Faulk Tuning Hammers

I figure I’ve tuned over 25,000 pianos in my life, and I’ve definitely become sensitized to the process. The stability of my tuning depends on setting the pin properly, and to do that I’ve spent 35 years developing pin sensitivity in my body. Finally, finally, Charles Faulk has made a tuning lever that frees me to use all of that experience. The Faulk carbon fiber/aluminum lever allows a level of pin perception and “micro” movement that is truly extraordinary, leading to more fun and less work, more “in-the-zone” moments and far less frustration. It’s the best tuning lever I’ve ever used by two or three orders of magnitude.”

~David Andersen

CF-TR Tuning Hammers

I’m introducing the new line of CF-TR tuning hammers. These tuning levers feature a threaded head/shaft connection that will allow you to change heads easily in the field. If you are a frequent tip changer, this design will be especially helpful. All you will need to do is to keep an extra head/tip assemblies in your tool kit. You’ll be back to work in seconds! This design features a tuning shaft that has an outer tube of titanium with an inner tube of carbon fiber for added strength and stiffness. You will have a choice of 5, 10, or 15 degree tuning heads.

Announcement: At the age of 72, I’ve felt for a long time that I needed to pass this joyful business, this stroke of luck, to a younger person. But let me say at the outset of this paragraph, I’m not retiring! Well, not yet. I thought I’d wait until I got old! Anyway, this ‘younger person’ is my friend and colleague, Jacob Erwin. Jacob has all the enthusiasm and all the skill to take these tuning hammers to another level. I think most of you will know Jacob as part of the best piano rebuilding team in the country, Erwin’s Piano Restoration. So I’m happy to introduce some of Jacob’s work on this page.

Important news: I’m happy to tell you that I’m introducing a new enhancement to my tuning hammers … Itoshin tips! Itoshin in a premium tuning tip from Japan that provides incredible tip-to-pin fit. From this point on, all my tuning hammers will be equipped with Itoshin tips.

SpectraPly/Birdseye Maple CF-3

Wood specie: Blue Angel SpectraPly and birdseye maple
Length: 13″
Weight: 11.1 oz
Price: $335.00
Description: Another optical delight made by cutting the Blue Angel composite at a 15 degree angle. The knob is vintage birdseye maple. Also the narrow rings are made with baltic birch.

SpectraPly “Rising Tide” CF-TR

Wood specie: SpectraPly “Rising Tide”
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 11.0 oz
Price: $325.00
Description: SpectraPly is a composite made up of dyed birch veneers. Rising Tide is a pretty apt name with sea blue, white froth, and dark sand.

Coffee SpectraPly CF-AR

Wood specie: “Coffee” SpectraPly
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 10.6 oz
Price: SOLD
Description: SpectraPly is a birch composite made with dyed birch veneers. The CF-AR model features a 7075 aluminum tube reinforced with carbon fiber both on the inside and the outside of the tube.

Narra CF-TR

Wood specie: Narra
Length: 12″
Weight: 10.5 oz
Price: $325.00
Description: Narra comes from Southeast Asia. The heartwood color ranges from tan to dark red. This one is a golden brown with lots of figure. A medium density wood with open grain much like oak grain.

Coolibah Burl CF-TR

Wood specie: Coolibah burl
Length: 12 5″
Weight: 13.9 oz
Price: $345.00
Description: Coolibah is an Australian specie. This piece was cut from a large burl cap about 10 years ago. I almost threw it away because of all the deep checks in the wood. Finally I tried infusing the entire piece with water thin epoxy, twice. So the black stripes are actually epoxy filler. It was well worth the time and effort. By the way, if you haven’t noticed, this tuning hammer is heavy.

SpectraPly “Crossbones”

Wood specie: SpectraPly composite
Length: 12″
Weight: 11.4 oz
Price: $325.00
Description: SpectraPly is a composite made up of birch plies dyed different colors. The black and white Crossbones has a certain Zen like quality. SpectraPly’s biggest advantage over natural wood is its stability.

Ambrosia Maple CF-3

Wood species: Ambrosia maple
Length: 13″
Weight: 10.5 ounces
Price: $335.00
Description: This ambrosia maple handle has no bore holes. But look at the colorful spalting! As with all the CF-3 models, the shaft is made with high modulus carbon fiber tubing.

Myrtle CF-TR by Jacob Erwin

Wood species: NW myrtle
Length: 12 5/8″
Weight: 10.9 oz
Price:$325.00
Description: A curly myrtle handle from Oregon. Jacob has shaped the handle to accommodate two hand positions comfortably.

Ipe CF-3

Wood species: Ipe
Length: 13 1/2″
Weight: 10.3 ounces
Price: SOLD
Description: Ipe is a commonly available wood, most from South America. It’s popular in the USA as a durable wood for flooring and decking. Sometimes called ‘Brazilian walnut’.

Padauk CF-TR by Jacob Erwin

Wood species: African padauk
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 11.7 ounces
Price:$325.00
Description: A rich red-orange padauk handle with a shiny epoxy finish. Jacob lends his own original interpretation to the shape with smooth transitions from end to end.

Bog Oak CF-TR

Wood species: Bog oak
Length: 12″
Weight: 10.8 ounces
Price: SOLD
Description: This wood is reputed to be 3000 to 6000 years old. In prehistoric times, an oak tree growing beside a river bank would be swept up by the changing current and fall into the silt laden river bed. These trees would be preserved in the air tight silt bed and osmose the chemicals of the water. This piece was harvested in Ukraine.

Zebrawood CF-TR by Jacob Erwin

Length: 12″
Weight: 10.8 oz.
Price: $325.00
Description: I decided to call this one “The Wasp”. It has a slender middle section with a full tear drop knob on the end. Clever!

Curly Walnut CF-3

Wood species: Curly walnut
Length: 13 1/8″
Weight: 10.4 oz
Price: $335.00
Description: A unique handle made with Oregon curly black walnut. One half has deep red hues, and the other half is brown with black curls.

Walnut CF-TR

Wood species: Walnut
Length: 12″
Weight: 10.9 oz
Price: $325.00
Description: The handle is a ‘glue-up’ made with walnut sap wood and two different brown varieties.

Curly Maple CF-AR #2

Wood species: NorthWest curly maple
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 9.8 oz
Price: $335.00
Description: The tuning shaft is 7075 aluminum alloy reinforced with carbon fiber tubing both on the inside and outside. Outstanding curl on the wood and a very light weight handle.

Mulberry CF-TR by Jacob Erwin

Wood Specie: American mulberry
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 11.0 oz
Price: $325.00
Description: This mulberry handle comes from eastern Kansas. It’s around 18 years old.

Curly Walnut CF-TR

Wood species: Curly black walnut
Length: 12 1/4″
Weight: 10.8 ounces
Price: $325.00
Description: A prime example of NW black walnut complete with lots of curl. The other side has red coloring.

“Blue Angel” SpectraPly CF-TR

Wood specie: SpectraPly
Length: 12″
Weight: 10.4 ounces
Price: $325.00
Description: SpectraPly is a multilam composite made with layers of dyed birch. The knob is modified slightly to fit smaller hands. And, instead of a tear drop shaped knob, this one is shaped more like a doorknob.