<HTML>In a message dated 4/15/01 12:33:01 PM Central Daylight Time, Ritchiepiano@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Has anyone else seen this or other Baldwin grand deteriorate to this state in 7 years? Even in less than optimum conditions.</BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, I have.  In general, I am against the categorical badmouthing of any particular brand of piano.  You may have seen me defend Kimball many times, for example.  Most poorly made pianos no longer exist, so there aren't many left to gripe about (although the other name mentioned recently, Horugel, may also be in this category). The Baldwin B and C series is an exception to this, however, in my book.   This, in spite of some good words recently by Ron N.  In my opinion, this was an attempt to build a cheap piano but have the long standing, generally good reputation of the name, Baldwin on it. The company should have learned by now that there is no market for that.  It would simply be better to have an Electronic Keyboard.  Particularly, having a PianoDisc system in an instrument that cannot take anymore than the most light and casual playing was a big mistake, probably made upon even worse advice. The piano is still under warranty, so it deserves either a new pinblock or some other kind of lasting alternative.  Even if it does get it, by the time the piano is out of warranty, it will become quite obvious that such a repair was not worth doing. The economic news from Baldwin has been very bad in recent years and worse in recent months.  The company has been on a long, downhill slide for quite a few years and has recently sold off major holdings just to stop some of its tremendous losses. I'm afraid that the warranty claims on the B and C series may be the nail in Baldwin's coffin.  If anything, the company should just give up trying to build cheap pianos and do what Mason & Hamlin is doing, build only the highest quality grand pianos (and possibly retain the Hamilton Studio vertical) it can to a small, select market. Something tells me that corporate greed and high rolling will prevail over sound reasoning, however and we are going to see a big, beached whale belly up within a year or two.  I'm glad for Kent Webb's sake that he got out while he still could. DON'T BUY BALDWIN STOCK! Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin</HTML>