Hello fellow-members,
Can you share any experience or thoughts regarding the longevity of fairly recent Ronsen Bacon hammers?
I'm installing new hammers on a Steinway B, teacher in a home studio, high use piano but concert power / projection not desired.
I'm considering either Ronsen Bacon hammers adjusted with Paraloid B72, or Ronsen tension-modified Weichert hammers as a special request (which he will do). Also voiced as needed with B72.
For reference, original Steinway hammers, current, special order non-dipped would also be good. But sadly in the past I've received too many Steinway hammers with splitting of the wooden core along the sides. Sometimes this machines away during thicknessing and tapering, but sometimes the flaking compromises the area under the strike point too much. Save this reason, I'd probably order a lot more Steinway hammers for Steinway hammers, by default.
This would be my first experience with buying and using B72 hammer solution. I've read a bit about it on this forum, and I would definitely try something that delivers a more stable and long-lasting result, i.e., felt maintains flexibility, less disintegration from introduced brittleness.
Thoughts and experiences appreciated.
Also any experience regarding long-term durability of Abel hammer shanks and repetitions. Will they hold up as long as Renner pinning / bushing? Perhaps also, compared to recent production Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai and Tokiwa parts pinning. The specific one I'm most concerned with is how well hammer shank / flange pinning holds up, and does not become loose too soon with heavy use. As you know, excessive looseness of hammer shank pinning compromises tone. The last think you want is pinning that gives out before the hammers are worn out. In the MD-VA region, I've found Renner shank pinnings are sometimes too tight even over time, and that has to be addressed, but they seem to last a very long time without getting loose, if never abused or incorrectly sized.
I haven't mentioned WNG for this Steinway project, but I've used their parts in the past for other work.
I hope thoughts and experiences can be shared in a friendly way that is respectful toward the manufacturers mentioned here. Folks will have their favorites and I'm curious to know what they've experienced out there when parts get some serious use over time. Perhaps consider highlighting good results rather than detailing poor results?
Thanks.
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Tom Wright, RPT
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