Problems with new Steinways

[David Andersen]

On Dec 6, 2006, at 7:33 AM, Ron Nossaman wrote:
>> Perhaps you blokes over there should get together with Steinways  
>> and put your point of view. Let's face it, Steinway are an icon in  
>> the industry and are generally looked up to, and should be  
>> encouraged to do better.  Would they sit down and talk or are they  
>> too big for their boots?
>> David Lawson Wangaratta Australia
> It's been tried many times. Their line is that they are the  
> standard against which all pianos are judged (which is generally  
> the case), and are selling pianos as fast as they can make them  
> (which is also the case), so why should they change anything?  
> Instrument performance is our problem, not theirs, and if we can't  
> make their world standard instruments meet our required performance  
> expectations, the deficiencies are obviously ours. Warranty claims  
> are particularly interesting against this policy. As long as I've  
> been in this business, the attitude has always been the same.
> Ron N

The reality is the entire world knows Steinway by the Hamburg  
instruments; only the US knows them through the New York pianos;  
thus, the iconic, legendary rep is in MOST cases deserved, because  
generally Hamburg Steinways are among the best pianos in the world,  
and the actions are well-made and well-balanced. The New York  
instruments' actions are a different story, and you can't know how  
true this is, European, Asian, or South American techs, because you  
have little or no personal experience with the New York pianos, or  
perhaps with a highly tweaked and retrofitted performance instrument.

The standard of action ratios and final fabrication tolerances is a  
different world between Hamburg and New York, and that's the truth.  
My close colleagues and I have been scratching our heads and  
yakking---bitching, really---about this disparity for 30 years.  The  
way I choose to frame it now, to myself and others, is this:  I don't  
know why the situation is what it is---I can't personally figure out  
the value in it---but I accept it as how it is, and perceive new and  
newish American Steinways as diamonds in the rough---ready to be  
polished and finished into something beautiful. And they can be; it  
just takes a little more money and attention. Like AMG and Mercedes:   
AMG takes the finished product, and then tweaks and finishes it to  
their standard---performance modification, performance enhancement,  
souping it up, tweaking it out.

Not a deficit, but a possibility. This way of thinking and seeing has  
helped me to be less of a bitter old gossip, and more of a proactive  
artisan. My clients like it better, too---a positive spin rather than  
a negative, without lying to anyone. Half full, not half empty.

Now for another half cup of coffee, and to work.

Cheers----

David Andersen
Malibu, CA

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