Steinway flat board

[James Grebe]

----------
> From: Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> To: pianotech@byu.edu
> Subject: Re: Steinway flat board
> Date: Wednesday, March 19, 1997 10:32 PM
>
> Hi, Horace.
>
> How long should a soundboard retain it's crown? It's all relative,
> today, Horace. Relative to the length of the warranty! Let me ex-
> plain. We've all seen vintage Steinways, Mason and Hamlins, Chick-
> erings, Knabes, Stecks, Webers and other fine pianos which, today,
> 100 years later, still have measurable crown in their soundboards,
> even in original, unrestored condition. But those instruments were
> made back in the "Dark Ages" of the piano, technologically speak-
> ing. Ny modern standards they were grossly--assumedly because of
> ignorance-- over-engineered and over-built. In the century of en-
> lightenment which has ensued, where modern instruments are able to
> take full advantage of current mass-production techniques like com-
> puter-aided design, multi-national out-sourcing, and a constant flow
> of innovations which are constantly labeled "new and improved" but
> really mean that someone found a way to do it cheaper--which in o-
> day's world automatically means "better"--we have finally reached
> that point in the evolution of the piano, that culmination of al-
> most 290 years of progress since the first rudimentary design of
> Christophori, where the manufacturer can now, for the first time,
> accurately match the warranty to the design and quality of the
> piano. In others words, a piano that carries a warranty of five
> years, is designed to last five years and one day. A piano with
> a ten years warranty, designed to last ten years and one day. It's
> one of the miracles of modern piano technology! So when you ask
> how long the crown on soundboard should last, it's all relative--
> to the length of the warranty. No more of this nonsense about a
> piano being so over-engineered and over-built that it will out-
> last the warranty by a century, or so. Modern technology has cor-
> rected THAT MISTAKE, alright!
>
> Sound cynical?  You bet it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Les Smith
> lessmith@buffnet.net
>
>
In todays business climate, this is not as far fetched as it first sounds.
James Grebe from St. Louis
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, Horace Greeley wrote:
>
> > Les,
> >
> > WHAT????
> >
> > You mean, after all these years of freezing my nether regions off,
there's
> > NO GREAT PUMPKIN?
> >
> > OH, WOE!
> >
> > I suppose that this means that soundboards are supposed to stay crowned
> > longer than 8 years, too?
> >
> > Best.
> >
> > Horace
> >
> >
> >
> > >On Wed, 19 Mar 1997, Rob Kiddell wrote:
> > >
> > >>
> > >> From:          Les Smith <lessmith@buffnet.net>
> > >>
> > >> >we build them so good now, we only have  to give five years!" Now
> > >> >I'm only expressing an opinion here, but I would suggest that if
one
> > >> >buys that explaination, they not only put out a plate of cookies
and
> > >> >glass of milk for Santa Claus on Christmas eve; get up early Easter
> > >> >morning, hoping to catch the bunny filling the baskets; and put
> > >> >their loose teeth under the pillow, hoping for the Tooth fairy to
> > >> >pay them a visit during the night; but they probably are also
> > >> >waiting anxious-
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> Whatt?!? Youv'e just shattered four of my illusions on a Tuesday
> > >> morning. What a terrible thing to do to previously unsuspecting
> > >> techs!   8-)
> > >>
> > >> Rob K
> > >
> > >Wow, Bob, FOUR illusions in ome day! Soryy about that! Now I'm really
> > >glad that I didn't mention the Great Pumpkin Hoax at Halloween,too,
> > >or it might have been FIVE....oops! :)
> > >
> > >Les Smith
> > >lessmith@buffnet.net
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Horace Greeley			hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu
> >
> > 	"Always forgive your enemies,
> > 		nothing annoys them so much.
> >
> > 			-	Oscar Wilde
> >
> > LiNCS				voice: 725-4627
> > Stanford University		fax: 725-9942
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>