Yamaha Factory

[David ilvedson]

> Date:          Tue, 22 Oct 1996 23:43:17 +0200
> From:          oorebeek <oorebeek@euronet.nl>
> Subject:       Yamaha Factory
> To:            "pianotech@byu.edu" <pianotech@byu.edu>
> Reply-to:      pianotech@byu.edu

Andre,

That was a great post.


> Subject:     Re: Yamahafactory
> Sent:        10/21/96 8:13 AM
> Received:    10/22/96 8:28 PM
> From:        Richard  m, remoody@iw.net
> To:          andr=E9 oorebeek, oorebeek@euronet.nl
>
>
>
> Hi Andre
> 	You mentioned that you were at the Yamaha factory.  I am curious about
> several things.  How did you get to go there, did you have to pay?  What
> language did you speak there?  What kind of a program did you go through=
?
> What was the factory like?  Do they really have robot tuners?  Are the
> bridges drilled before or after they are put in the piano?  Do they have
> to match the pin blocks individually to the plate, ?
>
> 	Thank you for your consideration
>
> Richard Moody
>
>
> Hello Richard Moody and other colleagues,
> About your first question (how did I get there) the following:
> About 6 years ago I was contacted by (then)Yamaha Music Benelux and they=
 asked me to do guarantee? or warranty? (what is the proper english word ?=
) and promotional (concert tuning on their demo's) w
> rk for them.
> I have always liked Yamaha piano's very much and I was thrilled by the o=
pportunity.
> Shortly after I started working for them I came into contact with one of=
 their piano-techno-wizzards, his name is Ito-San, and he was at the time =
head of the international piano division in Hamamats
> .
> He was extremely friendly and congenial to me and took care of my first =
trip to Japan.
> I underwent a training called "basic grand piano course" and it lasted 5=
 weeks.
> When I went back to Holland I was loaded with new knowledge and I felt v=
ery much inspired.
> One other thing I knew for sure: I had to get back as fast as was possib=
le to do the "concert grand course.
> After two years of lobbying I was lucky again and went for the second ti=
me.
> It was very tough because there is another course which I skipped : the =
so called masterclass, and I had double work because many things I had not=
 done yet.
> In 4,5 weeks I lost much weight and left Japan with a certificate but al=
so totally exhausted and badly in need of vacation. (luckily my flight hom=
e passed the Islands of Hawaii)
> This last course changed my professional life entirely, I feel on top of=
 things and my business goes very well because of it.
> second question:
> How much did I pay:
> Yamaha paid for both my trips (thank you Mr Yamaha!).
> The program:
> On trip one the program for me was altered a bit because I was older and=
 more experienced, after about one week I started doing hammer changes eve=
ry day (installing hammers, regulation, tuning and v
> icing all within 8 work hours.
> On trip two I started every day with raising pitch (2 Hz) by ear on my o=
wn concert grand in my own room and make the most beautiful tuning possibl=
e (within two hours, that's what they ask).
> Immediately after the 2 hours are finished the instructor comes in and w=
ith a tuning scope checks your tuning, together you make a graph on which =
one can see "the truth".
> After tuning follows a lesson about the tuning truth followed by regulat=
ion lessons and voicing.
> During this last course the "concert students" (then 5 in all, 4 Japanes=
e and me) each had to glue and install hammers and learn how to make a per=
fect tone from scratch.(not easy)
> About the language:
> Of course only in english! a few instructors have some command of the en=
glish language but sometimes things may get very tricky because of misunde=
rstandings. This is actually more dangerous than one
> thinks! Customs differ extremely as we all know.
> I learned some words and phrases just to be able to be more polite and a=
lso learned how to eat with chop sticks ha ha .
> About the factory:
> Twice I had a tour. on my first trip to both factories (the upright and =
the grand) and on the second to the concert grand department (the walhalla=
! for all tecnicians)
> I have seen no robot tuners, instead I saw tiny girls tuning and raising=
 pitch like little devils..fast man!
> I did see however many wonders like stringing robots and much more.
> The soundboards I did not get to see (secrets?) so I do not know about b=
ridges and drilling holes
> At the time I was so flabbergasted that unfortunately I can not answer y=
ou correctly about some specific details such as matching pinblocks to fra=
mes..I am sorry, but I know about many other highly
> nteresting spectacles.
>
> If anyone has more questions, please do not hesitate to ask.. it was a f=
antastic learning experience and I think that it would be best to not keep=
 it just to myself.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> friendly greetings from:
>
> Andr=E9 Oorebeek
> CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
> Hartenstraat 6-2 1016 CB, Amsterdam
> the Netherlands
> Tel/Fax: 020-6237357
> email: oorebeek@euronet.nl
>
>
>
>
David ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA