<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:10pt"><div id="yiv313315603"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">hey Mr. Anderson,  I appreciate your civil discourse.  Mr.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">Erwin must have hit his head prior to his foolish  reply.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">     </div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">   I'm a baseball coach so this has to be my final response</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">for a little while.  I'm not discounting the merit of your</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">ability to discern power differences,  I would just have to</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">hear it for myself.  My doubt stems from knowing that</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">Steinway rim construction, utilizing rock maple, is the</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">standard for instrument projection.  If you're saying the Sauter</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">utilizes a rim species of wood that is superior to maple I</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">have difficulty believing it. If Sauter utilizes a keybed</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">that accelerates resonance to the pianist without quartered</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">spruce slats then I have to question how.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">   I was able to find a pic of the lyre you mentioned</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">and although the assembly pieces appear to be of acceptable</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">diameters the comment I made about Julliard has to do with</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">the support system.  A steel rod bracing will always flex</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">more due to the torque applied to the outer corners of the</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">lyre box.  This is the main reason Steinway braces with birch</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">sticks that are fit into the keybed.  Under rigorous demands</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">the flexing becomes an issue and over time only worsens  and the</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">pianist feels a sense of disconnection.  This is for the very same</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">reason I use carbon fiber soles when cycling,  the rigidity of</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">the shoe is critical when standing up on the pedals when engaging</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">twelve percent climbs.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">   Last comment on Fine,  why would you imply on a national stage</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">that digitals have the added advantage of not needing to be tuned.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">As if the trade wasn't suffering enough already, there just went thousands</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">across the world including the technician's business card in their shredding</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">pile for re-cycling.  At least we're going green on the way out.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">   Sincerely,</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">   Brent Fischer</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">    </div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br></span></font></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><font class="Apple-style-span" size="4"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></font></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">  I went on an extended hunt for the specs on the</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">Omega and turned up little besides equilibrium formulas.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">Resonance projection starts with a maple rim, it's the code.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">It's hard to comment without that much, and then I my</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">travels I'm I will search one out.</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">  I did see a picture of the lyre.  The base looks stout, however</div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">all lyres with </div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950"><br id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869397"></div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386950">    </div><div id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869392"><br id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386953"></div> <div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " id="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386958" class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386956"> <div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386963"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Andrew Anderson <andrew@andersonmusic.com><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">To:</span></b> Brent Fischer <brent.fischer@yahoo.com> <br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, August 1, 2012 8:50 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [CAUT] The demise of the American piano industry<br> </font> </div> <br> <div id="yiv313315603"><div>Interlined below<br><div><div>On Aug 1, 2012, at 7:53 PM, Brent Fischer wrote:</div><br class="yiv313315603Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386977"><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">yes, I agree if NY would utilize Hamburg plates and a workforce that</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">thought like Hamburg employees the conversation would be over.  