What do you want in a vertical piano?

[Christopher Witmer]

Hello, I'm new to this list and I am not a piano technician -- yet. I am
based in East Asia and I am currently trying to learn as much as
possible pertinent to the production of a highly innovative vertical
piano, which I hope to see marketed in East Asia as well as North
America and other regions. The prototype for this piano (now in my
possession) was designed and built in the USA but for various reasons it
is felt that this piano should be manufactured either entirely in Asia,
or else jointly in Asia and North America. I am hoping to be able to
arrange and coordinate things between the American designer and Asian
manufacturers to ensure that the production of this piano is a total
success.

I hope the gentlepersons on this list will be so kind as to indulge from
me three rather broad questions.

The first question is, what is it that makes some vertical pianos so
much more durable than others, with regard to extreme ranges of humidity
and temperature? What are the main problem areas? What sorts of things
should I seek in the manufacture of this piano to achieve optimum
durability? This is especially important in parts of Asia with
monsoon-type climates, which alternate between cold, dry seasons and
hot, humid seasons. This is aggravated by the fact that many Asian
houses lack the central climate control common in North America. To a
degree I'm sure the same concerns must apply in North America and
Europe. We will strongly encourage purchasers to implement climate
control measures at the point of installation, but I want the piano to
be inherently as durable as possible.

The second question is, what sorts of features or attributes would you
like to see in a vertical piano? Or, perhaps I should put it, what would
an enlightened consumer want in a vertical piano? What sorts of
important features and attributes tend to get short-shrifted by
manufacturers? (For whatever reason, i.e., ineptitude, cost-cutting,
technical difficulty of "doing it right," slavish following of
fashion/tradition, etc.)

I assume that both the designer and any potential manufacturers will
also be able to provide answers to the above questions, and of course I
intend to ask them as well. However, since you gentlepersons are closest
to the consumers, I think the people on this list may be the best
qualified to provide useful answers. My goal is to do justice to the
designer's genius and also to ensure that the needs of the consumers are
met.

By the way, I suspect that the list price for this vertical piano will
probably end up being in the $10,000-$15,000 range. The quality will be
in keeping with that price -- in fact, I think it will be seen as a much
better value than anything else currently marketed in that price range.

Finally, my third question is, what books and/or correspondence courses
would you recommend for me to get up to speed on piano technology as
quickly as possible? I don't think I need to become an expert, but I
need to be able to "hold my own" and communicate effectively with
everyone connected with this project.

Feel free to reply either to the list or off-list if you feel that would
be more appropriate.

Very gratefully yours,

Christopher Witmer