[CAUT] Steinway or Forgery?

[Richard Brekne]

Sorry bout the empty post... was trying to read from the archives and 
needed to drop the original text into a blank email to get it all on one 
side.

That said... this is a major can of worms. There are so many folks who 
mean to know better then Steinway what Steinway is, was, will be, should 
be... etc. And there is the fact that Steinway is in the business of 
producing pianos en masse in a very nasty market with all the realities 
of production problems. And there is the fact that if all the hoopalah 
about S&S on all sides of all fences wasn't about S&S then it sure as 
heck would be about some other make that establishes itself as the new 
top of the heap, king of the hill, whatever else Frankie sang about.

This said again... and despite all claims real and imagined about the 
variability found in Steinway instruments.... they have a sound of their 
own. And this basic sound has not changed nearly as much as some would 
have it through the years.  Its characterized by some basic design 
issues that nearly all others copy and by their basic approach to piano 
building in general.  Years ago there were many factories... all with 
their own approach and philosophies... and these were reflected fairly 
clearly by the tone of the instrument.  Today many such factories have 
either fallen by the wayside or given up on their own sound.... trying 
to emulate the sound of the leader of the pack.... or just plain make 
stamp instruments that look like S&S clones but are punched out by the 
dozens each day in emerging piano producing countries.

As far as who rebuilds what... and why... and what it becomes... I'll go 
a very very long ways down the road that David Porritt walks. My only 
concern in this regard is that whatever is done to modify a product is 
very visibly identified.... that is to say I have no liking for anyone 
in any sense of the word passing off one product for another.  If you 
have rebuilt a Steinway, Baldwin, or any other instrument with a 
modified scale, plate, soundboard design... whatever.. then make it very 
clear to anyone who sees the instrument that its a custom rebuild... and 
be darned proud of taking the credit for your work in the bargain.

I don't really personally like the S&S dominance.... I think it says a 
lot of less then flattering things about pianists music appreciation 
capabilities.  But thats just my opinion and I may even be off base in 
the end with it.  Regardless... its a fact of life. They are what they 
are and they are no doubt very fine instruments.  No amount of marketing 
skills could possibly account for their totally unprecedented (in any 
industry in all history) success. Not much I can do about that.... :) I 
like many instruments... fell pladask in most ways for the Nossaman 
rebuild I saw in Rochester... and was simply floored by the 
immaculateness of Overs entry.... I like variety and I appreciate 
quality.  So I like S&S as well as these others. 

Live and let live I say... but be honest about it and leave all the 
smearing of the <<other guy>> out of any discussion. 

Cheers
RicB