Problems with new Steinways

[RicB]

Hi David, Tom and others

David  A. puts things about as well as they can be put me thinks.  As 
I've said on a number of occasions, I cant really speak too directly 
about the NY variant, and David underlines this eloquently.  Yet he 
turns around and describes the NY instrument as rough diamonds.  And in 
doing so the whole discussion takes a turn in another direction which he 
equally eloquently turns to himself. And I guess this is the kind of 
thing I personally have been looking for in all this... a positive 
forward looking tact. It also explains why the question Ron N puts so 
compellingly seems to contradict the more damning criticisms that are 
also put forward in the mesh of all this discussion about Steinways NY.  
And it more then satisfactorilly takes care of my own head scratching 
about how Steinway could be doing so very very well if the picture was 
indeed as bleak as it sometimes seems here. 

Personally, I leave the whole design issue bit out of this.  IMHO that 
has no real place in this discussion.  As far as the other (real) pieces 
of the puzzle... Customer/tech relations and quality control.....  The 
former sounds a bit familiar from European experience. But then most 
manufactures of just about anything prefer to rely on their own people 
when following up a problem.  The later is interesting from the 
perspective of why in Europe there are not a lot of dealerships 
scattered around.  There are a few "Steinway Haus" stores run by 
Steinway directly. The stated purpose is to keep more control over the 
finished product and not have the problems associated with a 3rd party 
distributing their instruments.  Maybe this is what the US needs to look 
at... I dunno.

In any case...  David Andersen ... I did indeed like the sound of your post.

Cheers
RicB


    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