Schimmel

[PDtek@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 98-10-24 10:46:17 EDT, you write:

> A client of mine who is about 20 years old, and a fine pianist for his
>  age, recently visited a piano retailer who sells Schimmel grand pianos. 
>  He was told that Schimmel pianos are far superior to either Steinway or
>  Baldwin.
>  
>  Is this the general consensus?  I know that Schimmel pianos are very
>  respected.  My opinion would be that some pianists may favor the
>  Schimmel for personal reasons, but I question whether it is "better."  I
>  would appreciate input from those of you who are familiar with all three
>  brands.
>  
>  Clyde Hollinger
>  

I suppose we ARE most influenced by what we are exposed to the most. I have
done a lot of PianoDisc work for a large Schimmel dealer and this is the piano
I would buy myself. The workmanship is top notch, especially the cabinets with
wood inlays. They are beautiful. The CC 208 (6" 10") is my favorite with a
pure, balanced sound throughout the scale. There have not been many pianos
that I have tuned where I could enjoy savoring the tone of a single note.

On the other hand, I don't see many new Steinways. I did do an install in a
new L recently. The overall construction looked kind of cheap and cheesy, and
the sound was nothing to write home about. On the other hand, I have seen some
great Steinways in the past. Has quality dropped over the years?

Anyway, my ranking would be:
1. Schimmel
2. Steinway
3. Baldwin

Dave Bunch