Rebuilding for Performance or Show?

[Farrell]

And for some rebuilders, performance is defined by $$ generated by piano sale. Hence a good reason to help perpetuate the myth that the piano was "perfected" over a hundred years ago. It is almost always cheeper to duplicate that to change.

Also I believe $$ is the main reason for the widespread formula applied to many, many 100 year old high quality pianos: keytops, hammers, dampers, shim, strings, refinish.

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2003 9:33 AM
Subject: Re: Rebuilding for Performance or Show?


> 
> >I think also when you consider that the piano has not changed much over 
> >more than 100 years, logic would have it that there is going to be room 
> >for improvement.
> 
> As would experience for anyone willing to go beyond the equally long 
> established and largely ineffectual methods of attempting to deal with the 
> legacy shortcomings of these hundred year old designs - which are largely 
> presumed to have been perfect when new.
> 
> 
> >I guess my point is that IMHO the only reason to rigidly stick to a 
> >"reproduce exactly like original" plan is if you are doing the work for a 
> >museum or some type of showpiece where originality is specifically the 
> >goal. If performance is the goal - and I would argue that it is most of 
> >the time (or should be) - then one would likely benefit to keeping an open 
> >mind to incorporating changes as one is able and confident of the outcome.
> >
> >OK, bombs away! Let me have it!
> >
> >Terry Farrell
> 
> 
> I think you're absolutely right. Now define performance. For many, the name 
> on the fallboard is the primary performance criteria defined by their 
> friends, neighbors, business associates, interior decorator, and society 
> columnist - not to mention their tech or rebuilder.
> 
> Ron N
> 
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