This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Ok. I admit I'm taking the following out of context, but I wanted to get = the subject line changed and this seemed an easy way to do it. I wrote: Does it come as a surprise to you that technically sound pianos are also = pianos that sound good? The reason I started looking at the design of = pianos in the first place was because my clients--musicians--were = complaining about the tonal performance of their highly regarded S&S = pianos. And I started thinking about the differences between reputation = and performance. The two are quite unrelated, you know. Also unrelated = are selling price and performance. And country of origin and = performance. And a few other things we've come to accept as gospel in = the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The things that are = related are good design and good performance. To which Richard Brekne replied: Here I am in disagreement with the most of what you say. I do not aggree = that performance is not related to price, or where instruments are made = from. My clients.... musicians.... in general think Steinways have the = best sound and performance around... tho they often wince at the price = tag, and just about all of them have a different idea of how they are to = be voiced or just how the touch is supposed to feel.=20 Now, what I'd like to consider is the following: Has anyone else noticed the evolution of Young Chang of late as defined = by their Pramberger Platinum Edition Grand Piano series? The results of = Joe Pramberger's work with Y-C is now becoming evident and increasingly = they are taking on the overall flavor of Steinway pianos. I've not = actually measured any of their new scales as yet, but they appear to be = some similar. Their front and back string duplexing is much like that of = S&S. Their soundboards are now fully diaphragmed following almost = exactly the specifications of S&S, though, apparently, with crowned = ribs. It is not clear to me if their boards are fully rib-crowned or = some mix of rib-crowning and compression-crowning. Their bridges are now = built, undercut and notched much like those of S&S. Their inner rims are = now made of maple though the outer rim is of some other = hardwood--nyatoh, according to their brochure. They are even using = spruce bellybracing laid out much like that of S&S and coming together = in a 'Tone Collector.' And where did that come from? Their keys are now = spruce and, sadly, are individually weighed off just like S&S.=20 So, what's left to copy, er, design? Well, the elegance of the S&S rim = for one thing, but not much else. That is a pretty significant = exception, though. Anyway, it's what I'd expect to see if S&S chose to = go for somewhat higher production.=20 Do any of you have any first hand experience with these pianos? I've = only seen them at trade shows and at their U.S. headquarters. Neither of = which are ideal places to really examine a piano. I will say those I've = heard showed some promise in the traditional S&S manner. They sounded = voiceable and workable. But, as I said, I've not had any first hand = experience with them. I guess my question are these:=20 Since it appears that Young Chang is now building a line of cheap(er) = S&S almost-clones, how do they compare with the original? What is the = public's perception of them? How are Y-C dealers accepting them and, = more importantly, how are they promoting and selling them? What is their = performance like really--in the home or studio with real people playing = them? And, the question I expect both S&S and Y-C are asking: If the = public was confused by the S&S/Kawai deal, what's it going to be like = with the S&S/Y-C deal with the Y-C looking and feeling increasingly like = the S&S? Del Delwin D Fandrich Piano Designer & Builder Hoquiam, Washington USA E.mail: pianobuilders@olynet.com Web Site: www.pianobuilders.com ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/f0/7e/84/af/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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