Hi Luke. First of all, what does this person need/require as far as tone dynamic, etc? How high are their expectations?

There are many other questions that may need to be asked, and you will probably get many different opinions. Our situation at Texas Tech, almost exactly like yours, (except Renner Blues being the hammers being "burned thru!)  required me to come up with a solution. Fortunately, this is an Incredible time with many wonderful choices available right now. 

Focusing on your question of longevity, I personally would probably start with Abel Naturals (or Abel Special Press from Pianotek). I have installed several sets of Abel Naturals from Brooks, LTD and we really like them for our needs. I tried a set of Abel Special Press on a Steinway L and this particular set was way to bright for this VERY discriminating prof. The Naturals were perfect for her, except for having to brighten up the bass a little. I did a significant amount of shoulder needling to open up the shoulders and give as much dynamic range as possible for this person, but by in large these hammers sound pretty great right out of the box. Fred has had different experiences than I regarding comparing Abel Special Press/Pianotek to Naturals from Brooks. His comps showed them to be about the same. For longevity, my guess would be to go with the Special Press, and just needle them down to where you please the person. 

OR! You could go with Renner Blue Points  completely different animal than regular Renner Blues. These are Weicket felt and would also be a very good alternative to Steinway hammers. And would also probably last longer, but others have had much more experience with these than I. They CAN BE a lot of work. I'll let others chime in on this but I'm having to lightly juice a set of these on an old Mason grand just rebuilt in New Jersey, with these Blue Points. I LOVE the tone right now but this teacher wants them brighter. 

I keep wanting to try a set of the low profile Weickets, etc that David Love & others like, but I will have to let them report about longevity they have experienced. 

Hope this will at least "stir the pot" if nothing else. Kevin

There is a whole school of playing where constant shift pedal use is used, I think Russian in origin. This, of course, assumes that the pedal offers a continuum of gradations of color and maybe volume, which it only does on a well-prepped concert instrument (or private instrument, in the rare instances that the owner is willing to pay for such prep on a continual basis). So I have to assume it is more suggestive to the pianist than audible to the listener in most cases.

Over the past few years, I have come to believe that we would probably be better off with Montal's invention, the "expression pedal," revived by Stuart and adopted by Fazioli and Steingraeber. It moves the hammers closer to the strings and does so without introducing lost motion (effectively by raising the back rail, thereby reducing key dip proportionally to the reduction in blow). That gives far more control of ppp passagework. I do like the ability to change color via "una" corda, but I no longer feel like use of a "soft pedal" is "cheating," which seems to be the macho attitude, similar to the notion that ETD use is cheating.

Interestingly, it seems that the una corda was originally added for tuning purposes, and continued being used as such well into the 19th century, as published tuning instructions make clear - and it worked so as to move from three to two, and from two to one string, an actual una corda pedal (on both double and triple strung instruments). Composers and performers took advantage of the feature for expression purposes, and it became a probably unbreakable tradition.

As long as I have started down this road, I think I'll go a bit farther. Think of all that is involved in the set up of the una corda pedal so that it will work well.

1) Keybed and keyframe interface: everything smooth, probably lubed, mated, including the mysterious process of setting glides. Also the return spring to frame side interface (smooth/lubed) and the return/rest felt (becomes compressed, therefore noisy, and results in misalignment to dampers, etc.)

2) Hammers aligned to strings so that they will either all leave the left string simultaneously, or none will ever leave that string. Concomitant re-alignment of other parts to hammers/shanks.

3) Leveling of strings, and meticulously squared hammer crowns to match: both surfaces must be at precisely the same angle and in a perfect line, or mating will be compromised in the shift position (i.e., won't be the same in both).

4) Hammer surface "between the grooves" (about 2 mm wide) must be carefully needled to be consistent from hammer to hammer, and to produce a different tone from that of the grooves themselves. Preferably there should be a gradient.

5) Shift stop must be meticulously regulated to allow movement of about 1.5 - 2.0 mm. More, and the grooves and strings will start to line up (two strings).

6) The "pinch" of the key end blocks must be adjusted seasonally and lubed.

So how many piano technicians can do ALL these things successfully? How many pianos are set up in this way? From the point of view of the pianist, this is a completely unpredictable situation. With luck, una corda will be a reliable different tone color. Often it won't be, so you'd better not be relying on it. I know that I was taught never to use it, partly from the point of view that it was a crutch that you shouldn't need, partly because you really couldn't predict what the difference would be, and often it involved notes that would stick out or disappear.

