Hi Ed I have no problem with any of what you say below. I find it really quite in agreement with what I was trying to say... plus you add a few points about what some of our realities are... which I have no problem with either. I pass no judgment on it all really... because , well thats such a huge can of worms. I mean pianists above all know so little about their instrument that essentially the whole thing becomes an issue of magic. And well... if its magic that does it for them there isnt a lot I can do about. Ever read Ibsens Enemy of the State ? We of course can try and fight ignorance... but its a loosing battle. And in the end perhaps its just as well to try and make a bit of our own... Try to do as much good as we can in this world... and when we leave it.... well gawd knows what comes next :) Cheers RicB This points up the paradox of modern Steinway marketing. Staying "authentic" in the eye of the market doesn't mean staying as close to tradition as possible. It is possible to be more traditional, it just costs more than they think they can recover. Hammers are a prime example. The one component that is more responsible for the "Steinway Sound" than any other is nowhere near like the hammers used when this brand made its name. A Steinway hammer from the 1920's is not the lacquered blob of felt that is on these pianos, today. Lots of other differences, too. Not the least is the poor alignement of the action components,which, I believe is directly attributable to less labor being spent on construction. The "eye of the market" depends on a lot of customer ignorance, and it seems that the marketing department likes it like that. My local dealer is fond of telling new Steinway customers that I am not qualified to work on a Steinway, because I haven't been to the school. He doesn't realize I have been to the school, as well as graduating from the North Bennett School, as well as maintaining a school full of my Steinway restorations,(which are increasingly bringing me business from other schools in the state when they play them), as well as maintaining the home Steinways of three Steinway Artists in town for the last 28 years. I am not going to say anything to him about this, preferring to let him cut his own throat. What I think he is trying to avoid is having a new piano examined by someone that is not under the thumb of the factory. No need to tell customers about all those nicked front pins, now, is there? There is a long list of normal defects that would have to be addressed if customers had objective evaluations of their new Steinway. Is this tradition? Regards, Ed Foote RPT
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