Steinway "O" stiffness

[Delwin D Fandrich]

robert sadowski wrote:
> 
> Dear list,
> Thanks to all for the help.  Perhaps a bit more information might help.
> Repetitions were replaced with new pre-'84 from Steinway.  Shanks & flanges
> are less than 10 yrs. old with very little playing time.  Hammers are new 
> Encore from Wally Brooks. Key bushings are new and free.  
> Also a little side note.  I now realize the cumulative effect of not using 
> Steinway parts.  The sound board, pinblock,
> bridges and stringing were done at New York Piano Center on the advice of a
> trusted technician. The low bass sounds nothing like a Steinway.  It's a
> very nice sounding piano, just not a good Steinway.  The price was about
> half that of S & S. and I guess that's what I got - half a Steinway.  Also
> has anyone noticed the quality and character of Mapes strings slipping
> recently?  I replaced a bass string on a 40 year old "M" on one of the
> double unisons and noticed the tone on the old string much better - more
> ring.  This is not the only case I've run into lately.
> Any comments from the list on not using Steinway soundboards, etc.?
> 
> Thanks again,
> 
> Bob Sadowski
> Erie Chapter



Bob, 

Many Steinway pianos are rebuilt using parts other than original
Steinway. In fact, many of the parts that come in Steinway boxes are not
made by Steinway. Recently at a customer’s request—he wanted “authentic”
Steinway parts—we purchased a set of wippens from Steinway for an old
Model L. In the authentic Steinway box we found a set of Steinway–style
wippens built by Renner. The only difference being that they cost us
$100 more than they would have if we had obtained them directly from
Renner. 

Whether a piano that has been rebuilt or remanufactured by an
aftermarket shop sounds as good or better than either the original or
the current production instruments depends on the shop doing the work.
There aren't really many secrets here. It pretty much depends on the
skill and knowledge of those actually doing the work, and on the amount
of time they are willing to spend attending to the details of the job.

For me, the first clue to the unsatisfactory performance you find in
this particular piano is probably found in the phrase "The price was
about half that of S & S..." We replace a lot of soundboards in a lot of
pianos of various makes, including Steinways. We would be embarrassed if
they did not end up sounding better than either our perception of the
original (when it was new) or the current production pianos. However, we
don't get these results by cutting out the time it takes to attend to
the details.

We all want to earn a living at this work and I suspect that our hourly
rates aren't all that much different from one another. The only way to
cut the cost by half is to leave out a few of the pesky details and
thereby reduce the time billed. 

I know it sounds a bit corny, but there's a lot of music in all those
details.

ddf