Problems with new Steinways

[Erwinspiano at aol.com]

Hey Dave
     There are corporate  dynamics at work that are affecting the perception 
of the public & we as  technicians,  & You are right we have been bitchin for 
30 years but not  so much about the piano design in general  but the poor 
general  unfinished qualities of the piano as they come to the consumer ie.  
regulation,voicing,false beats  & substandard parts we find in the  N.Y.Piano.
  First it was verdigris, then Teflon, felt  knuckles, crappy bass strings, 
funky bridge work & a host of soundboards in  the 80's that were just splittin 
up. These are manufacturing problems & all  companies have them.
  I'm grateful for all these problems because  they make me sooo much money.  
    How ironic that the most  iconic-ly recognized piano in the world to the 
public & is most under  prepared piano in world on the day they are sold  & 
shhhh dont't say  anything.  The reason being is the one David Love  chronicled 
&  the one that makes no rational sense.  The Factory sends out pianos that  
are not finished with the understanding the dealer must finish the  custom 
preparations for the end user. So, when a field tech is giving a report  detailing 
the problems of a given piano , the factory & dealer  than seem to play the 
game of  pass the buck back & forth until  every one is fatigued & the client 
just gives up  & pays for the  work themselves or ........they hire an 
attorney. AMHIK. I have two such cases  happening right now. (minus the attorney)
  This ridiculous arrangement creates all  kinds of bad will by pitting the 
attending technician between the dealer &  the factory... Or the tech is not 
taken seriouly.  In my  recent situation with a new O the Factory rep refferred 
to regulation  & and poor bass damper shut-off as custom work & they weren't  
responsible for it.  This is true, &  because apparently they do  not come 
well regulated from the factory.  oops catch 22! 
   The dealers are expected by the  mother ship to hire a tech. to detail the 
product.  My experience is  that most of this prep work isn't done. 
  When the dealer states  the piano has been prepped I can usually tell when 
It hasn't   because the bedding bolts are never regulated & a solid reg. can't 
be done  unless they are. Other items exsist as well, many of which have been 
stated in  this discussion.
  The solution
1. A change in attitude by the company  towards in factory service,prep & the 
technician in the field encountering  legitimate service concerns.
 2. the company is good at providing tech  training/support at 
conventions....... ie. Eric Schandall, Kent Webb etc. public  appearance
 But,  encouragement  in the form  of Collegial Factory to technician 
communication is not provided. 
 ( In fact I can't get a return phone call  about a warranty problem from 
Bill Huse.)
 3. requiring the dealer to prep their  products if the factory doesn't & pay 
the dealer for it & stop passing  the buck.
 
 Yamaha & Kawai warranty service &  technician friendly attitude has really 
set the Standard.  I would  love for Steinway N.Y. to see that
........................... It's time to step  up.
  If I was buying a new piano from Steinway  it would be a diamond rough that 
has potential but I would definitely feel I  wasn't getting what was promised 
in all the Myriad of slick  marketing.
  Dale Erwin
 
 
  
 



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



 
 
Dale  Erwin--Piano Restorations
Modesto, Ca.
Shop 209-577-8397
cell  209-985-0990
Web site _http://www.Erwinspiano.com_ (http://www.erwinspiano.com/)  
Restoration & Sales of
Steinway & Sons plus  other fine pianos.
Custom made soundboards by  design

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