It's interesting how much bellyaching is done concerning sostenuto. We should really be bellyaching against una corda. Don't get me wrong, I love u. c. when it is good, it gives me a wider range of options. But practically speaking it is a big mess. I have the impression that voicing the una corda is a fairly recent phenomenon, that before the last 3 - 4 decades it was done rarely if at all. Many manufacturers have nothing to say about it, and when tech reps are asked, they have no recommendations, say nothing is done in the factory. Bosendorfer, for example, (to the best of my knowledge) began recommending such voicing in recent years, had merely relied on the packing of felt in the rest position to make that sound brighter, hence the in between sound softer.

My guess is that voicing between the grooves started with Steinway, at the point where saturating the hammer crown with lacquer became standard procedure. And it is certainly necessary in that case, or you get unpredictable zings at various points of left pedal depression (been there, red-faced, learned my lesson well).

As long as I have started down this road, I think I'll go a bit farther. Think of all that is involved in the set up of the una corda pedal so that it will work well.

1) Keybed and keyframe interface: everything smooth, probably lubed, mated, including the mysterious process of setting glides. Also the return spring to frame side interface (smooth/lubed) and the return/rest felt (becomes compressed, therefore noisy, and results in misalignment to dampers, etc.)

2) Hammers aligned to strings so that they will either all leave the left string simultaneously, or none will ever leave that string. Concomitant re-alignment of other parts to hammers/shanks.

3) Leveling of strings, and meticulously squared hammer crowns to match: both surfaces must be at precisely the same angle and in a perfect line, or mating will be compromised in the shift position (i.e., won't be the same in both).

4) Hammer surface "between the grooves" (about 2 mm wide) must be carefully needled to be consistent from hammer to hammer, and to produce a different tone from that of the grooves themselves. Preferably there should be a gradient.

5) Shift stop must be meticulously regulated to allow movement of about 1.5 - 2.0 mm. More, and the grooves and strings will start to line up (two strings).

6) The "pinch" of the key end blocks must be adjusted seasonally and lubed.

So how many piano technicians can do ALL these things successfully? How many pianos are set up in this way? From the point of view of the pianist, this is a completely unpredictable situation. With luck, una corda will be a reliable different tone color. Often it won't be, so you'd better not be relying on it. I know that I was taught never to use it, partly from the point of view that it was a crutch that you shouldn't need, partly because you really couldn't predict what the difference would be, and often it involved notes that would stick out or disappear.

It's interesting how much bellyaching is done concerning sostenuto. We should really be bellyaching against una corda. Don't get me wrong, I love u. c. when it is good, it gives me a wider range of options. But practically speaking it is a big mess. I have the impression that voicing the una corda is a fairly recent phenomenon, that before the last 3 - 4 decades it was done rarely if at all. Many manufacturers have nothing to say about it, and when tech reps are asked, they have no recommendations, say nothing is done in the factory. Bosendorfer, for example, (to the best of my knowledge) began recommending such voicing in recent years, had merely relied on the packing of felt in the rest position to make that sound brighter, hence the in between sound softer.

My guess is that voicing between the grooves started with Steinway, at the point where saturating the hammer crown with lacquer became standard procedure. And it is certainly necessary in that case, or you get unpredictable zings at various points of left pedal depression (been there, red-faced, learned my lesson well).

Users of Isaac hammers report double and more life span compared to whatever had been used previously.  It is thought this is due to their extreme flexibility.  (Mental Picture: imagine the wear that happens from a brick hitting a concrete wall and a spring hitting a concrete wall.) 

If you install hammers that are as soft and as light or lighter that old Steinway hammers, they will last years longer than the rest what is common on new pianos today. I have pianos with my now 30 year old LightHammer Tone Regulation protocols that are used by serious players and have not worn out yet.

Plus you can regulate the shift to clear the third string which is what is intended. The shift pedal has two positions, half shift and full shift. Half shift is between the grooves. Full shift allows the un-struck string to act as a coupler 180 degrees out of phase with the struck strings.

------------------------------
Edward McMorrow
Edmonds WA
425-299-3431

I agree with Ed in part.  I think there are various hammer characteristics that impact how fast hammers wear out.  

• Mass.  Heavier hammers impact the strings with more force and so put the felt under greater stress.  In the bass this is less of an issue because the string themselves flex more and absorb some of the energy.  In the treble more force is taken by the hammer.  Put hammers of equal mass (and density) in the treble and bass and the treble hammer will wear faster.  Of course you wouldn't do that for tonal reasons.

• Resilience.   A hammer that is flexible and has a high restitution coefficient (the felt returns to its original shape after impact) will wear longer than those that don't.

• Quality and health of the fiber.  Better quality felt with healthy fiber is more resilient and will have a higher restitution coefficient.

