Steinway factory whippens

[Jeannie Grassi]

Ron and others,
According to Kent Webb, who was just here in Seattle this week, they still
make them in the factory for the pianos in production as well as for the
parts department.  However,, if they are doing inventory, as mentioned, that
can slow things down. The factory  has doubled its production of parts in
order to allow the parts department to keep an inventory on hand for the
rest of us who want to buy them.  With the old system you placed an order
and they then asked the parts department to make the parts for you.  And
then maybe you got them a few later.  He said that most orders, for routine
parts, go out within a few days.....sometimes even sooner.  

I'm sure Kent would very much want to know if the quality is suffering.
Please do not hesitate to send him an email....things don't have a chance to
change if they aren't even told about the problem.  One can be thought of as
a fluke....if there is a trend...they would have to look at what is going
on.  

jeannie

Jeannie Grassi, RPT
Associate Editor, Piano Technicians Journal
mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Saturday, October 09, 2004 11:47 AM
To: Pianotech
Subject: Re: Steinway factory whippens


>Oh, crud.  Monday when I ordered parts, Shannon said it would be a week, 
>maybe two, because there were no whippens on the shelf and they were 
>awaiting a new shipment.  So, I was really surprised when the UPS truck 
>pulled up on Friday with a package from S&S.  I'm not quite done with key 
>bushings--I would've been done if I had known the parts were going to be 
>here so soon.  :-)  Dang, did I get some of your rejects, Dale?   I guess 
>I'll find out this week.......
>
>Barbara Richmond


Awaiting a new shipment??? Shipment from where? Didn't they spend a 
gazillion bucks a few years back to upgrade (or replace) their old in-house 
action parts fabrication equipment to eliminate just these kinds of 
problems? Have they now decided they can't make their own parts after all 
and are having someone else not make them instead? I'm apparently out of 
touch. What's the story here?

Ron N

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