CBS years at S&S was improvements

[John Musselwhite]

At 10:52 AM 07/05/02 -0700, Del wrote:

> > explainations why this can not be so... time and time again people have
>this
> > observation that instruments can get better as they get older.
> >
>
>
>Several observations about that observation:
>
>First, John's comment must be regarded more as prophesy than as scientific
>observation.

My apologies. I didn't know I was supposed to be writing a scientific 
treatise or I would have strived to provide sources and footnotes along 
with 8X10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows on the back 
explaining what each one was. I would venture to guess that almost every 
tuner or rebuilder has worked on Steinway pianos that have been in one 
family for multiple generations and some have rebuilt instruments that have 
already undergone some form of the process earlier in life, so the 
prognosis/prophecy for this one should fit the established pattern.

>It assumes something is going to take place rather than
>observes something measurable that actually did take place.

I hope I clarified "maturity" in a previous message. If not, I am referring 
to a new-ish piano that has undergone the process of becoming a stable 
instrument not one that's been in constant use for 20 years or more. There 
is obviously something measurable taking place in new pianos or else we 
wouldn't have to perform the service we need to do to them whether it's 
just what's specified in a service bond or a couple of days of fine touch 
and tone regulating.


>Second, as always comments like this are subjective. With respect to John's
>technical and professional abilities, I did not see any scientific evidence
>in his post to substantiating these prophetic proclamations. Assuming that

Nor will you see any since it wasn't supposed to be science, just an 
anecdote with a little "prophecy" based on other pianos that I hoped would 
illustrate my point.

>the performance of the piano has improved since 1999--and this has not yet
>been scientifically proven though I'd be willing to take John's word for
>it--

Well, its rather too late for definite before and after comparisons, but 
now a few years after leaving NYC it's reasonably stable in tuning, tone 
and touch and with a couple more years of playing and tuning it will settle 
down a little further. If it needs more "customizing" to suit the owners 
taste it will probably get it, further improving the instrument.

>has this improvement been the result of some mystical qualities residing
>within the piano or by the ministrations of Mr Musselwhite? Frankly, I have
>more faith in the latter than I do in the former.

I just did everything I normally do to help stabilize a new piano and bring 
it up to "standard". Time and care will do the rest. That being said there 
are qualities in fine wood products that for those spiritual types, do 
approach the mystical.

>Third, I am not aware of any 'scientific explanations' as to why this might
>not be so in some situations and for some period of time.

The only explanation I have is that pianos are made out of wood and despite 
our best efforts to make wood behave as we want it to sometimes it doesn't 
want to reciprocate.


>Finally, the evidence presented claiming that piano performance does improve
>over time is rare and subjective while the evidence of piano performance
>degradation over time is common and easily measurable.

Its degradation is quite measurable and occurs much too fast in some 
instruments for various reasons. I would venture to guess that most of the 
reports of pianos improving with age are due to technical work over the 
years on what might have been extremely average instruments to begin with, 
not to anything magical happening to the soundboards or rims once they're 
stable.

                 John