It's</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">important to quantify "quality construction " because there is simply </font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">no mistakes made in Steinway</font><span class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869289" style="font-family: times, serif; "> joinery, including boards and bridges.</span></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">     Above all else, Steinway makes the only piano that doesn't blow</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">up on "FFF",  and selective artists know the difference and the sound. </font></div></div></div></blockquote><div>Here is where I have the opposite experience.  Sauter Omegas are more powerful sonically and have a much broader dynamic range than any Steinway I've encountered, and that is the semi-concert grand.  Back to back on stage there is no doubt as to which is the more musical piano and that is how we shut Steinway out of institutional purchases. One Omega against one D: put them together and the difference is obvious.  Steinways distort at FFF, Sauters get louder.    </div><div><br></div><div>Now people do identify with that distortion and you can get a little from a Sauter, eventually, if you are brutal.  If you need to have it easily and can live with a smaller dynamic envelope, you should choose Steinway.  Again, personal preference should determine your choice here.  If you need to power up a hall though, the sound meter confirms what the ear hears: Sauters do FFF louder by wasting much less sonic energy on distortion.  They carry very well.</div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_134387547386999"><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">The quality of the best Euro piano made is only designed to function</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">musically up to and never above " FF ".  Mason and Hamlin has the</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">tonal substructure to support tenacious pianists however when they </font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">designed hardened steel front duplex bars they compromised the treble tone.</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">     Quality 101:</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">         a.  No one but Steinway makes a lyre to withstand the rigors of Julliard</font></div></div></div></blockquote><div>Have you seen the Sauter lyre system?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869121"><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">         b.  only Steinway uses quartered-sawn poplar in lid construction,</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">              like a carbon-fiber bike frame; light and strong</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">Andrew, the argument has to finish with which piano can withstand</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">the rigors of a changing upswing in the strength of modern pianists, playing</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">to crowds that come to hear " piano Olympics ".  Steinway sets the bar at "FFF" and</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">you have the little F's following behind.</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">   You wouldn't give Albert Pujols a plastic bat to hit a homer no more than you </font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">would give </font><span class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869323" style="font-family: times, serif; ">Lang Lang a Bosendorfor to play Lizt.</span></div></div></div></blockquote><div>Actually a lot of what Liszt wrote sounds really good on a Bosie.  I would tend to reserve a Bosie for music of a more Austrian style, Mozart, Haydn and some Beethovan.  There are any number of fine piano makes that are interesting in their own right and some might be preferred for certain types of music.  Steinway's aggressive (admirably successful) marketing has positioned it where it is dominant in venues here in North American but that dominance has many factors involved that aren't necessarily about music-making.  </div><div><br></div><div>YMMV,</div><div>Andrew Anderson</div><div><br></div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869151"><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">  Sincerely,</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif">  Brent Fischer</font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="yiv313315603Apple-style-span" face="'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif"><br></font></div><div><br></div> <div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869167"> <div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869169"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Andrew Anderson <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:andrew@andersonmusic.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:andrew@andersonmusic.com">andrew@andersonmusic.com</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">To:</span></b> Brent Fischer <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:brent.fischer@yahoo.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:brent.fischer@yahoo.com">brent.fischer@yahoo.com</a>>; <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:caut@ptg.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</a> <br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, August 1, 2012 5:22 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [CAUT] The demise of the American piano industry<br> </font> </div> <br> <div id="yiv313315603"><div>Mr. Fischer<div>When you are dealing with fine pianos you will find that they are quite individual in their characteristics and the choice of a piano becomes a personal one of preference.  Teir-1 piano makers are not copying each other and don't have the same goals when it comes to sound and playing characteristics.</div><div><br></div><div>If you are comparing quality and consistency of manufacture Steinway NY loses, hands down.  If the German can't get past union senority issues in NY, Steinway will completely undermine its iconic reputation--self destruct.  I, for one, hope it does get control of its QC issues.  It would be a shame to lose another American manufacturer.  </div><div><br></div><div>That said, I don't like any of the Steinways I work with.  