Problems with new Steinways

[Porritt, David]

In light of this thread on our favorite piano maker, I had an
interesting conversation with one of our photography professors last
week.  He was telling me of the myriad problems with a camera line that
I had always thought of as the top quality, most expensive medium format
camera.  Things like frequent light leaks, and oddly a camera body that
shrinks!  It is an aluminum alloy that in 8 - 10 years (unlike Young
Chang brackets) shrinks!  This changes the distance from the lens to the
film plane making the pictures out of focus.  We compared notes on the
workmanship of these supposedly top line products.  

It was interesting!

dave

David M. Porritt
dporritt at smu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On
Behalf Of David Ilvedson
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 4:29 PM
To: tune4u at earthlink.net; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: RE: Problems with new Steinways

Alan, 

Get serious...

"Don't believe everything you think."

>No company can ride on its reputation forever. I give Steinway 10 years
and they'll 
>either be out of business or limited to selling Chinese-made pianos
cheap. 
>"Introducing the all-new 2012 Boston Steinway LX"

Of course they will have a Chinese made Boston, but Steinway won't be
going out of business anytime soon.   They sell everything they make.

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044


----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Alan R. Barnard" <tune4u at earthlink.net>
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Received: 12/3/2006 2:01:25 PM
Subject: RE: Problems with new Steinways


>I will NOT recommend new Steinways to any customer without some serious

>discussion.

>The Steinway is a piano. It is ONLY a piano. It is a very well designed
piano. It can 
>be a great sounding piano. It can be a great playing piano. It has
(had) a great 
>reputation.

>It is ABSURDLY overpriced. It is priced as a luxury item, like
Cadillacs. And the only 
>REAL added value in a luxury item is luxury service. But they want to
sell Cadillac 
>pianos and provide Yugo service.

>It's bad enough that they are so often snotty and arrogant with techs,
but they also 
>disrespect their customers. This is beyond inexcusable.

>And, by the way, have there been any real Steinway design changes or
innovations 
>in the last 50 years that weren't unmitigated disasters?

>No company can ride on its reputation forever. I give Steinway 10 years
and they'll 
>either be out of business or limited to selling Chinese-made pianos
cheap. 
>"Introducing the all-new 2012 Boston Steinway LX"

>How come smart business people are so often so stupid????????? And are
there any 
>actual piano people still working for S&S? Seems like they are 90%
marketing (hype 
>and BS, largely) and 10 percent manufacturing. Engineering? Quality
Control? 
>Apparently, not much.

>Have they EVER listened to comments, advice, complaints, or ideas from
those of us 
>in the trenches--let alone modify a design, no matter how flawed (M
backscales, 
>anyone?)????? Yamaha heard us on the GA-1 and now we have the GB-1 with
is 
>vastly improved tenor scale. Steinway, I fear ONLY listens to the
musical tones of 
>tinkling cash.

>The decline of the American automobile industry might have served as a
real 
>warning, had they been watching. Go Toyota! Go Kawai!

>How's THAT for a rant? Love and joy to all ...

>Alan Barnard
>Salem, MO

>"Don't believe everything you think."