HI TOM
I couldn't agree with you more and frankly you said it better than I. The
truth is if it were not for the economic viability of Steinway and Mason &
Hamlin rebuilds and a few others there would not be much of a piano
rebuilding industry going on. So please forgive me listees if from time to
time I express a debt of gratitude to this company and it's forefathers for
blessing my life beyond measure .Whether some like it or not The Steinway
Company is still driving the discussion in many musician/tech. circle and
you know what ,that's good for everyone for many reasons.
It is not necessary if you agree with there advertising philosophy to
benefit from there enormous influence on any tech. daily life. As with any
disagreement one might have with a person or company I think it's best to go
to the source and register your displeasure politely and matter of factly
so to be taken seriously). Then consider your duty to conscience has been
done and perhaps a positive result will ensue.
Any body done that lately? Many business are paying attention to public
opinion especially when enough persons or professional persons are
expressing opinions that can color public perception of there product which
may effect sales.
I myself will be conversing with someone at the factory this week
about fixing a slight problem with the wippens repetition lever regulating
screw being adjusted out to its limits of travel.
If what I heard from Eric Schandall,Jon Patton and crew the company says
it's interested in YOUR opinion. Put it to the test!
Sincerely
Dale Erwin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2001 6:35 AM
Subject: Re: Steinway
> Terry,
> You are missing the point. How many products, useful daily products, have
> you bought for home and personal enjoyment which have maintained it's
> original cost or appreciated in it's value? Any value!
> The $45,00 Lexus 400, the $85 toaster, $900 kitchen table, or how about
the
> $28,000 22 ft I/O boat you just couldn't live without? Very few items
built
> for this world economy can stand up to the Steinway legacy.
Definitely,not
> a Story & Clark grand.
> I do know that if it weren't for Steinway pianos many rebuilders and
> remanufactures would not be able to have the type of successful business
as
> they do. The Steinway piano, both used and new, has supported many
> successful businesses for the past century.
> Everyone who plays the piano has been "brain washed" that Steinway is
and
> has always been the greatest piano institution ever built. It was designed
> and built it right from the first day and have changed very little ever
> since ( aside from the CBS years). There's ample proof Steinway has
> withstood the test of time ( 2 world wars, great depression,etc) and has
> continued to build a fine product. Again, many can argue the down and
> dirty truths of the "real" going's on, but the public's perception remains
> dedicated to the notion that if you want value, buy a Steinway.
> I'm not sure I follow your rationale about loosing $80,000 value, but in
our
> neck of the woods, unrestored Steinway grands sell as high, if not higher,
> than a new Yamaha C3. Restored Steinways sell for 50-60% above that.
That's
> not too shabby!
> I think that what it "boils" down to is we are debating trivial
> philosophical explanations as to why the sell & resale market is what it
is.
> The costs of manufacturing new pianos is pretty cut and dry, as their
costs
> are driven by actual operating costs. The resale market, on the other
hand,
> is based upon other factors. Is the company still in business, are parts
> still available for that model, bla bla bla. It's also driven by
perception,
> the thing I think this debate is rooted in.
> I get a kick out of watching the PBS antique auction channel. I love how
> they come to the agreement on a particular item's worth. It's purely hype
> and perception that drives the collectable market, and Steinway is apart
of
> that market.
> Tom Servinsky, RPT
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 29, 2001 7:44 AM
> Subject: Re: Steinway
>
>
> > Maybe the bottom line in my rant was that you take a Steinway that costs
> > between $35,000 and $90,000 today (model M through D). Take the same
model
> > that is 70 or 80 years old, and it is worth $5,000 to $10,000. Take a
> Story
> > & Clark (or any other Brand X) that costs - how much - maybe priced like
a
> > Kawai or so - $15,000 for a six-foot black (oops - ebony!) grand. What
> would
> > a 75 year old Sorry lil' Cluck be worth today - maybe $2,000 (I realize
> > zero, but you know as well as I that if the keys make some piano-related
> > noise, someone will buy it - A Diamond in the Rough!). So which piano
> holds
> > its value better, one that looses $80,000 in value, or one that looses
> > $13,000? Or let's stick with the six-foot example - one that looses
> $40,000
> > in value or one that looses $13,000? Don't get me wrong - I would rather
> > play a Steinway for 75 years rather than the cheaper piano - but we are
> > considering a money investment here, not how nice a piano plays or
sounds
> > (or at least the ones that sneak out of NY with non-reverse-crown
> > soundboards).
> >
> > I think the point is that no piano is a good long-term investment of
money
> > with the intention to grow your money. So why advertise it as such?
Unless
> > of course you are willing to make a profit at any cost. It may well be a
> > better investment than a porterhouse steak (in the long term), but
> > advertisement of it being a quality investment of money is BS. I have
> heard
> > the story many times, and I know well that many, many folks read that
junk
> > and believe it. You can call them dumb, but just like Ed McMann, et. al.
> > selling sweepstakes tickets to old folks that use their life savings to
> > order $5,000 magazine subscriptions and then fly to Tampa to claim their
> > non-existent winnings, it is just plain unethical. Just because an
> > advertisement does not tell an outright lie, it is not necessarily
> truthful.
> > They are simply preying on folks that are not piano knowledgeable, and
> that
> > stinks.
> >
> > Terry Farrell
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Steve Grattan" <lostchordclinic@ameritech.net>
> > To: <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> > Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2001 1:35 PM
> > Subject: Steinway
> >
> >
> > > Hi, I looked up a new Steinway in the 1991 Ancott Directory and the B
> was
> > > $37,040.00 and the D was
> > > 56,040.00. Both are ebony prices.
> > >
> > > Steve Grattan, Associate
> > > Lost Chord Clinic
> > > 1602 Griswold Street
> > > Port Huron, MI 48060
> > > lostchordclinic@ameritech.net
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
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