Altenburg/Samick Grand action problems

[Bill Ballard]

At 6:41 PM -0600 1/3/03, David M. Porritt wrote:
>All this about the Altenburg reminds me of the only one I've ever 
>seen.  A family bought this Altenburg back in the East before they 
>moved to Texas.  They said the dealer told them that this was the 
>last piano factory making their instruments entirely in this 
>country.  All the rest of them have their pianos made off shore.
>
>Hmmmm! I mused!  This looks Korean to me.

I've only seen two Altenburg pianos, but I do take care of the '82 
Bechstein B sold by their store, http://www.altenburgpiano.com/, in 
Elizabethton, NJ. One was a console piano 25 years ago, which looked 
as though it might have been a Sohmer or an Everett. Respectably 
made, but sill a "house-brand" stencil.

The second Altenburg was an ebony 9' sold new in the mid-1980s. I was 
told, made by an East European factory (before the Wall fell.) A big 
slab of Delignit for a bloc, and a stock Renner keyboard and action. 
Well-assembled, but without much character. Lord nows where it is now.

And Lord knows what the arrangement is between Altenburg Piano and 
the factory actually supplying these pianos. I didn't see the stencil 
piano business being especially flakey 25 years ago (as compared to 
100 years ago), but maybe it is now. I would politely explain to 
people that you are neither a tort lawyer, nor a forensic engineer, 
but rather a piano technician. When they're ready to have some piano 
work done, you know exactly what the piano needs and will get right 
to it.


Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

"Lady, this piano is what it is, I am what I am, and you are what you are"
     ...........From a recurring nightmare.
+++++++++++++++++++++