Hello List Folks. I will be looking at a new satin ebony Baldwin L for a client this coming Monday. I am looking for any input on peculiarities related to this model piano, or Baldwins in general. I service a number of older Baldwin Ls and Rs, but haven't seen any new ones. What do you'all think of 'em? Does anyone have the MSRP for this model? I was reading through Baldwin's web site, and ran across a few things Del and others might get a chuckle out of: "In the Baldwin grand, the soundboard is attached to a hard rock maple inner rim so that the case will not absorb sound from the soundboard but will reflect it back onto the board for greater volume and duration of sound." Yea, yea, yea, boy, I've heard this one before! "The Baldwin 41-ply, 19-ply and 5-ply pinblocks are made of seasoned hard rock maple compressed in a special process, removing virtually all of the moisture in the wood. The multiple thin laminations produce a pinblock that is dimensionally stable and holds the tuning pins firmly through the changing seasons. No other company uses a 41-ply pinblock." Why take all the water out? This must be how it happens that when the pins are installed, they might have 200 in-lbs torque, but after the block absorbs a bit of moisture and equilibrates with the surrounding atmosphere, the torque shoots up to 250 - 300 in-lbs! Now, looking forward to tuning this thing on Monday, why does my right arm hurt now? I might have to get my old Schaff tuning hammer out rather than risk bending up my fancy Renner hammer! "Soundboard Solid Sitka Spruce Baldwin soundboards amplify the string energy to produce a richer, longer lasting piano tone. They are meticulously constructed, custom fit and then tapered for improved amplification." So I guess not only does the Baldwin soundboard amplify, it apparently double amplifies! Way cool! Terry Farrell Piano Tuning & Service Tampa, Florida mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
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