[CAUT] CCM goes "All Steinway"

[Richard Brekne]

    Hi All,
    I thought the Boston 118s was all right.
    I think the 126's are definitely more desirable.
    I certainly wouldn't want a 1098.

    Ron Poire retired
    UMN school of Music

Hi Ron.

I service several Bostons of various sizes and find them to be quite 
satisfactory all in all. As part of a midrange priced package deal I see 
no reason whatsoever for advising against them.  On an individual basis 
I can most certainly find cons, both of practical sort and from my own 
sense of musicality. I think the uprights are a bit high priced (at 
least here in Norway) compared to most pianos they are meant to compete 
against.  And tho I find the G178 and G215 to be very nice sounding and 
balanced instruments, I am less satisfied musically with the other 
grands Boston offers.  As for the S&S 1098... well I never had any 
particular problems either tuning them or servicing them, tho I did not 
particularly like the bass from a musical standpoint. I suppose my first 
1098's were a bit testy to figure out a good hammer technique... but one 
gets past that after a while with any new (to you) instrument IME.

I get the feeling that very much of this discussion in the end really 
winds up with its basis in what I view as an irrational resentment of 
Steinway and their dominance and much less to do with any real 
dispassionate objective comparatives, analysis, or regard to larger 
perspectives that concern such decisions an administration has to make. 
There will always be a market dominate company who will generate all the 
same kinds of resentment that Steinway seems to do in these folks. 
Indeed... before too long Yamaha may very well finally achieve their 
goal of taking over.  This side distraction has to do with the nature of 
the human being and there is I am afraid nothing we as individuals can 
do about that. Humans are flock animals.... grin... as even lists such 
as this display quite clearly.  There are always and always will be 
large groups all following their respective deities. Those few who truly 
attempt to step out of that box get isolated quite quickly one way or 
the other. The flock, any flock... does not "like" the individual so 
much unless he/she is seen as some kind of hero.  Even then its not so 
much a matter of liking the person as it is worshiping. This despite all 
the apparent weight placed on the individual in some western 
societies.... which is quite a false picture really in the end.

All who wish of course must go on ranting and raving about the big bad 
wolf who in reality is just an old honorable company (as honorable as 
any company can be in their position) trying to survive in an ugly 
market world.... and slowly but surely getting beaten down... curiously 
enough with the help of many patriots of its home country who apparently 
would rather see their demise and resultant necessary establishment of a 
new order dominated by some Asian make.... as most certainly that will 
happen with any future exit of S&S. Just that many less American and 
European industries... just that much more...er... ah... globalization I 
think they call it in polite terms. I truly would love to see any of the 
critics of this, or any such company try and produce even a remotely 
successful instrument on a scale of any significant proportion. There 
are so many problems of all sorts that are so difficult to keep all 
together under some kind of control it is quite unfathomable that any 
company can do it at all.  Let alone with the success through the years 
S&S has displayed.

Yep... they are far from perfect. So what ?  There far too many out 
there far to ready to cast the proverbial first stone IMO

Cheers
RicB