new mason & hamlin A

[Ron Nossaman]

>Regarding lack of sustain on a new instrument, wouldn't
>this be noticed when initially purchasing the piano, or does
>it occur over a short period since piano was less than 1yr
>old?


Not necessarily. If it's the soundboard that's responsible, a lot can
happen to a board in a year. Just a thirty percent relative humidity change
in a few days time can make a tremendous difference in the sound if the
board is close to the edge of functionality. Also, how would you know if
the soundboard was "optimal" when it arrived at the store? There's a pretty
broad range of "acceptable", and you can never be exactly sure what you're
starting with. 


Ron N