voicing on M&H

[dpitsch]

I agree completely that all new pianos straight from the factory can be "tweaked".   Some of
the worst voicing
incidents I have been through were when:
1) a dealer uncrated a brand new S & S "D" to be immediately used in Symphony Hall
2) another dealer uncrated a Bosendorfer Imperial to be immediately used in Symphony Hall

To the pianoman:
What brand of pianos do you uncrate and find in perfect voicing condition?




Greg Torres wrote:

> James,
>
> While I agree with many of your posts I have to disagree on this one regarding voicing. I
> will first say here that while I don't have the expertise in this area that some on this
> list obviously do I have had experiences similar to the incident described in the earlier
> post regarding voicing a new piano. It is my opinion that any instrument from the factory
> could be "tweaked" by proper voicing. If the artist/pianist feels the need for something
> which is lacking regarding the tone if it can be improved to that persons satisfaction then
> why not? I don't feel that a piano that has come from the factory always sounds the best.
> Any piano's tone in most cases can benefit from the needles or hardener of one who really
> knows what they are doing.
>
> I had a customer with a Steinway B, circa '20s, all original and the hammers were worn
> almost flat and lacquered as hard as rocks. But he insisted that he loved the tone. I
> re-strung and put a new set of renner hammers and had to use a lot of hardener to achieve
> the tone he was used to, and I personally hated doing it because the tone it had before the
> hardener to me was the "Steinway" sound I liked.
>
> Bottom line-just like HT's if the customer wants a particular sound and it can be had and
> they are willing to pay for it then go ahead if you are able...My goal always is to make
> the customer happy. If someone else screwed it up that's ok too because then you have the
> chance to prove that there really are good tench's and you are one of them.
>
> Regards,
> Greg Torres
>
> pianoman wrote:
>
> >         My earlier post asked the question, "Why would anyone want to  re-voice a
> > new Mason & Hamlin A".
> >         I figure that on the fine;  no, probably almost all new pianos are never
> > going to sound, play, look, or act better than when they leave the factory
> > and are prepped and tuned in the showroom.  These people at the factory do
> > the same job, (voicing, regulation,etc.) all day every day.  I could not
> > think that I could ever compete with their expertise doing what I do only
> > fairly regularly as compared to all day every day.
> >                 When a client asks me about buying a piano I always recommend that they
> > go to the showroom and play all of the models and pick the one they like
> > best and tell the salesman that it is the one they want and proceed to
> > write down the serial number to make sure.  Forget about wheeling and
> > dealing, the one they want is the one they picked out, not one from the
> > warehouse.
> >          It is somewhat akin to picking a mate.  In my case, I knew I wanted a
> > woman for my wife but certainly any woman is not the same as THE woman.  Do
> > not be swayed by remarks like, "Oh, we can voice it to suit you after
> > delivery."  POPPYCOCK.  Why would you want to revoice another piano to
> > match the one you picked out in the first place.  Carefully choose one with
> > all the perameters you are looking for and get the same one you chose.
> >          Sorry to be so passionate.
> > James Grebe
> > R.P.T. of the P.T.G. from St. Louis, MO. USA, Earth
> > pianoman@inlink.com
> > "I'm on my way towards the mighty light of knowledge".