
hammers as a really safe way of using lacquer for building drive in the
tone. Tip the stack up on its side and add some lacquer to the felt just
above the tip of the moulding... do one side then turn it around and do the
other... It gives foundation to the tone without having any deleterious
effects on the surface of the felt and maintains a beautiful ppp quality
that is the hallmark of a cold pressed hammer. The technique is consistent
with the Dolge model of voicing.?

 

I've been using this to very good effect for about six years now, after
hearing it mentioned on PTx (referred to as the "Pearl of Power", as I
remember).

 

Mechanically what's happening is that the felt just above the underfelt (and
the underfelt itself) is being moved from the flexible, live category
(hammer felt) to the solid, inert category (wooden hammer moulding).
Apparently, it's possible to have too much felt for good tone (especially
considering that the part from the strike point on down the hammer CL where
actual squash-under-impact occurs is quite shallow). Hardening under the
strike point has the effect of extending the height of the moulding and
subtracting from the thickness of the felt covering. I stay away from
reinforcing the strike point unless it's quite clear that that's the only
thing which will get me the sound I want.

 

Best Regards,

 

mrbl

 

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