Then there were one

Barrie Heaton piano@a440.co.uk
Fri, 11 Apr 2003 19:17:57 +0100


In message <004b01c3004d$b2059d20$c0e2b1d8@Pianobuilders>, Delwin D.
Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com> writes
>The last time I looked at the pianos being offered by The British Piano
>Manufacturing Company I was relatively unimpressed with the pianos they
>were building. Which is not to say the pianos were not well-made. In terms
>of construction quality and appearance they were certainly acceptable. But
>their performance level was no better than many other similar pianos of
>equal born-again "heritage" now flooding the market at much lower prices.

The quality took a big nose dive when they moved to Stroud form London
The last new Knight  I did I spent just as much time sorting it out as I
would on a cheep over seas one the end result was worth it but not like
they use to be.


>
>I didn't spend a lot of time examining any of these instruments--it was clear
>that the various executives representing the company that they did not want
>to hear anything I might have had to say about their pianos. Nor were they
>interested in my visiting their factory (at my own expense in those days) or in
>discussing anything related to the design of the pianos they were building or
>any suggestions I might have for improving them. In most cases a few
>relatively simple and inexpensive design changes would have yielded
>substantial performance improvements. Enough to keep them at least
>slightly ahead of their nearest competitors.
>
Sound about right for the UK piano trade we never learn, as a nation we
are very inventive but also we are very traditional, once we have a way
of doing things we tend to stick to them come what may.

Barrie,
-- 
Barrie Heaton      PGP key on request           http://www.a440.co.uk/
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