• Voicing.  The more voicing you do the more you compromise the integrity of the felt.  Hammers that are high tension and resilient because of that tension will suffer from needling over time (as will all hammers).  The tension dissipates and you end up with a hammer lacking in restorative tension whose tone is controlled simply by controlling the density gradient.  Those hammers will have a less voicing stability and therefore end up needing yet more needling which further reduces their lifespan.  The process of needling compromises the integrity of the felt and fiber.  We do it because it's necessary but it ultimately contributes to a shorter life.  That being said, needling focused in the lower part of the hammer which increases resilience at the surface of the hammer can help to prolong life.  Sadly, for most modern hammers, needling low in the shoulder is not adequate to achieve our voicing goals and so we have to address the hammer higher up toward the crown.  The closer we get to the crown the worse it is for hammer life. 

• Lacquer.  Lacquer compromises the health and resilience of the fiber.  By stiffening the fiber you make it more brittle and destroy the restorative capacity of the felt.  Any tension in the hammer is bound up by the lacquer and you end up converting the hammer instantly from a tension driven hammer (best) to a density driven hammer.  Moreover, lacquered hammers require direct crown voicing which, as I mentioned, also contributes to shortened life.    

I don't think the una coda has anything to do with how the hammer wears really.  You could argue, in fact, that the use of the una corda prolongs the life of the hammer because it distributes the impact area over a greater range of the hammer surface.  

The hammers that wear the fastest in my experience are NY Steinway lacquered D hammers (and heavily lacquered hammers generally) and rock hard hammers that require massive amounts of needling to bring them into compliance.  With hammer less is more.  The less manipulation of the felt that is required the longer they will last.  Most hammers made today require way too much manipulation either with needles or lacquer.  My opinion, of course.  

------------------------------
David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320

Original Message:
Sent: 10-27-2015 00:07
From: Edward McMorrow
Subject: Durability of hammers

If you install hammers that are as soft and as light or lighter that old Steinway hammers, they will last years longer than the rest what is common on new pianos today. I have pianos with my now 30 year old LightHammer Tone Regulation protocols that are used by serious players and have not worn out yet.

Plus you can regulate the shift to clear the third string which is what is intended. The shift pedal has two positions, half shift and full shift. Half shift is between the grooves. Full shift allows the un-struck string to act as a coupler 180 degrees out of phase with the struck strings.

------------------------------
Edward McMorrow
Edmonds WA
425-299-3431

I agree with Ed in part.  I think there are various hammer characteristics that impact how fast hammers wear out.  

• Mass.  Heavier hammers impact the strings with more force and so put the felt under greater stress.  In the bass this is less of an issue because the string themselves flex more and absorb some of the energy.  In the treble more force is taken by the hammer.  Put hammers of equal mass (and density) in the treble and bass and the treble hammer will wear faster.  Of course you wouldn't do that for tonal reasons.

• Resilience.   A hammer that is flexible and has a high restitution coefficient (the felt returns to its original shape after impact) will wear longer than those that don't.

• Quality and health of the fiber.  Better quality felt with healthy fiber is more resilient and will have a higher restitution coefficient.

• Voicing.  The more voicing you do the more you compromise the integrity of the felt.  Hammers that are high tension and resilient because of that tension will suffer from needling over time (as will all hammers).  The tension dissipates and you end up with a hammer lacking in restorative tension whose tone is controlled simply by controlling the density gradient.  Those hammers will have a less voicing stability and therefore end up needing yet more needling which further reduces their lifespan.  The process of needling compromises the integrity of the felt and fiber.  We do it because it's necessary but it ultimately contributes to a shorter life.  That being said, needling focused in the lower part of the hammer which increases resilience at the surface of the hammer can help to prolong life.  Sadly, for most modern hammers, needling low in the shoulder is not adequate to achieve our voicing goals and so we have to address the hammer higher up toward the crown.  The closer we get to the crown the worse it is for hammer life. 

• Lacquer.  Lacquer compromises the health and resilience of the fiber.  By stiffening the fiber you make it more brittle and destroy the restorative capacity of the felt.  Any tension in the hammer is bound up by the lacquer and you end up converting the hammer instantly from a tension driven hammer (best) to a density driven hammer.  Moreover, lacquered hammers require direct crown voicing which, as I mentioned, also contributes to shortened life.    

I don't think the una coda has anything to do with how the hammer wears really.  You could argue, in fact, that the use of the una corda prolongs the life of the hammer because it distributes the impact area over a greater range of the hammer surface.  

The hammers that wear the fastest in my experience are NY Steinway lacquered D hammers (and heavily lacquered hammers generally) and rock hard hammers that require massive amounts of needling to bring them into compliance.  With hammer less is more.  The less manipulation of the felt that is required the longer they will last.  Most hammers made today require way too much manipulation either with needles or lacquer.  My opinion, of course.  

