Dear list, Furthering the discussion of what we perceive as pianos not lasting as well as they should I submit: Cheap and inferior is not a recent invention. I wonder how many inferior (rotten) pianos were made before say ,1950. that we haven't even dreamed of. In reading many older publications about pianos most of the makes were described as high-grade. I figure that for some to be called high-grade there had to be many that were (low-grade). The way I figure, the reason everyone assumes that the older pianos were all of high quality is that the low grade pianos have long since disappeared off the face of the earth. In many things that I read about the 1930's, 1 make (H.C. Bay) was even made fun of because it was supposedly so bad. I personally have only tuned and seen one of this brand so I can't really judge all of them by this one example. I think of some rotten old pianos that are still around. Have any of you seen a New York Brambach grand that was any good or did not have loose pins and cracking bridges. For some reason who ever sold this brand, sold a lot of them in St. Louis cause there are still many around although I have never seen a good one. Someone must have bought the name because I have tuned 1 newer Brambach console (Asian) and is the best Brambach I have ever tuned. I wonder if in 40 years there will be examples of pianos like 'Melodigrands, Whitneys, Story & Clark spinets with Storytone Mahogany soundboards, and will the tuners ,then active ,will assume that pianos of the mid 20th century were all of medium quality or higher. I remember growing up in the 50's and seeing so many cheap items for sale marked with "Made In Occupied Japan" That is how it started. We bought it from them then because they were cheaper. They were smarter than us though and now we buy Japanese 'whatever" because it is better whatever the price may be. James Grebe from St. Louis pianoman@inlink.com
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