[pianotech] Shank questions

[Encore Pianos]

My experience with the one set that I hung on a Steinway A was that it
didn't sound markedly different to me, a little more power perhaps, but no
obvious differences in the coloration of the sound. This was on a set of
Weikert felt Ronsen hammers from Dale.   So to me the twisting on the axis
we are talking about does not seem to have an obvious effect on the tone.  

 

It seems likely that these carbon fiber shanks have their stiffness where it
is most needed - in the vertical plane where it would most need to resist
the forces of bending.  The oscillating  that Mark describes will still take
place, although less so with the  added stiffness of the CF shanks.  I guess
the question is how much twisting force will the hammer head introduce to
the shank when it is striking the three strings off center or in the shift
position?

 

Will

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Dale Erwin
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 10:24 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

 

Perhaps using a water thin epoxy like rot doctor to quickly coat the average
set of wooden shanks would seem to me to add some stiffness as well and
secondarily....
  humidity resistance. Just muttering out loud here.

 

 

Dale S. Erwin
www.Erwinspiano.com
209-577-8397
"We are what we repeatedly do.
 Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."
-Aristotle



 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Dierauf <pianotech at nhpianos.com>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Thu, May 26, 2011 5:39 am
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

Have you seen the Kawai high-speed videos of hammer/string contact? There's
a lot going on with the hammerhead oscillating all over the place. If that
oscillation is expanded into another axis I could easily imagine it having a
tonal effect, which would seem unlikely to be positive. When my own piano
gets  
a new set of hammers I may try one or two of the carbon shanks in each
section to see just how much tonal difference is actually perceptible, and
whether I like or dislike that difference. I like the theoretical advantages
that these shanks offer - uniformity of stiffness, impervious-ness  to
humidity, and customizable knuckle position - but honestly what matters most
is whether or not they make the piano sound better. So far that is not at
all obvious to me from the few examples I've heard. Keeping my fingers
crossed, though!

- Mark

On 2:59 PM, Encore Pianos wrote: 

My experience with the WNG shanks is as Mark describes, and do seem to twist
more than wooden shanks.  How important is this  in relation to a hammer
striking a string?  Not sure that it  is meaningful.  

 

Will Truitt

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ed Foote
Sent: Wednesday, May 25, 2011 6:35 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Shank questions

 

At 15:44 -0400 25/05/2011, Mark Dierauf wrote:
 
>Interestingly, although the WNG shanks are stiffer than your average 
>wooden shank, they seem to be noticeably more prone to twisting.
 
 Hmm,  this is the first time I have heard of this, and the several WNG
shanks I have seen with hammers on them 
 didn't' seem to twist nearly as much  as wooden ones did.  What anecdotes
do others have? 
Regards, 
Ed Foote rpt

 

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