<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><BR><DIV><DIV>On Apr 25, 2007, at 2:36 PM, Andrew Anderson wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">I'll admit to a little tongue in cheek there.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV>I knew, but...</DIV><DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>I owned a samick baby grand called Wurlitzer for a couple of years and hated it.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>...this, or some of Samick's older product line is what I expected your experience was. I've got a few of these in my clientele, and I have to admit, I know what reaction I'm going to get when I tell someone these new pianos are built by Samick. My mom has a Howard/Baldwin/Samick thing, which was the predecessor of the Wurlitzer. She got the first one the Baldwin dealer got in, so that's been a while ago. The 5'8" was a better piano than the smaller ones, with a Baldwin R scale, and it has served her very well over the years. I've tried to get her to trade up to a better piano but she's happy enough with her Howard that she doesn't want to spend any money. I even found her a used Steinway B at a bargain but she said no. It isn't my favorite piano, but I can't complain about how well it has held up to her teaching piano and practicing over 25 years. (she does have a lighter touch) I keep it voiced and in decent regulation, and with the laminated soundboard that came in those, it rarely needs much tuning, even sitting under an air vent.</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>But the new Knabes with the Baltimore scales in them...that's another story.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Some Bechstein definitely did rub off in that encounter.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Yes, I have a customer who brought a WG-57 Knabe to town with him and I love it. He claims he plays it 3 hours a day, and we tune it twice a year. It really doesn't go out much. We added a dehumidifier system, but that was just for extra protection during summer. The JP Pramberger Platinum Series is similar, but different. Both have Renner actions, but the Pramberger action is a Joe Pramberger design. Both use Renner Blues. Really nice cabinet work. They are beautiful pianos all around.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I also have Sohmer, which falls somewhere between the two Pramberger lines in quality. Nice focus on cabinetry, but it is also a surprisingly good piano for the money.</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"><P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica"><SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>I have a client with a Pramberger upright by Young Chang and it is a false-beat generating machine.<SPAN class="Apple-converted-space"> </SPAN>Pretty stabile and not bad to tune now that it has a DC system in it but really disappointing throughout the treble.</FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I don't really notice any false beats in any of these Samicks. They all tune very clean. Even the wrapped bass unisons all match well. I can't say enough about how impressed I am with them. </DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Oh, and all the grands come with full sostenuto.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Jeff</DIV><BR><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite"> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><BR></P> <P style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px"><FONT face="Helvetica" size="3" style="font: 12.0px Helvetica">Andrew Anderson</FONT></P> </BLOCKQUOTE></DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV>Jeff Tanner, RPT</DIV><DIV>University of South Carolina</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN> </DIV><BR></BODY></HTML>