August Forster Grands

Horace Greeley hgreeley@leland.Stanford.EDU
Mon, 02 Mar 1998 13:13:39 -0800


Avery, Keith, et al,

I've worked on a bunch of these, mostly the 6'4" and 7'1".

They have been, over time, very popular in Europe as
accompaniment instruments.  Good, clean bass.  Well
defined, easily too-bright treble.  Easily voiced (I prefer
single needle work on instruments like this).  

They are also _quite_ idiosyncratic, action/regulation
wise.  Also, in my experience, more prone to humidity
problems than many other European brands.  I think
this has to do with the action design itself, but I'll leave
that discussion to others.

The few 9'+" I have seen _might_ work for Brahms - 
given the right kind of hall, senstive accompaniment from
the orchestra, etc.  On the other hand, it just might
sound pretty darn nasty...

I suppose, if they can get it for free...just hope they
don't expect it to sound like a good NY D.  If they
do, no one will have any fun, at all.

Best.

Horace



At 02:24 PM 3/2/1998 -0600, you wrote:
>Part of Avery Todd's, RPT post:
>>   ...Does anyone have any info about the quality of this piano in their
>>larger size grands?
>
>No firsthand experience concerning quality, Avery, though the retail prices
>are right up there with Steinway.  That says something.
>
>>What are their sizes?...
>
>5'6"    6'4"    7'1"     9'2"
>
>>   ...Responses appreciated. Thanks.
>
>Keith A. McGavern
>kam544@ionet.net
>Registered Piano Technician
>Oklahoma Chapter 731
>Piano Technicians Guild
>USA
>
>
>
>
Horace Greeley, CNA, MCP, RPT

Systems Analyst/Engineer
Controller's Office
Stanford University

email: hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu
voice mail: 650.725.9062
fax: 650.725.8014


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