Steinway

[rharden]

-----Original Message-----
From: Terry Sheetz <tsheetz@mediaone.net>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Friday, April 27, 2001 6:33 PM
Subject: Steinway


>I received the following information from a former Steinway
>administrative employee, upon sharing the prior posts with him:
>
>The truth is:  Steinway had to move the casting process out of New York
>to comply with the EPA.
>Steinway currently owns the casting company in Ohio.  Steinway also owns
>Kluge, the manufacturer
>of the keys and keyframes and even some of the forests that the wood is
>harvested from!
>
>The only thing they do not manufacture for example are:  Certain
>hardware
>items, screws, strings, tuning pins, felt etc....these items of course
>fall
>under the basic category of supplies.
>
>Terry Sheetz
>New Brighton, MN
>Associate (planning RPT exam completion--2 to go)
>
>
>
>
>
>               Farrell wrote:
>
>                > My thoughts on "We want Steinway parts only".
>                >
>                > Pound for pound, the pre-1950 Steinways coming out of
>top
>rebuilding shops
>                > with Renner/Abel action parts and Stanwood
>modifications,
>Bolduc/Gravagne
>                > soundboards, custom made bridges, Sanderson bass
>strings,
>etc. have more
>                > Steinway parts than Steinways coming from the Steinway
>
>factory since about
>                > 1950. At least those rebuilt Steinways have a Steinway
>
>plate (cast in the
>                > Steinway factory). Post-1950 factory Steinways have
>aftermarket plates (made
>                > in Springfield, Ohio). A pre-1950 rebuilt Steinway has
>
>perhaps 900 lbs. of
>                > "Genuine Steinway Parts". A post-1950 factory Steinway
>
>has, what, about 500
>                > lbs. of "Genuine Steinway Parts". Someone should call
>'em
>on this one!
>                >
>                > I hate Steinway's marketing department. How do they
>sleep
>at night?
>                >
>                > Terry Farrell
>                > Piano Tuning & Service
>                > Tampa, Florida
>                > mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
>                >
>                > ----- Original Message -----
>                > From: <A440A@AOL.COM>
>                > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>                > Sent: Friday, April 27, 2001 5:49 AM
>                > Subject: Re: Steinway Policy.. was grafs.
>                >
>                > > Richard writes:
>                > > <<This year he was to take the round on only
>                > > one concert grand piano.. I am to do to the other
>one.... his reaction
>                > > was...well uncomfortable to put it that way. >>
>                > >
>                > >      A State University here in Tennessee recently
>had
>Steinway send a man
>                > > down to rehammer a D that was here.  Their local
>tech
>had already done
>                > this
>                > > once and they weren't happy about it.   The Steinway
>
>tech arrived, spent a
>                > > day installing pre-hung hammers, regulated and
>voiced
>the instrument and
>                > > left.
>                > >     The factory's bill to the school was for $6,000.
>
>They are still not
>                > > happy with the piano and I told them that I thought
>the
>soundboard was
>                > > defective, but they should try a few Renner hammers
>in
>the problem section
>                > > and see if it was a hammer problem or
>soundboard/sounding structure.  What
>                > > was the reaction?
>                > >      "Ooooh, no, we want Steinway parts, only!"
>                > >      My response?  "Well then, there is no problem
>here,
>you already have
>                > > Steinway parts installed by a factory Steinway
>technician!".
>                > >    They are now considering a change of philosophy,
>and
>have asked me to
>                > > completely restore an older A that they were
>planning on
>sending back to
>                > the
>                > > factory for the full treatment.  Steinway and Sons
>doesn't really seem to
>                > > care about customer service, sadly.   Even after the
>
>large number of
>                > pianos I
>                > > have had sent there for board replacement, I don't
>get
>calls returned.  Go
>                > > figure.
>                > > REgards,
>                > > Ed Foote RPT
>                > >
>
>