Having had several uprights (verticals) today with everything from early Christmas nativity scenes to Encyclopedias I would like to see a curved top to all verticals ! Brian Lawson, RPT Johannesburg, South Africa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tony Caught" <caute@optusnet.com.au> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 1:37 PM Subject: Re: What do you want in a vertical piano? > Hi Christopher, > > My first question for you is "Have you got a Million Dollars ?" > My second question is "What country are you in ?" > > Living in Darwin, Australia, I know what humidity is and having worked in a > piano factory or two in China for a couple of years I can guess at what > problems you will have. You have a prototype that was designed and built in > America by an American designer of an unknown quality and to comment on your > questions may be going against the designer or duplicating the designer, > either way, to build a piano that will cope with the tropical weather > conditions and at the same time be suitable for non-tropical conditions is > asking a lot. > > From my experiences you can get anything built in Asia but unless you have > full diagrams and instructions for every part and piece of assembly and > then, competent supervisors to ensure that this is done, you will run into > trouble. > > Having been down the road that you are thinking of following I could > possibly help you in many of your questions however, to do so would be time > consuming and could not be done without knowing more about the innovative > design. If similar to pianos already in existence, this possibly could be > done, but, innovative ? what is different ? > > I am answering this on list to help you gain others input to my comments, > however if to go further, please contact me privately. > > Regards > > Tony Caught ICPTG > Australia > caute@optusnet.com.au > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Christopher Witmer <cdwitmer@spamcop.net> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2000 6:24 PM > Subject: What do you want in a vertical piano? > > > > Hello, I'm new to this list and I am not a piano technician -- yet. I am > > based in East Asia and I am currently trying to learn as much as > > possible pertinent to the production of a highly innovative vertical > > piano, which I hope to see marketed in East Asia as well as North > > America and other regions. The prototype for this piano (now in my > > possession) was designed and built in the USA but for various reasons it > > is felt that this piano should be manufactured either entirely in Asia, > > or else jointly in Asia and North America. I am hoping to be able to > > arrange and coordinate things between the American designer and Asian > > manufacturers to ensure that the production of this piano is a total > > success. > > > > I hope the gentlepersons on this list will be so kind as to indulge from > > me three rather broad questions. > > > > The first question is, what is it that makes some vertical pianos so > > much more durable than others, with regard to extreme ranges of humidity > > and temperature? What are the main problem areas? What sorts of things > > should I seek in the manufacture of this piano to achieve optimum > > durability? This is especially important in parts of Asia with > > monsoon-type climates, which alternate between cold, dry seasons and > > hot, humid seasons. This is aggravated by the fact that many Asian > > houses lack the central climate control common in North America. To a > > degree I'm sure the same concerns must apply in North America and > > Europe. We will strongly encourage purchasers to implement climate > > control measures at the point of installation, but I want the piano to > > be inherently as durable as possible. > > > > The second question is, what sorts of features or attributes would you > > like to see in a vertical piano? Or, perhaps I should put it, what would > > an enlightened consumer want in a vertical piano? What sorts of > > important features and attributes tend to get short-shrifted by > > manufacturers? (For whatever reason, i.e., ineptitude, cost-cutting, > > technical difficulty of "doing it right," slavish following of > > fashion/tradition, etc.) > > > > I assume that both the designer and any potential manufacturers will > > also be able to provide answers to the above questions, and of course I > > intend to ask them as well. However, since you gentlepersons are closest > > to the consumers, I think the people on this list may be the best > > qualified to provide useful answers. My goal is to do justice to the > > designer's genius and also to ensure that the needs of the consumers are > > met. > > > > By the way, I suspect that the list price for this vertical piano will > > probably end up being in the $10,000-$15,000 range. The quality will be > > in keeping with that price -- in fact, I think it will be seen as a much > > better value than anything else currently marketed in that price range. > > > > Finally, my third question is, what books and/or correspondence courses > > would you recommend for me to get up to speed on piano technology as > > quickly as possible? I don't think I need to become an expert, but I > > need to be able to "hold my own" and communicate effectively with > > everyone connected with this project. > > > > Feel free to reply either to the list or off-list if you feel that would > > be more appropriate. > > > > Very gratefully yours, > > > > Christopher Witmer > > > > >
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