When is a Steinway still a Steinway

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: David Love=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: November 17, 2002 6:57 PM
  Subject: When is a Steinway still a Steinway


  Several questions arise considering recent discussions about patent =
infringements, though this takes a slightly different angle.  At what =
point do changes breach any tacit understandings/agreements about what =
can be done to a piano and still call it that maker's piano?  Does the =
technician have any legal or other obligation to adhere to the designers =
intention, or commit any breach by making such changes?  What is the =
responsibility to inform customers of such changes (say in a spec =
situation with a piano for sale)?  Or any other considerations that I =
have not mentioned, or though of.  These types of changes, I realize, =
are made all the time.  What obligation do we have as technicians in =
such situations?  Any other thoughts on the subject would be =
appreciated.
First, I can't think of any operative patents by Steinway that are still =
in effect.

Second, this situation has existed in the auto industry for, what?, =
close to a century now? People have long been modifying automobiles and =
trucks to varying degrees while keeping the original manufacturers label =
on the front. In the late 1950s I put a bored out and otherwise =
generally breathed-on Oldsmobile Rocket 88 V-8 engine in my 1951 =
Chevrolet. You'd better believe I kept the Chevrolet name on it. Except =
for the sound I didn't want anyone to know what was under the hood! =
(They found out anyway when the rear end wouldn't absorb the stress of =
all that additional power...)

They have also dealt with a variety of after-market 'tuners' such as =
Callaway (Corvette), AMG (Mercedes), Dinan (BMW), etc. For the most part =
manufactures have ended up working closely with these tuners, helping =
them where they could and using them to enhance the overall performance =
of their automobiles. The tuners are able to give a select range of =
customers a level of performance unavailable from the production =
factories. Working together with the factories these shops have raised =
the overall level of performance of several production automobiles. So =
much so that occasionally a factory will buy the tuner (AMG by Mercedes, =
for example) and make the tuner-enhanced automobile available as a =
regular part of their line.=20

Third, I believe it is important to inform people of what is going on =
inside their pianos. We go out of our way to point out where we deviate =
from the original manufacturer's design and construction. In part, =
because we're proud of what we do--we've worked hard to develop the =
designs and techniques we use--but also because we believe the customer =
always has a right to know.=20

For a while we would do work both ways. Sometimes at the customers =
request we would do fairly conventional rebuilds. Eventually we stopped =
doing those and for some years now have done only partial or full =
redesigns and modifications. The people bringing pianos here--be they =
three years old or 103 years old--know what to expect. We make sure of =
it.

Del

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