Pianotech

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

Contact Brooks Ltd.  800 326-2440.

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

I can't think of any hammer more suitable than Ronsen for a Mason and Hamlin. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Contact Brooks Ltd.  800 326-2440.

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

ChiaYu, is this BB going to be used in a concert hall?   If so the recomendation would be for a concert weight hammer.   Reference scale #9 or higher.    The lighter softer Ronsen for that is not the best choice.

Reference scales available at: https://www.stanwoodpiano.com/hammerweight

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

ChiaYu, is this BB going to be used in a concert hall?   If so the recomendation would be for a concert weight hammer.   Reference scale #9 or higher.    The lighter softer Ronsen for that is not the best choice.

Reference scales available at: https://www.stanwoodpiano.com/hammerweight

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

It's used in a recording studio. The hammers might not be the original. They are pretty light and the touch is also quite light. The owner complained about the tinny treble. The felt is quite worn especially the highest notes leaving not much potential for voicing. Other than that, I don't recall the owner complained about the power. In this case, a concert weight hammer is still the recommendation? Thank you very much.

ChiaYu, is this BB going to be used in a concert hall?   If so the recomendation would be for a concert weight hammer.   Reference scale #9 or higher.    The lighter softer Ronsen for that is not the best choice.

Reference scales available at: https://www.stanwoodpiano.com/hammerweight

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

It's used in a recording studio. The hammers might not be the original. They are pretty light and the touch is also quite light. The owner complained about the tinny treble. The felt is quite worn especially the highest notes leaving not much potential for voicing. Other than that, I don't recall the owner complained about the power. In this case, a concert weight hammer is still the recommendation? Thank you very much.

ChiaYu, is this BB going to be used in a concert hall?   If so the recomendation would be for a concert weight hammer.   Reference scale #9 or higher.    The lighter softer Ronsen for that is not the best choice.

Reference scales available at: https://www.stanwoodpiano.com/hammerweight

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.

Nobody can really answer that for you. I would really encourage you to put on some hammer samples in different sections and see if they produce something close to what you're after. Try a couple of different hammers.

That being said, I would probably not go as far as a hammer that is that heavy. First,  a recording studio doesn't need that kind of power, second, it may not be appropriate for the piano, third, it may require a modification of leverage if the current system can't support that heavy a hammer. Are you willing to do that? How old is the Piano by the way?

It's used in a recording studio. The hammers might not be the original. They are pretty light and the touch is also quite light. The owner complained about the tinny treble. The felt is quite worn especially the highest notes leaving not much potential for voicing. Other than that, I don't recall the owner complained about the power. In this case, a concert weight hammer is still the recommendation? Thank you very much.

ChiaYu, is this BB going to be used in a concert hall?   If so the recomendation would be for a concert weight hammer.   Reference scale #9 or higher.    The lighter softer Ronsen for that is not the best choice.

Reference scales available at: https://www.stanwoodpiano.com/hammerweight

And since Ronsens tend to be among the lightest (if not THE lightest) hammers in the aftermarket industry, much of that work has already been accomplished by the maker. (I also instruct him to increase the tail cove size to reduce material below the shank and he does a beautiful job at reasonable cost). I prefer to add weight to the hammers (if need be) rather than remove it. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

Regarding David Love's comment "if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit."

The other way to brighten a hammer is to reduce the weight.   

The first step in voicing is hammer selection. This is an apt topic considering the convention in Reno. No one can really give you the answer to this question. I've heard this piano with Renner blues, Renner blue points, Abel natural, Ronsen even Steinway and they all produce acceptable. albeit different results. You have to decide what you're after. You have to assess belly of the piano and determine the best fit given its condition.

This piano will want some power generally. So if you put on a soft hammer like a Ronsen or a Steinway style hammer, you'll have to harden it quite a bit unless you want something darker. The best thing to do is to acquire some samples and put them on the piano and listen and make your own judgment as to what you're after. This will give you a starting point, the final tone of the piano will be subject to how you voice the hammers. But that's always the case. 

Dear fellow professionals

Looking for a new set of hammer for a 1966 Mason & Hamlin BB. Currently considering  Abel, but when I contacted Abel for recommendation, got an reply saying that they don't know which model of their hammers suits this piano. If you have experiences about it, please enlighten me. Thank you very much.