Lindner Piano ???

[Jim]

Hi Mike:

Actually the plates were of cast aluminum and sometimes welded 
aluminum.  Quite a unique design.

Perhaps Mr Lindner has achieved the goal of built in obsolescence
which seems to be prominent in other industries like autos, TVs,
VCRs, furniture, etc. I remember that salesmen used to mention that
this was the only piano which could be played underwater (no 
keybushings to swell, no bottom holes to tighten, no soundboard to
split, no keys to warp, etc.) They conveniently forgot to mention
that the damper felts and hammers would be ruined.

Jim Coleman, Sr.

PS We've been missing the choice comments of Les Smith and Horace
   Greeley on this tempting subject.  JWC

On Wed, 2 Jul 1997, Mike Swendsen wrote:

> Unfortunatly, I have had a few run ins with the Lindner pianos.   I
> still have a customer who has one and every year I go in a fix it up as
> best as I can...
> I had a shoe box of parts that I got form the factory including new
> sprins and new platic clips... but the clips are all broken now and I
> have been gluing what I can together every time I'm there.   
> 
> The only redeaming feature of the piano is it has a nice tone and it
> usually hold tune very well.  but it sure can't take hard playing.
> 
> last year I gave all the parts I had for the piano to the owner and said
> that she should keep them.
> 
> I don't know if the factory exists, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't.   I
> was built buy Rippen of Holland.  they might have parts available, but I
> wouldn't hold my breath.
> 
> The pianos were shipped in container lots and they got a lot of pianos
> in because they are very light.... les than 200 lbs each. and the
> keyboards were folded up, into the body of the piano and were pulled
> down and glued by the dealer.   the leveling and dippin of the keys were
> done by turning plastic screws under the back of the key... actually not
> a bad system.... the biggest problem, was that the "ballance reil"
> springs used to break... and the plastic clips would slide sideways if
> the keys were pushed sideways during playing or moving.   The main
> reason that the piano was light is that the metal frame is welded steel
> tubing and plate.... and that is also why they held tune so well.   the
> thermal expansion coeficient of the strings and steel plate are very
> much the same.  Not like cast iron and steel.
> 
> C. Mike Swendsen  RPT
> Calgary chapter....
>