If you want to hear a horror story about a new "D". The piano was chosen at Steinway by the college and was delivered in August 2006. I was tuning it this spring and thought something did not look right. Upon checking I found a small crack in the soundboard. I crawled under the piano and was able to stick my business cards between 4 ribs and the soundboard. The dealer asked me to send him the pictures, which I did. The school had a new "D" delivered around the first of December 2007. They said this was only the 2nd time they could remember this happening. Clarence Zeches, RPT ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey at sbcglobal.net> To: <caut at ptg.org> Sent: Sunday, December 09, 2007 2:59 PM Subject: Re: [CAUT] becoming an all Steinway School > Andrew, > > I would be interested in the actual problems you found in the new D? > What you thought should have been dealt with in the factory before going > out the door? > > In this same vein...when picking out a new Steinway D, what would the > List's technicians be looking for? > For me it would be sustain/singing quality though out. Few false > strings, Plenty of felt on the hammers. Less lead in the keys.... > > > David Ilvedson, RPT > Pacifica, CA 94044 > > ----- Original message ---------------------------------------- > From: "Andrew Anderson" <andrew at andersonmusic.com> > To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org> > Received: 12/8/2007 8:56:05 PM > Subject: Re: [CAUT] becoming an all Steinway School > > >>I am a technician servicing an official all Steinway school and one >>that would probably qualify but isn't interested in the hassle (to >>quote the dean.) > >>I am also a piano dealer carrying Sauter pianos. I know a list of >>"All-Steinway" schools in the US and Europe (Hamburg instruments) >>that have purchased Sauters recently for the stated purpose of having >>a variety of high-end piano sound to offer their students. They are >>still All Steinway at this point, none of them are particularly >>concerned about retaining the status either. > >>The school I service did it to piggy-back on Steinway advertising >>with the interest of drawing more international piano students. Two >>in four years... They are sorely disappointed with the dealer and >>won't be buying from her again. (Absolutely nothing is covered under >>the short warranty, even glaring defects and fairly obvious fixes >>advocated by Steinway tech.s in New York.) Their second >>concert-grand probably will not be a Steinway either. Anyone want a >>D that shouldn't have been let out of the factory for 95 Gs? > >>You have to remember this is a symbiotic advertising thing. They >>both have something to lose by changing status of schools. I haven't >>seen the contract but I'd suspect it involves a requirement for a >>significant majority per-centage of the pianos in the school. This >>school has one Baldwin R, in the Student Center. > >>To qualify the previous paragraph: a Steinway tech. mentioned in >>passing that a certain school (name slips me) was de-certified for >>failing to adequately maintain their pianos. Steinway will act to >>protect their program when they deem it necessary. > >>All the practice pianos are Boston uprights. As a tech I don't like >>them. They are weather yo-yos in the extreme and the tuning pins are >>not stiff enough for an easy solid tuning. You really have to >>massage them to be sure you don't have the pins wind back up and >>sharp when approaching pitch from above. Ie they twist a lot before >>the feet move and you can pound and not provoke the >>movement immediately. You have to wag that hammer back and forth a >>bit until you find center on the desired pitch. The Boston grands >>have that typical brown sound but tune up well and don't have >>Steinway type action mating issues. Good quality control at Kawai. > >>The one school auctioned off the worst of the inventory and then >>moved the best into various offices and classrooms. The other was a >>new school, first and new inventory. > >>Andrew Anderson > >>At 09:00 PM 12/8/2007, you wrote: >>>hi folks >>>I'd be interested to hear experiences from those >>>techs. working at schools that have become ''All >>>Steinway''. Is it very restrictive on the purchase >>>choice of instruments. What happened to existing >>>inventory. Was administration and faculty won over by >>>becoming ''All Steinway''. How are the Boston pianos >>>holding up etc etc.......... >>> >>> >>> >>>__________________________________________________________________ >>__________________ >>>Be a better friend, newshound, and >>>know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it >>>now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > >
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