[CAUT] Steinway rebuilds

[Dale Erwin]

 Jim
  Its an excellent question.
  Its all hot gas.  At the end of the day its an intelligent wood working project, and yes much more than that but it starts there.
    In a class I once attended as green horn  given by  Willis and Dave Snyder some one asked this question.  DO your pianos sound  as good as the factory pianos?  Without missing a beat Dave said.  "They sound better", with emphatic emphasis. Willis nodding his head.  I believe many rebuilders on this list can echo that.  
  Also remember that custom restored anything generally has fewer hands on the final project, and, a reputation is a fragile thing for the small shop. Rebuilders guard that jealously with the quality of their product. In mass production the target seems wider to me with no one saying the buck stops here.
The family voice of any brand of piano starts with its string scale. My goal is to enhance and promote the best quality's of that sound and diminish the egregious ones cataloged  here so frequently on the p-tech lists. The ways re-builders do that (enhancement) depends on there approach. As Del says"There are no secrets".
  The Steinway method of Belly making has many pitfalls and a seemingly wide range of parameters., however some of the most glorious sounds we have all heard come from this piano. May I suggest that the special ones are where the parameter or target for panel dryness was not extreme and hit in the sweet spot of there target for this C.C. method. Also the bearing was nicely set when the board was at a mid range e.m.c. and humidity level 40 ish % or something.  The voicing was set right etc.
  On the flip side of that is the other ones that never developed any crown as the conditions were extreme or ignored or whatever and the ones clients complain about. The results of that method could be called inconsistent, would anyone agree? 
 Private rebuilders keep a very close eye on equilibrium moisture content in the wood before the ribs go on. As well many are crowning ribs and not depending on pure panel compression to develop crown etc etc. And other designs use 90% rib strength to support bearing.
  you get the idea.
 Cheers
  

 

 

Dale S. Erwin
www.Erwinspiano.com
Custom restoration
Ronsen Piano hammers
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-----Original Message-----
From: Mckeever, James I <mckeever at uwp.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Mon, Feb 14, 2011 8:02 am
Subject: [CAUT] Steinway rebuilds



Thanks to everyone for thediscussion of laminated soundboards, especially Del Fandrich.
Now a question about Steinwaysoundboards.  A rebuilder once told me he prefers not to replace Steinwaysoundboards, because a replacement never quite gives you the “Steinway sound.”
Any truth to it?
Thanks,
Jim McKeever

 
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