Steinway NY Re-Introduces the O (to replace the L)

Barbara Richmond piano57@insightbb.com
Mon, 20 Feb 2006 14:04:47 -0600


Aw shucks, with the re-introduction of the A & O, there goes Joe
Bisceglie's line (I believe it was his line, anyway) about the models...

S is for small
M is for medium
L  is for large
B  is for big
D  is for damn big

:-)

Barbara Richmond


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "gordon stelter" <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>
To: "Cy Shuster" <cy@shusterpiano.com>; "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 12:56 PM
Subject: Re: Steinway NY Re-Introduces the O (to replace the L)


> I'm working on a 1923 Steinway that says "Miniature"
> on the plate, but is only 5',6-1/2", so I presume it's
> a "M", although there are no other designations on the
> plate other than a bunch of leters and numbers at the
> tail which I don't understand. Do you know what they
> mean ?
> --- Cy Shuster <cy@shusterpiano.com> wrote:
>
>>
> http://www.steinway.com/features/MainFeature_SteinwayO.shtml
>>
>> Steinway & Sons New York Re-Introduces The Steinway
>> Model O
>>
>>
>> In 1902, the Model O was first produced by the
>> Steinway & Sons New York
>> factory and introduced to the American consumer
>> market as the "Miniature"
>> Steinway grand piano. It was the Model O that was
>> the first Steinway grand
>> piano to feature the classic Steinway case design
>> known as Sketch 380
>> Sheraton (squared off, spade-shaped legs) designed
>> by Eugene F. Ayuso, now
>> the standard case design for all Steinway grand
>> models.
>>
>> When the Model O grand was a brand new scale, it
>> reflected several major new
>> technical innovations with its unprecedented
>> incorporation of 26 notes in
>> the bass section. The plate design did not
>> incorporate adjustable rear
>> duplexes, but had instead solid duplex ribs cast in
>> the plate. Examination
>> of early Model O grands reveals that Henry Ziegler
>> who designed this model
>> conducted many experiments and made several
>> adjustments in features and
>> layout. In 1902 and again in 1904, New York factory
>> log book entries for
>> Model O grands say, "Model A shape" (i.e., square
>> tail instead of standard
>> Model O round tail). These few early experimental
>> Model O grands with square
>> tails might well be considered to be the earliest
>> predecessors of the Model
>> L grand.
>>
>> As mentioned, Henry Ziegler (1857-1930) designed and
>> invented the Model O.
>> He also designed and invented the Models M (1912)
>> and L (1923), both of
>> which are based on the original Model O design and
>> scale. The Model M (5'7")
>> is a slightly shorter version of the Model O. The
>> Model L is essentially the
>> same scale as the Model O but with a square tail,
>> rather than round. The
>> Model S (5'1"), which was introduced in 1936, is
>> also based on the Model O
>> design and scale.
>>
>> In 1906, the Model O bass bridge was changed from
>> straight to curved, and
>> the plate was reconfigured to accommodate adjustable
>> rear duplex scales.
>>
>> In 1914, the length of the Model O was increased
>> slightly by 1/2" from 5'10"
>> to 5'10-1/2". On November 7, 1924, the last of these
>> historic Model O grands
>> were produced in New York.
>>
>> Now in 2006, the Steinway & Sons New York factory
>> has announced that it will
>> return to the production of the original fully
>> developed version of the
>> Model O grand with its characteristic round tail,
>> curved bass bridge, and
>> rear duplex scales as perfected in his time by Henry
>> Ziegler-but with all of
>> the modern technical innovations that have followed:
>> Accelerated Action
>> (1931), Diaphragmatic soundboard (1936), Hexagrip
>> Wrestplank (1963),
>> Permafree II Action Bushings (1983), and NY Improved
>> Action (1992) to name a
>> few.
>>
>> The reintroduction of the Steinway Model O grand
>> piano is intended to
>> replace the similarly sized Steinway Model L grand.
>> The Model O will now be
>> produced in both the Steinway & Sons New York and
>> Hamburg factories.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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