When is a Steinway still a Steinway

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: November 18, 2002 8:59 AM
Subject: Re: When is a Steinway still a Steinway


>
> All other considerations aside, I would think that the installation of a
> non-compressioned crowned Steinway style would really turn the instrument
into
> something other then a Steinway. Personally I would have trouble accepting
the
> validity of attaching a new Steinway decal to said board, regardless of
> whatever postive structural and / or acoustic attributes it may have. The
> soundboard is perhaps as close to the core of the piano as one can get me
> thinks, changing this turns it into something other then it was... for
better
> or worse.

And, as long as we're on the subject....

Just what does the soundboard decal represent? Those I have seen are simply
marketing tools--and good ones, I might add. They indicate to the great
unwashed masses that the Steinway piano is (was) used by some of the
greatest despots of world and, by inference, is quite good enough for you as
well. Nowhere on any of the decals I have seen does it say, "Soundboard by
Steinway."

Now from here we get into the fine points. Granted you could argue that
since the soundboards we put in pianos differ substantially from those
installed by the original manufacturer we should not be allowed to use their
Official Soundboard Decals. (This would presumably be true regardless of the
name on the keycover.) And, indeed, we most often do not use them--though
the reason for not using them has nothing to do with any of the above. It's
that they generally don't fit. We have a soundboard cutoff bar going across
there and I consider soundboard performance to be more important than any
decal. But, I am aware of at least several rebuilders who purchase Sitka
spruce from the same sources, diaphragm the panels identically, use sugar
pine ribs cut and shaped to exactly the same dimensions and are compression
crowned in the same manner as all is done by Steinway. Should they be
allowed to use the Official Soundboard Decal because their soundboards are
essentially identical to the Official Steinway Soundboard? Even though the
soundboard is not made and installed by Steinway? What about the rebuilder
who follows most all of the Steinway protocol but machines a slight crown
into the ribs before gluing them to the panel? Or leaves the panel slightly
thicker in the treble? Or resets the bridge on a Model S so the strings
don't continue breaking?

It all does get rather hazy, doesn't it?

Del