Steinway B Scale Conversion

[David Love]

I think the social/business inertia is the main reason.  A change in the
industry will not be driven by "enough [who] do like it".  You don't have to
"buy it" but my subjective opinion is that it makes a qualitative
improvement.  It's actually measurable.  Your own new scaling spread sheet
might shed some light on the matter.  Check it out.  The change in tone is
quite obvious on the original design.  I have to say that I've never ever,
not even once, had a customer who asked whether or not I could change the
scaling on a given piano so that the transition from the tenor to the bass
would be more obvious and less of a tonal match as exists on the B.  I have
had quite a few who complained about it though.  The number of techs who are
opting for different bass scales on these and other similar pianos speaks
volumes.  The industry is always the last to know and definitely the last to
respond (if they ever do).  When you are selling your inventory, why change?
But that doesn't mean that there aren't improvements that can and should be
made for legitimate reasons by techs willing to question the status quo.
Gee, and I thought you were left leaning.       

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of RicB
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 1:44 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Steinway B Scale Conversion

And the answer is... that Steinway likes their own sound and their own 
transition... and a lot of other people do too.  Yamaha gave up trying 
to get the Steinway sound a while back because they decided they 
actually were quite happy with the way their CF III and S series were 
developing. Plus the fact that there is considerable social/business 
inertia that impedes any major change in such an organization.  I do not 
buy Davids or Dales claim that it makes a qualitative /improvement/ 
because that is purely a matter of subjective taste... period.  It makes 
a qualitative /change/ that some may like and some will not.  And if 
enough do like it.. then it will make an impact that will cause a change 
in the industry. If not... well then it wont.  Dispassionate as hell... 
but the bloody truth of the matter.

Cheers
RicB


    David/Dale,

    My question is if it makes that much improvement,
    why doesn't Steinway? I know the answer. I just
    want to see what you two say! :-D

    Avery