Steinway C

[Ron Overs]

Hi Joseph,

>Gee Ron, Have you ever heard a decent C from Steinway NY?

I've tuned a few and fixed a new one which was shop soiled, but 
they're pretty rare here in Aus'.

>I'm impressed with your skill and knowledge level, but the piano I 
>tuned was, to use a trite but true phrase, awesome!

I believe you totally. As I said in my post, good pianos do happen in 
spite of what we might throw our hands up in the air about 
designwise. And a carefully rebuilt piano is even more likely to 
sound good. I remember many years ago I tuned a new Kawai KG5 that 
was simply outstanding - it happens (mind you the KG5 was one of the 
better commercial designs).

>The transition over the break was noticeable, but not offensive, 
>just a different character.

Exactly, and this is something which is due entirely to the scaling 
shortcomings of the model C and B, and sure the piano can be very 
nice, but there will be fuller/rounder tone on the bass bridge side 
and a thinner tone on the treble side of break. It is possible to get 
right on top of this problem with some careful design and 
construction, but not without moving the break up the piano (assuming 
that tenor bridges are not cost effective). Interestingly, a couple 
of years ago I looked at an early Pearl River grand import where they 
had achieved a total reversal of the skinny treble crossing over to 
the fat/woolly bass. They had placed the treble bridge much further 
out from the rim than the upper end of the bass bridge, and as was to 
be expected, the problem was exactly the reverse. When you strike 
such tonal anomalies across the bass/treble break, just tap the 
bridges and listen - its in the board. Poor bridge placement is a 
nasty problem which is so easily fixed at the drawing board stage.

>Also, I was sure that the piano was a tad over seven feet, but 
>perhaps I was wrong, Next time (I hope!) I plan to take some string 
>data measurements and check the piano a little more closely.

You are quite right. According to Steinway's website, the C was 
introduced in 1861 at 7'1",increasing in size through three revisions 
until it arrived at 7'5" in 1885.

>Quite frankly, I had a chance to listen up close for quite a lengthy 
>time to a Fazioli 9'2"and I do believe that C would have blown the 
>Fazioli away.

For all the care or lack it of we sometimes put into the outcome, 
some pianos just have it and others don't.

All the best,
Ron O.

-- 
                  OVERS PIANOS
        Grand Piano Manufacturers
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Web:    http://www.overspianos.com.au
Email:  mailto:ron@overspianos.com.au
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