Astin-Weight

[PNHISTIC1@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 6/12/02 5:43:18 PM, dnereson@dimensional.com writes:

<<     Has anyone serviced newer Astin-Weight consoles?  They used to be

considered a fairly decent, maybe even good to excellent American make, but

I've tuned only one,  maybe 18 years ago.  I heard one bit of hearsay that

the newer ones are pretty terrible, but what they meant by that, I don't

know.  Are they at least as "good" as yer average Korean piano (Young Chang,

Samick, etc.)?  A customer is considering buying one at a considerable

discount, compared to buying at a piano dealer, since the factory will ship

it direct.  TIA for any info.   --David Nereson, RPT, Denver>>

>>

 >>I played their large vertical when I was shopping for a vertical. I found
it to have a big sound, which is their intent with the large sound board
they have in it. For me, it was just a matter of personal taste in the
sound that caused me not to buy one, not anything I found wrong with the
piano. In general I'd say I was pretty impressed.

I have heard that they plan to have dealers in the East. For now, if a
customer wants to try one out, they can play one in another customer's
home. The company keeps a list of who will show their piano in various
parts of the country. And yes, the break you get by getting it factory
direct is pretty good. In fact, you're better off if there isn't a dealer
near you!

For information, one can contact the company directly. They will send out
information and/or chat with you on the phone.>>


The store I worked for in Palo Alto, CA sold them for a time up until around 
5 years ago.  They made(and probably still make) a 52 inch upright and a 44 
inch console.  Both are pretty massively constructed, with huge soundboards.  
They are very heavy, and very boomy in the bass.  I liked them quite a bit, 
but there tended to be quite a few false beats in the treble in the ones that 
I tuned.  Quite irritating to tune, but they sounded pretty good when 
finished.  The finishes I saw wear oak and walnut, both oiled rather than 
lacquered.  

The direct shipping became kind of an issue, and we discontinued selling them 
because of some unethical sales practices on their part; the factory 
undersold their own dealer!

As pianos, I would say that they are worth looking at, and far superior to 
the Korean and Chinese pianos that I've dealt with.

Dave Stahl