[pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing

Elwood Doss edoss at utm.edu
Tue Oct 23 06:57:01 MDT 2012


I am just amused at the way piano brand bashing takes place on piano technician lists!  It does not seem to be across the board bashing, but concentrated on one brand.  It is rather funny.  Frankly I glanced over all the posts before I wrote mine.    All of us are entitled to our opinion and should feel free to voice it and I should hope, when there is disagreement, we can agreeably disagree!  Thanks for your kind response, Dale.
Joy!
Elwood

Rev. Elwood Doss, Jr., M. Mus. Ed., RPT
Piano Technician/Technical Director
Department of Music
355 Clement Hall
University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, TN 38237
Office: 731/881-1852
Fax: 731/881-7415
Cell: 731/479-4043

From: Dale Erwin [mailto:erwinspiano at aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2012 4:04 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing

 With all due respect Elwood
 The Baldwin and the Wurly were victims of the changing times and there own poor quality control and certainly not what we said about them. Since when do manufacturers give a hoot as to what we think when it come to R&D or such things.? Frankly...you give us too much credit.
 Perhaps you didn't read my entire post. I'm a fair minded but straight to the point guy. I give credit where it is due. Both negative and positive.  I have supported many diligent effort by folks trying to make a better  piano/product or protocol on this list perhaps you,v'e noticed?
 Long live Steinway but don't drink the kool-aid lest it blind you to real issues;..FWIW  anyone who wants to lead their business parade waving the Steinway company banner by being  loyal Steinway groupies will usually not get the same loyalty in return when the time comes. I know more than a few guys who've been stung. Mama bear protects her den. Be careful  there.
 Thanks for undated report on the 1098s. Thats all good information to digest.  I hope I see the new improved version.
To be clear what got me started was the marketing video bashing other makers action parts and insulting technicians rebuilding Steinways privately.  Talk about negative. Seriously?
Regards
Dale



Dale Erwin R.P.T.
Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.
Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos
www.Erwinspiano.com<http://www.Erwinspiano.com>
Phone: 209-577-8397




-----Original Message-----
From: Elwood Doss <edoss at utm.edu<mailto:edoss at utm.edu>>
To: 'pianotech at ptg.org' <pianotech at ptg.org<mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>>
Sent: Mon, Oct 22, 2012 10:12 am
Subject: Re: [pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing
Well, we’ve dissed Worleys and Baldwins until they are now made off shore.  It’s Steinway’s turn to be dissed, I guess!  Wrong stringing scale, overblown advertising, who gives a plug nickel?  We purchased 28 Model 45’s (1098s) last year and I am very much impressed with them:  1.  Front rail and balance rail punchings same as Steinway grands; 2.  True sostenuto pedal – first I’ve seen in an upright (I know there are others; go ahead, tell me about it) – which means that our piano majors can play the music using the same pedal techniques as when they are playing the grands; 3.  Hammer rest rail adjusts with capstans, rather than having to glue additional felt under them to adjust the hammer blow distance; 4.  Action posts are in the front of the action rather than the back so replacing the action is the easiest I’ve seen;  5.  When removing the action the pedal rods stay in place because they are supported (like many of the old turn-of-the-century uprights);  6.  The fallboard and cheek blocks are removed in one piece just like the grands.  7.  Don’t know whether this is good or bad, but they use the same letoff regulating screws as the grands (jack screws).  I’m sure there are others but they just don’t come to mind.

There is a design problem or two that I wish were different, but I choose to be positive about the pianos and I’m impressed with them.  Gee, I feel so much better!

Joy!
Elwood

Rev. Elwood Doss, Jr., M. Mus. Ed., RPT
Piano Technician/Technical Director
Department of Music
355 Clement Hall
University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, TN 38237
Office: 731/881-1852
Fax: 731/881-7415
Cell: 731/479-4043

From: Dale Erwin [mailto:erwinspiano at aol.com<mailto:erwinspiano at aol.com?>]
Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2012 1:57 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org<mailto:pianotech at ptg.org>
Subject: Re: [pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing

comments below
Dale Erwin R.P.T.
Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.
Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos
www.Erwinspiano.com<http://www.Erwinspiano.com>
Phone: 209-577-8397



Which incredible amounts of money are those, Dale? Here in the land of

300,000 people, depressed aircraft industry driven, that ain't

happening. You folks within an hours drive of 4 million people will

never get that one - ever.

 That comment was primarily I hope for the long ears listening from ........

 But...Over a lifetime of repairing these pianos, it adds up. And you are correct the geographic/demographic

  difference is huge. I'm 100 miles from 4 plus million folks in the bay area and 300 miles from 12 million in L.A

and the pianos come from farther away.





> They have provided us with a very special opportunity to develop our

> own research and design capabilities & in all sincerity...I am

> grateful for this.



Bullshit. Ok, whatever and make money at it?

There are plenty of other pianos with the same problems.

 And no one pays us to repair them although we are rebuilding a schiller upright from Vegas and some Masons >From San Diego

  It's

just the public's and technicians snob attitude connecting to Steinway's

snob attitude that makes Steinway the most improved make.

 . It is what it is. The name draws money. Money gives opportunity. Hey... I didn't make the rules.

  Are you saying I'm a snob? If so Then you don't know me.








> You      dislike their behavior

> toward you and you dislike them but, they feed you anyway.

I dislike their attitude toward me/us not them personally.  We're saying the same thing.



Wrong. I don't dislike them, but rather their attitude that a

demonstrably deficient series of design decisions make the best piano in

the world. And they sure as hell aren't feeding me.

Understood-Dale



Ron N
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