They are getting better but they are all compromised instruments which will not be stellar until re-bellied they way they should be.  Quality control was definitely out to lunch on these Ds an Bs. </div><div><br></div><div>In my store I carry a teir-one German brand and these pianos are obviously better then any NY Steinway I work on.  Every performing artist I've had over has fallen in-love with them, some of them under contractual obligation to demand another instrument at performance venues.</div><div><br></div><div>Unless the only Steinways you encouter are C&A stock, you have missed out on a lot of other fine brands.  </div><div><br></div><div>As to Chinese made pianos, the strides being made there are rapid, much more rapid than the progress that was made by Japanese piano makers.  There is a least one brand coming out of China today that is very serious competition for the Japanese makes at their better levels.</div><div><br></div><div>The world does not stand still.  Things do change over time.  Keeping track of that is an invaluable service.  I do disagree with Fine on occasion but as yet he has no credible competition for the service he provides and I do recommend his service to everyone who asks.</div><div><br></div><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Andrew Anderson</div><div><br><div><div>On Aug 1, 2012, at 4:48 PM, Brent Fischer wrote:</div><br class="yiv313315603Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869217"><div>Mr. Bousel,</div><div>   With all due respect Aaron I don't consider my opinion a minority one.</div><div>Secondly, who made Mr. Fine's instrument acumen the " last word " or</div><div>his analysis the " bible " of the industry.  As the last of the greatest</div><div>American made pianos fade into the sunset there will be even the </div><div>occasional Mason and Hamlin growing daises in  your local dump. The</div><div>comparison that Fine makes with the Chinese industry would leave the</div><div>laymen believing that they are just as well made as the original specs</div><div>of pianos that were light years ahead of anything made in China.</div><div><br></div><div>    It all starts with the carcass, just have to compare and contrast with</div><div>specs that have been historically superior.  There has never been a foreign </div><div>made piano anywhere that could hold it's own on stage with a Baldwin or</div><div>Mason much less a Steinway. I don't categorize the Hamburg as foreign.</div><div><br></div><div>    Final comment:  The last time I drove over Fine's book with my truck</div><div>was when he made his biblical judgement that European instruments </div><div>are as good as our currently US made Steinways.</div><div>Like I said, he's not our spokesman.</div><div> </div> <div style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: tahoma, times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869259"> <div style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: times, serif; " class="yiv313315603yui_3_2_0_19_1343875473869261"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> <hr size="1"> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">From:</span></b> Aaron Bousel <<a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:abousel@comcast.net" target="_blank" href="mailto:abousel@comcast.net">abousel@comcast.net</a>><br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">To:</span></b> <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:caut@ptg.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</a> <br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, August 1, 2012 3:24 PM<br> <b><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: [CAUT] The demise of the American piano industry<br> </font> </div> <br> <div id="yiv313315603"> <div> Here's a link to the whole article, including a video.<br> <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?pagewanted=all"> http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/arts/music/for-more-pianos-last-note-is-thud-in-the-dump.html?pagewanted=all</a> <br><br> First: Larry is hardly responsible for the juxtaposition of his comment and the photo of an old Knabe grand.<br> Second: You don't know the context of his remarks, that is, what question was asked by the reporter that elicited the quote that was used. In the context of 80 to 100+ year old verticals it certainly fits and his comment doesn't endorse the purchase of a digital piano, it just states the reality of the marketplace.<br> Third: You've "always said" that Larry Fine doesn't know what he's talking about? OK, you're entitled to your opinion (albeit a minority one within the industry), but don't base it on one out of context quote from a newspaper article. <br><br> Aaron<br><br> At 07:25 AM 8/1/2012, you wrote:<br> <blockquote type="cite" class="yiv313315603cite">NY Times  7-30-12.....Music Article<br><br>   On the front page of the digital NY Times  " For More Pianos, Last Note <br> is the Thud in the Dump"<br><br>  " Instead of spending hundreds or thousands to repair an old piano, you<br> can buy a new one made in China that's just as good, or you can buy a digital<br> one that doesn't need need tuning and has all kinds of bells and whistles," said<br> Larry Fine, the editor and publisher of Acoustic & Digital Buyer " the industry bible.<br><br> The picture seen around the world is of a vintage Knabe grand being trashed.<br> Confirms what I've always said, he doesn't know what he is talking about.<br><br> Brent Fischer<br> 30 yr. member of the PTG / Registered Craftsman / retired</blockquote> <div> <br> <font face="Eras Medium ITC"> ------------------------------------------<br> Aaron Bousel<br> Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild<br> </font><font face="Eras Medium ITC" color="#0000FF"> <a rel="nofollow" ymailto="mailto:info@bouselpiano.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:info@bouselpiano.com">info@bouselpiano.com</a><br> </font><font face="Eras Medium ITC">(413) 253-3846 (voice & fax)</font> </div></div> </div><br><br> </div> </div> </div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></div><br><br> </div> </div> </div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div><br><br> </div> </div> </div></div></div></div></body></html>