Player Supplies in UK
By Douglas K. Rhodes
Howdy: In MMD 970222 Dean Randall asked whether Fletcher & Newman piano parts supply house still exists in the UK. They do. I deal with them frequently. They have a first-rate selection of parts, including a broad selection of excellent quality felt and wool cloth. They ship to North America. I am not aware that they have an e-mail address yet.
To telephone or FAX from North America, these numbers have worked for me:
Tel: 011 44 1322 226441
FAX: 011 44 1322 278978
(If calling from the UK the 1322 prefix becomes 0322)
One of their services I have made use of several times is hammer re-covering. I am very happy with the hammer felt they supplied for antique Broadwood, Erard, and Collard & Collard grands that I restored. If you are restoring a very old instrument with tiny or otherwise unusual hammer mouldings, send the hammers, still on the shanks, to Fletcher & Newman and they will strip off the old felt and glue on new.
I wouldn't go so far as to say the resulting hammers are as nice as brand new Renner hammers and mouldings, but where comparable new mouldings for the old pianos simply don't exist, it is a very acceptable compromise. The felt is a bit on the soft side -- just as well, since original hammers on some of those old pianos sound like drumsticks on tin pans.
The cost to me the last time I used that service (about one year ago) was $320.00 CDN (about $240.00 USD) including all shipping and duties. Turn-around time was four weeks.
Cheers
Doug Rhodes
Victoria, British Columbia
CANADA |
(Message sent Wed 26 Feb 1997, 01:04:38 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
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