Rebuilding Value

[A440A at aol.com]

Greetings, 
In a private email, which I will snip and quote, anonomously, I read;

<< The dealer's argument might seem to imply that the school district 
doesn't warrant (or deserve) an instrument of that calibre.
OTOH, I can see where the "company line" is coming from. >>

      I think Steinway and Sons will tell any school that they warrant the 
best.  And, if they want to become a "Steinway School" and can't afford 
Steinways, then here we have the "Boston" pianos.....  There is some trading on the 
name, there,  in my opinion.  It might be semantics, but them Bostons seem like 
Kawais, to me. 
     IMHO, it is somewhat disingenuous for S&S to look at a worn out 
instrument, and make a case that it is better for the customer, and more economical, 
to trade it in on a new one.  This is  possible only by slanting a lot of 
figures to go their way, and is specious, at best on two separate levels: 
   It runs counter to what could be sold as long term asset to those that buy 
Steinways, i.e., their rebuildibility.  They have sufficent quality and 
reputation to make restoration not only a feasible course of action from an 
investment standpoint, but also, a preferred course for the customer who wants to 
keep their family heirloom.    
       If a family or school wants to continue using their piano, it doesn't 
have to go to New York to still be a Steinway.  An aftermarket tech may 
actually get closer to what that piano was like when new than the factory.  How so?  
Steinways rebuilding department will not return an instrument that is just 
like that 1906 model O!  Heck, even their current production has large 
variations, and the makers have turned this bug into the "feature" of an almost 
human-like, individualism possessed by their pianos. And if it is almost human, it 
can almost "sing," (the highest compliment we normally hear given to any musical 
instrument).  So, by logic, having it go back to the factory guarantees only 
that it will not be like any other Steinway. However, it will be a lot more 
like modern Steinways than pre-War Steinways.  Is this good?  
     If a school wants to keep a performance level piano for a long time, a 
Steinway is the most economical way to do it, and it needn't go back to the 
factory to continue producing as designed.  I hate to see the public's ignorance 
furthered by the maker saying that only its parts will keep that Steinway 
playing and sounding like a Steinway. ( I am thinking of a set of Tokiwa parts 
with Renner hammers that I installed in the late 80's on a model B.  That piano 
is regarded at the school as having the classic Steinway touch,  go figure).   
    
Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html