CBS years at S&S was improvements

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: May 07, 2002 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: CBS years at S&S was improvements


> John Musselwhite wrote:
>
> > Maybe this is an exception but for example, I look after a 1999 B that I
> > think is going to be a killer piano in a couple of years. All it needed
> > (and to some extent still needs) was the "customizing" in the touch and
> > tone that new Steinways have always needed, plus a few years of playing
for
> > it to mature.                  John
> >
> >
>
> Here we have this "mature" concept again. Despite all the scientific
> explainations why this can not be so... time and time again people have
this
> observation that instruments can get better as they get older.
>


Several observations about that observation:

First, John's comment must be regarded more as prophesy than as scientific
observation. It assumes something is going to take place rather than
observes something measurable that actually did take place.

Second, as always comments like this are subjective. With respect to John's
technical and professional abilities, I did not see any scientific evidence
in his post to substantiating these prophetic proclamations. Assuming that
the performance of the piano has improved since 1999--and this has not yet
been scientifically proven though I'd be willing to take John's word for
it--has this improvement been the result of some mystical qualities residing
within the piano or by the ministrations of Mr Musselwhite? Frankly, I have
more faith in the latter than I do in the former.

Third, I am not aware of any 'scientific explanations' as to why this might
not be so in some situations and for some period of time. While I am of the
opinion that generally and ultimately the performance of all pianos does
degrade over time, several explanations of why some aspects of a piano's
performance might actually improve in some situations and for some period of
time have been given on this list several times both by myself and by
others.

Finally, the evidence presented claiming that piano performance does improve
over time is rare and subjective while the evidence of piano performance
degradation over time is common and easily measurable.

Del