Astin-Weight pianos

[Wasson Kerrick]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jeannie Grassi <jgrassi@silverlink.net>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Thursday, October 22, 1998 8:07 PM
Subject: Astin-Weight pianos


>Dear List,
>I have a customer who has become interested in an Astin-Weight upright.
>These are made by a tiny company in Utah, and even though it is not that
far
>from here (Washington), I have only worked on 2 or 3 of them and that was
>quite a while ago.  In order to help her out and give her some intelligent
>advice, I would love any comments or caveats regarding these instruments.
>She will be visiting the factory to see them first hand, so she would like
>some honest input from technicians other than the manufacturers themselves.
>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>Jeannie
>
>Jeannie Grassi, RPT
>jgrassi@silverlink.net
>Bainbridge Island, WA
>
Dear Jeannie:

Over the years I have sold and continue to service a handful of Astin-Weight
pianos, including a few of the 50" model which I presume is the model of
interest to your customer.  This piano is a very well-made instrument, with
an unusually full and rich (albeit somewhat unusual) sound.  No doubt the
innovative soundboard design, with the soundboard running in behind the
pinblock, has a lot to do with this.  In my opinion, the piano sounds bigger
but maybe not as well balanced as, say, a 52" Yamaha.  The overall
workmanship is great; the piano is very solidly built and uncommonly heavy
(to my knowledge, the only heavier vertical is the 52" Baldwin).

In my experience, the Astin-Weight piano is difficult to sell for 3 reasons:
1) Very little name recognition
2) Expensive compared to many better-known (but lower quality) brands
3) Cabinet designs and finishes are less than outstanding, rather plain and
dull

I can't think of any company in the piano industry with which I would rather
do business than Astin-Weight.  They won't feed your customer a bunch of
hype and baloney, and I'm quite sure she will be impressed with their
honesty and forthrightness.

You might suggest that your customer read the section on Astin-Weight pianos
in Larry Fine's book The Piano Book.  The pianos do have a distinctive,
unique tonal character, which impresses nearly everyone, some favorably and
some otherwise.  A very interesting piano indeed.

Hope these opinions are of some interest or usefulness to you and/or your
customer.

Wasson Kerrick, RPT
Owensboro, KY