Hi all,

Yamaha in Singapore is introducing its New YUS5 with the new hammer heads known as FFW hammer heads. According to their salesman the YUS5 hammer heads are similar to what they used in their Yamaha Grand C3 just wonder is that true?

I only heard of Renner and Abel hammer heads. Can any piano technician tell me where are the FFW hammer heads from and how good are they as compare to Renner and Abel.

Best regards
Felix

I have never heard of FFW hammers. My guess is that there is some confusion and what is meant is VFW.

VFW is a felt manufacturer in Germany who, among many other technical felts, makes felt for piano hammers. VFW does not make the hammers themselves. This felt is sold to hammer makers such as Abel, who use their felt a lot. It would surprise me if VFW felt is not found in hammers produced in Asia as well.

Good felt is a pre-requisite for good hammers, but a lot depends on the hammer making process for making a good hammer.

Just after posting the last message, it came to me - of course I have heard of FFW! FFW felt is more commonly known as Wurzen felt. They are another German felt maker, and make an excellent hammer felt. But they also don't make hammers - they leave that to hammer makers. FFW sells to Renner (and others). Their hammer felt is found on some of the finest Japanese pianos.

I learn the hard way - posting to the list in the wee hours of the morning when the brain has already gone to sleep is not always a wise thing...

I'll stand and be corrected (by myself) again before someone else does: In my first post, I meant VFG felt instead of VFW.
So, just to clarify: VFG and FFW are both felt manufacturers. Neither make the hammers themselves. They sell their felt to whoever will buy it to make hammers. (never mind contacting them for a felt strip or two - large factory minimum orders apply). There are good hammers made withthese felts, but if the felt is not processed properly in the hammer pressing process, the qaulity of the end product can suffer significantly.