Piano Industry

[Lynn Rosenberg]

No Tony, I tune, repair, rebuild pianos, and have been doing so for 25
years. I have worked on many old pianos going back to the early 19's and
they have turned out to be very nice pianos.  No but I have seen many Us
manufacturers go under, some of it is they're own fault.. Aeolian for
example missmanaged the East Rochester plant, to keep Memphis going, and as
far as I'm concerned ruined Mason & Hamlin, etc.  they did produce an
excellent piano in the 1950's. Yamaha came in in the early 70's produced
better pianos than a lot of our companies, and eventually they went under.
It was a sad day in my opinion when Everett piano co. in Michigon closed.  I
thought they made a good mass produced American piano.   In the eightys
Korea got into exporting pianos to the Us, thus forcing Yamaha to cheepen a
lot of they're pianos.  Now China, hear we go again, lower laber costs, thus
doing the same to Japaneese and Korean pianos.  Yes, I do think that China,
"can make good pianos" but they have a long way to go.  I also heard they
bought a lot of equipment from Aeolian when they closed.  Most of they're
equipment at least in East Rochester, was old, out dated.  I know all this,
because I knew people who worked they're.  I still maintain if Winter & Co.
didn't missmanage East Rochester, modernized the plant here, closed up
Memphis that they'd still be in business.  It would have been good
competition for Steinway.  No I don't promote the electronic piano.  Yes I
like gadgetry, but I've find that they all sound the same.  Acustic pianos
have they're own individually quallities.  I apologize for missspelling
you're name.  Lynn

----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Caught <caute@optusnet.com.au>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 10:42 AM
Subject: Piano Industry


> Hi Lynn
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Lynn Rosenberg <Lynn@eznet.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 12:42 AM
> Subject: Re: Was Sohmer now Piano Industry
>
>
> > Hi Toni,
> Lynn I am a boy type person, boy persons spell tony with a Y.
>
> you have some good points. My problem is this, and I see it coming,
> > do you want to spend $5000 on a 7 year old  who wants to try piano???
>
> "A lot of people do and a lot more should. It is always interesting to
note
> that if a sales person cares to spend the time with the customer to
explain
> the piano, tone, touch, tuning, benefits and etc the sales person may not
> sell more pianos but will be selling at a higher price."
>
> new pianos are getting to expensive, eventually used pianos will
disappear,
> > because for every one that is discarded, that's one less piano
available.
>
> "New pianos are actually getting cheaper. Don't compare $ value over 20
> years and say new pianos are dearer, compare the price of the piano with
how
> many loaves of bread it would buy then and now, or, the 5 of the anuall
> average wage at the different times."
>
> > Can you imagine rebuilding Lester spinets???
>
> "No. who would want to. In rebuilding think of value for money first."
>
> Also the average kid in this country anyway is more interested in MTV,
> computers, etc.
>
> " This applies every where but for example, my daughter is was 16
yesterday,
> downloads music for three hours every night whilst doing homework, chats
on
> the phone at the same time, but, she learns piano, she practices, she has
> learnt how to concentrate on one thing for a 1/2 hour and she gets B+, A,
A,
> A, A+ results in her tests. Learning keyboard is an advantage for every
kid,
> promote it."
>
> I can't imagine giving a concert on a Clavinova.
>
> "I guess someone learnt on a decent piano then."
>
> Most of the Us Manufacturers are gone, where getting more and more of
these
> Cheep imports from China, old American names such as George Steck, Cable
> Nelson, Fischer, are being made over seas, probably the same piano but
> different names.
>
> America went through a period in the recent past where they made a lot of
> rubbish, not only pianos but everything.  Piano factories went but so to
did
> the steel works and car manufacturers and the light tool industry and and
> and.  But I am glad to say a turn around happened reciently and it is
still
> gaining momentum."
>
> Can you imagine Sohmer being made in China???
>
> "Yes. Sohmer is a good piano but its not that good. And China can make
good
> products under the right curcumstances."
>
> Its coming, and the Electronic piano is taking over, because of the price
of
> the acoustics are too high.   As far as I'm concerned, the industry in
this
> country is going down hill.  Lynn
>
> Lynn are you in the piano business ? Do you enjoy it ? It would seem that
> from your thoughts you are promoting electric pianos and not accoustics. ?
> What do you wat to do ?.
>
> Regards
>
> Tony Caught ICPTG
> Australia
> caute@optusnet.com.au
>
>
>