Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Question about hammers

Hello. I would kindly like to ask if could be possible to deduce the factory brand of the hammerheads that are into a Steinway A188 from 1919. This hammerheads set is an after market one which was installed by a very valued technician (retired now), perhaps about 10 years ago.

Thank you very much indeed for any suggestion.

Could be Steinway hammers, although they would be a bit older than 10 years ago. They would be marked on the lowest hammers. That is where you can find markings, if there are any.

they look like a re-felted set on original core /original underfelt but not seeing the side makes it difficult to be sure.
The gluing is not original, certainly, (and not nice looking) but I never saw such hammer making (with uneven impregnation lines
The shape is too much "potato like" for being normal made hammers.

The felt looks very soft and cotoneous - may be US imported ?

Re felted hammers have staples, and all the original marks (not always stamped Steinway)

The stamp of the shop that did the re felting is often find on some bass hammer.

Thank you very much! I cannot find any mark or stamp on the hammers. What I can say is that they are centainly european hammers and they could have more than 10 years. They also have a progressive "tapered" shape on the sides (more on the basses, less on the trebles).

Question - Why is the brand important to you?

Nothing of "important"... I bought this piano some days ago and I would just like to know if I have done a good purchase.

Does it sound good? Does it play well? If it does, it was a good purchase.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

But I'm curious... and I use to stay hungry and foolish... Simple I mean...

may be too thick felt for a re felting job , in the end, but it shows not hardly pressed heads possibly.

they are new, never played, seem to be well placed under the strings (strings marks) so it is OK

Thank you Olek, very kind. Yes, the instrument has been entirely rebuilt ten years ago and then left in the lumber-room without playing.

Have you tried asking the retired technician who installed the hammers?

New hammers on old shanks is a far cry from an "entire rebuild". The action felts and buckskin also look old or original. It is fairly common that partial action restorations are sold as as full rebuilds. The main thing is that it plays properly and sounds good to you.

Sure, the "entirely rebuild" is sort of generic term, it always strikes me for having seen real rebuilds, that makes a huge difference in the end. New pinblock, new bridge tops, dampers hamner, shanks and sometime full stack...keys done new or the sides repaired, etc.. The case, of course

450 -600 hours work on a grand, often finished 6 month later....

Of course some original parts are better kept in some cases

Thank you very much indeed. The piano has been "rebuilt" in the sense that everything that was not good enought to last has been replaced: strings, dampers, hammers, pins, frame and case finishes, etc. But it has not been sold with a claim of "full rebuilt": you see, it comes from a retired technician who is no longer interested in business.

Well I dont think the plate holes have been enlarged or made a bit conical for the new thicker tuning pins.

Elsewhere the job look clean.

A clearer picture... the piano will be delivered very soon.