This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi List, The discussion of decals and trademarks and patents and such has been = interesting. I have worked for a Steinway dealer for several years. Even though the = S&S piano has the name recognition of being the 'best', (agreeably = arguable) they are not without room for improvement. I sat down to the concert grand last night before I left the store, and = just played through from end to end in very relaxed fashion, listening = to whatever it had to say to me. I didn't play long before I was struck = with a flood of thoughts. This instrument has been one of those that = has a good sound in the bass, a fair sound in the tenor, and as you go = past about G above middle C, the tone gets weaker and weaker and weaker = until at the top, it's as dead as a doornail. The artists are = continually crying "juice it up", but even with the heaviest of = juicings, and the most laborious of voicings, it's still dead, just = tinnier. We're talking about a 5 year old 'D' here. (With a flat = board...)=20 I've seen the work coming from Steinway in N.Y. Compared to many, it's = still good. But the overall quality of the pianos that have been coming = into the store in the last year or so seems to be going down, not up. = There was a "Steinway Sale" a few months back where they had 5 'B's = sitting there, none of which had any tone quality to speak of, but I = wasn't allowed to say it. "We're a _Steinway_ dealer, and these are = _Steinways_..." My heart sinks a little bit each time I think about it. I've seen some glimpses from time to time of what Steinways CAN be. = It's a shame that S&S is stuck in the groove of making pianos from a = 'very good for a 1900 piano design' platform when I really believe they = could be better. The world of piano technology has been moving steadily = forward, and to some degree, leaving some of the piano manufacturers = behind, Steinway included. I realize Steinway of N.Y. has gotten burned = a few times by bringing onboard new technology that they weren't ready = for, (Teflon bushings come to mind,) but there are some leaders in our = field who have improved action performance, improved sound quality, = improved string scales, improved soundboard designs, all to make an = instrument that is (in my opinion) a far superior instrument than what = Steinway is currently producing.=20 My point is they could be so much better. And rather than pulling out = the propaganda of "If every part of your Steinway isn't a genuine = Steinway part, then it's not really a Steinway" , perhaps they would do = well to embrace some of the new piano technology, and endeavor to bring = a better line of pianos into general production. =20 Personally, (and these are opinions,) I don't like the Steinway = 'Diaphragmized' boards. I think they are too weak in the treble end. I = don't like the rib scale. It goes flat in the treble end, and we end up = with the 5 year old 'D' I was talking about. (tink, tink, tink...) Their = N.Y. action parts have improved some over the last few years, but I = wonder how many piano technicians would choose S&S action parts over = Renner for their own pianos? (When we do replace S&S genuine parts, we = normally use Hamburg parts when we can.) I do hope the rebuilders and the 'thinkers' out there who are working to = make truly superior instruments will keep on working to constantly make = them better. It's a sad day indeed when the general attitude is "it's = already as good as it gets." Wasn't it sometime back around the turn of = the century that someone from the Patent Office said, "Everything that = can be invented has already been invented."? Now that's sad. A little more than $0.02 Brian Trout ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/8d/98/0b/a3/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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