[pianotech] S&S B

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Until recently Steinway's build quality has never been much to write home
about. But the worst years came some before CBS purchased the company. That
was the turn-around event for the company. CBS may have screwed with the
finances but they also poured money into the company and set the stage for
the company's comeback. 

 

I started working on pianos in the 1960s so the Steinway pianos built during
the last few years of Steinway family ownership were still new or relatively
new. Their build quality had been going down for years and, in my view, it
reached a low point during the late 60s and early 70s. I spent many hours
with Steinway executives and I worked on literally hundreds of Steinway
pianos from the 70s through the early 80s. There was a strong desire on the
part of management and workers alike to improve the quality of the
instruments. Management was trying a lot of different things; some worked
and some didn't. I didn't work at the factory as Al Guecia did-I worked on
the finished product-so I have no idea how various management decisions
affected the various departments or the individual workers but during my
visits to the factory the improvements in infrastructure were obvious. These
were the result of CBS money and I remain convinced that without CBS money
the both the factory infrastructure and the build quality of Steinway pianos
would have continued to decline and we probably would not have a Steinway
company today. Instead there was a turnaround during the CBS years, a
foundation was laid for the company's recovery and the pianos have been
improving ever since. Their overall build quality is better now than at any
time in its history.

 

Personally I'd rather work on a piano built during the CBS years than one
built during the decade or two leading up to that time.

 

ddf

 

Delwin D Fandrich

Piano Design & Fabrication

6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA

Phone  360.515.0119 - Cell  360.388.6525

 <mailto:del at fandrichpiano.com> del at fandrichpiano.com -
<mailto:ddfandrich at gmail.com> ddfandrich at gmail.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Encore Pianos
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 8:58 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] S&S B

 

Hi Al:

 

The perceived "insinuation" may not be on William's part.  As a piano dealer
for 7 years and someone who has bought and sold may Steinway grands, rebuilt
and otherwise, it was my experience that many potential "knowledgable"
Steinway vintage buyers were disinterested in any pianos from the CBS
period.  I had many phone calls where the buyer would lose interest
immediately when I informed them that a particular piano was from that era.
Right or wrong, it's a fact of life.  

 

I did sell one 1972 Steinway B to a church.  It had a great board, lots of
dynamics, and huge potential.  The Teflon action was in tough shape and it
needed lots of other action work.  So I sold the piano on its potential and
their faith in me that they would get a great piano after I rebuilt the
action and voiced the piano.  They did.

 

That piano did have some quality issues.  Action fitting and damper action
fitting was not to Steinway's best tolerances.  Bridge notching was not
great.  I won't extrapolate beyond that to all Steinways from that period,
and I will say that mistakes were made in every era.  Anyone who has rebuilt
for a while discovers dirty little secrets in every piano.  

 

Will Truitt

 

 

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Al Guecia/Allied PianoCraft
Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 10:44 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] S&S B

 

I don't understand what you mean by "not CBS manufactured". CBS never
manufactured Steinway pianos, only Steinway manufactured Steinway pianos.
They just bought the company and screwed with the finances. 

 

I worked there during that period and the only thing that changed was the
inventory between departments. They felt it was waisted capitol and what
they accomplished by that move was layoffs for lack of inventor between
departments. The pianos got through the factory fasted and didn't have as
much time to settle, but we had the same management and the quality remained
the same.

 

Since I and my department were the last to work on and inspect those pianos,
I take exception to the insinuation that the pianos were of lesser quality.

 

Al -

High Point, NC

 

 

 

On Oct 7, 2011, at 8:30 PM, William Monroe wrote:

 

Hi List,

 

Anyone have a Steinway B, unrestored, needing work, not CBS manufactured,
1920s through 1960s?

 

Let me know if you do, I have someone looking for one.

 

Contact me off list:

bill at a440piano.net

 

 

William R. Monroe

 

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