What would Steinway do

[David Love]

I think everyone's a little too hung up on what to call it.  The Steinway
rim (still there) dictates (to some degree) the soundboard thickness and
ribbing which should relate to the overall tension level of the scale which
in combination contributes to the decision about which hammer to use.  The
Steinway redesigns that I have been involved in still, I will assert,
maintain the same character as the original, they still have lowish tension
scales (though not on a D, of course), they still have an accompanying
relatively light soundboard with a relatively light rib scale, and much more
like the original (early 1900's) ones, they have a fairly light and soft
hammer which produces a warm singing tone (without lacquer) with a nice
range of timbral dynamics.  In my view, these pianos are more like Steinways
than a Steinway--at least as they were intended based on what can be
inferred by the early modern designs.  Of course, I've removed some of the
bugs that exist in the scale transitions, dropped the bass tensions and core
diameters to enhance the fundamental a bit (who doesn't do that these days),
achieved crown with rib shaping rather than compression but the end result
is what counts.  When a customer walks into my shop, sits down to play a
total redesign, tells me that it reminds him of the Steinway he played as a
child unlike the ones he now plays in the showroom, who's done their job
with more authenticity?  The difference is that these bellies will come out
with a lot more consistency, predictability and without the warts.  Of
course, in any design, there are choices to be made: a little more of this,
a little more of that.  I suppose at some point you could deviate far enough
that it would become something quite different.  But then, haven't we all
heard quite a range of "individual personalities" even with the so-called
originals?

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com