When is a Steinway still a Steinway

[Farrell]

> Unfortunately though, as Kent pointed out in his post, the rebuilt 
> instrument will continue to be called a Steinway on the CD sleeve. 
> This is most regrettable (and a compelling reason why I prefer not to 
> rebuild Steinways for recording studios - why allow all your hard 
> work and thinking to become the opposition's advertisement?). 

I'm very curious Ron, if you rebuilt a Knabe or a Bechstein in such a case, would not then your hard work and thinking become an advertisement for Knabe or Bechstein? How would it differ?

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Overs Pianos" <sec@overspianos.com.au>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 5:08 PM
Subject: Re: When is a Steinway still a Steinway


> At 9:58 PM -0500 18/11/02, Terry Farrell wrote:
> >  >From steinway.com:
> >
> >"Steinway & Sons refuses to skimp on materials, labor and effort in 
> >the construction of a musical instrument that is as close to 
> >perfection as the hand and cunning of man can make it."
> 
> We shouldn't believe everything we read.
> 
> At 6:55 PM -0800 18/11/02, gordon stelter wrote:
> >
> >Why not put Steinway, Knabe, etc. on the name board,as
> >is appropriate, and a little booklet inside the piano
> >explaining your modifications, and other
> >specifications of the rebuilding, for all posterity to
> >read?
> >      Thump
> 
> Well said Gordon. I believe this is the best way to deal with this 
> problem. When we modify Steinway pianos, we produce a transfer which 
> is placed in a conspicuous place on the plate, listing the design 
> modifications undertaken. Frankly I don't give a toss wether the 
> piano I'm rebuilding is a Steinway, Kawai or anything else. Our 
> approach to rebuilding them is always the same. We modify  each 
> instrument as deemed necessary (with the client's permission of 
> course) to create a piano which pianists will actually want to play. 
> I try discourage owners from engaging us rebuild instruments without 
> modifications. I've done this a couple of times in recent years and 
> regretted the outcome.
> 
> Unfortunately though, as Kent pointed out in his post, the rebuilt 
> instrument will continue to be called a Steinway on the CD sleeve. 
> This is most regrettable (and a compelling reason why I prefer not to 
> rebuild Steinways for recording studios - why allow all your hard 
> work and thinking to become the opposition's advertisement?). In many 
> cases the tonal qualities of the instrument may have very little 
> which is creditable to the original manufacture.
> 
> Ron O.
> -- 
> 
>         OVERS PIANOS
> Grand piano manufacturers
> ________________________
> 
> Web:   http://www.overspianos.com.au
> Email: mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au
> ________________________