Just back from NAMM, I'll make three comments about the present moving toward the future: 1) Amazing improvements in Chinese pianos. Some of them offer scale and soundboard design ideas frequently discussed on this list. The first production piano with a treble fish is being made in China. (Hailun, designed by Frank Emerson) Many Chinese pianos now have clean transitions over the bass break. Many pianos are nicely voiced. 2) Some beautiful verticals are being produced. Perzina's verticals, with the free-edged soundboard have a bass that surpasses most small grand pianos. Bet you'll see more of this soon. 1) and 2) tell me we may be raising a generation of pianists who begin their playing on pianos worth listening to, possibly leading to a market of people who really can hear beautiful piano sound. There is a range of makers, from mid-low to high end, who are clearly competing with the sound and touch of their instruments. 3) expect after market carbon fiber composite parts with adjustable geometry, fitting many pianos you rebuild, available for technicians to buy before the end of 2008. The mass market may be shrinking, but the quality market seems to be growing. Like Israel and David said, good technicians will have good customers. Ed Sutton -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20080120/dfeb5fa5/attachment.html
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