We have to thank Bartolomeo Christofori who invented the hammer technique in 1700 which heralded the birth of the pianoforte. Ever since, piano makers have been searching for the perfect hammer-head for a consummate sound. At Schimmel, the characteristics of the hammer-head felts which have an influence on the composition of the tone are examined meticulously. The density and weight of the felt, its tension and simultaneous flexibility, the type of wool utilized and how this wool is processed, the correct way of cutting the felt and the way in which it is molded: these aspects are all vital to ensure that our hammerheads transfer the energy of the player’s touch to the resonating strings in an optimum manner. The felt manufacture is undertaken according to a traditional process which is more time-consuming than modern industrial felt manufacture, but is the sole method to ensure delivery of premium-quality felt for our instruments.

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