Greetings all,  When I rebuilt the action on my 1913 Mason & Hamlin
T100 Welte reproducer, I gave some thought to hammer weight.  The
original hammers on it were solid bricks after 90 years and the tone
left a lot to be desired.

I had previously rebuilt several straight players and had varied the
hammers weights on them.  I found I preferred the lighter weight
hammers, due to the "rounder, richer" tone they delivered, as opposed
to the brilliant, thin tone from a 16 or 18 pound hammer.  I opted
for 12 pound hammers on my piano and have enjoyed them immensely.
The results are a full, whisper soft pianissimo and clear, strong
fortissimo.

I also have the piano vacuum level bled down to 20 inches of water at
the pump, with the expression adjusted accordingly.  The piano is in
the dining room, but can be heard throughout the two-story house.

A consideration to think about is the size of the room, the house,
and will the piano be enjoyed for solo or accompaniment, background
music or sing-a-longs.  My $.02 worth.

Cheers,

John McClelland