------------------------------
David Love RPT
www.davidlovepianos.com
davidlovepianos@comcast.net
415 407 8320

Original Message:
Sent: 10-27-2015 00:07
From: Edward McMorrow
Subject: Durability of hammers

If you install hammers that are as soft and as light or lighter that old Steinway hammers, they will last years longer than the rest what is common on new pianos today. I have pianos with my now 30 year old LightHammer Tone Regulation protocols that are used by serious players and have not worn out yet.

Plus you can regulate the shift to clear the third string which is what is intended. The shift pedal has two positions, half shift and full shift. Half shift is between the grooves. Full shift allows the un-struck string to act as a coupler 180 degrees out of phase with the struck strings.

------------------------------
Edward McMorrow
Edmonds WA
425-299-3431

Great post David. It does make sense. Seems to me that this sort of explains one reason you like "low profile" hammers. (Also, I've been observing Yamaha hammers, which also seems to last very well when voiced well and are resilient, and they SEEM to be rather low profile in the top one third or so.) So it seems that if there is too much felt to get great tone, then one has to do so much manipulation that ends up taking life away from the hammers. I know there are MANY other factors, etc, etc--but this just sort of came together in my mind. Hope thinks makes sense. Kevin

The low profile hammer came about trying to find a good match between the felt density, the pressing and the profile.  With the felt Ronsen is using (Weickert or Wurzen) and the type of pressing they do, the low profile produces something very close to what I want right out of the box and obviates the need for lacquer use.  The hammers come out very resilient and seem to last a long time.  Of course the quality of the Wurzen and Weickert felts is very high.    Keeping control of the profile in the treble is especially important, I find.  It both reduces mass and gives a firm foundation to the hammer (the wood core) so not too much energy is lost by the filtering effect of the hammer itself.    They are bright but not harsh.  

David, thanks for such a great and clear response. My latest sample kit from Renner has a couple of Renner Blue points and they have "Wickert" stamped right on the side. I now see that this just means that it's the same great quality felt, but a WHOLE lot of the final product is in the processing/manufacture decisions & goals, etc etc. 

Okay, so for the benefit of the group (and my short term memory loss!) which of the two between Ronson's Wurzen & Wickert are on the richer side & which is on the brighter side?

I'm going to try a set or two on a couple of Yamaha's and maybe a Baldwin L and a Steinway L--in the near future. 

So what are our options for sending in samples and ordering a set of these low profile pre-hung with shanks & flanges? 

Its my understanding that Ray Negron just sells the hams, right? And your focus is on rebuilding-? 

(Gonna print all this out I promise!)

Kevin:

It's hard to comment specifically. I've gravitated toward wurzen for pianos that require more power and weickert for others. That being said I'm installing a set of wurzen on a Steinway O I'm doing with a new sitka board. But I  have another O in the shop with a set of Weickert, new white spruce board on that one. The differences are subtle. If I had to characterize the difference I would say that the wurzen produces a somewhat broader spectrum and slightly more power. This is with Ronsen and with my profile. I find the non-low profile to be a bit too dark for me, lacking the kind of clarity I want and requiring some lacquer. I really like the idea of the early Steinway hammers. Lightweight, low profile and they have a lot of clarity. Much better than the current iteration, in my view. The early hammers were weickert felt (until 1937), although it was a less dense sheet--cold pressed though. 

The Renner blue point I find too hard for most of the work that I'm doing. Renner makes fine hammers and I know a lot of thought has gone into the blue points but I have a problem with how the "point" is achieved. It appears that the point comes about through a manipulated pressing which firms up the top of the hammer (and forces it into a pointy shape) and leaves the lower shoulder softer than the premium blue. But my preference is for graduated pressing that leaves the top of the hammer slightly less firm and more resilient 

With respect to prehung, I don't know if Ray does that. I know Dale Erwin does but I don't think he stocks the low profile hammer. You'd have to ask him. I always hang my own hammers. 

On a Yamaha or BaldwinI would probably use a wurzen low profile--higher impedance systems generally. It depends on the condition of the board though. On older (lower impedance boards) I tend to prefer weickert. On higher impedance boards, or systems, I tend to prefer Wurzen. There is some leeway. The main thing for me is that I like to avoid lacquer except occasionally on the highest 5 or 6 notes. 

David, thanks so much for indulging my question. VERY helpful. This is beginning to make sense to me. I hope others are benefitting also. For the Yamaha & Baldwin I like the sound of the Wurzen to begin with. 

I think I can just order some of these from Ray and hire Dale or maybe even Pianotek to hang them. I should PROBABLY just go back to doing my own hanging--probably will eventually. Due to extreme time and space constraints, lack of equipment, etc- I've become almost addicted to hiring this done. I've probably been much more "lucky" than I deserve in that I've never had any real problems in the "trouble" area as so many others have. Thanks again!! Kevin