<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:v = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD><TITLE>Light fixtures</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2995" name=GENERATOR><o:SmartTagType name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:SmartTagType> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US id=role_body bottomMargin=7 vLink=blue link=blue bgColor=#ffffff leftMargin=7 topMargin=7 rightMargin=7> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dale,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Example of the Steinway warranty:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    6 year old B  in a private home.Serviced regularly (By me) here in New England with climate control system. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Action setup was good and visiting pianists are complimentary of the piano.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Now here's the rub. During regular service I hear a rattle. Not hard to find as it's a loose key weight. I pull the stack and all but a few are loose. While I'm at it I check the damper levers and guess what ? </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I'm preparing the piano for a recital and  it's after business hours so I can't contact the factory for warranty information.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    My client(s) are good friends of mine and have a well equipted home shop.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    We set up a methodology and with some improvisation found an appropriate punch and worked together to swedge every lead tight (300 leads?)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    The damper leads were tightened with a modified plier tool in my kit similar to ones seen advertised in the journal. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    So a few hours later I start tuning.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Now , next business day I call tech services at N.Y. and to my regret I'm informed the warr. is only five years on Steinway AND the problem was humidity related and would not have been covered anyway. When I mentioned that the piano has a climate control system the gentleman said it was probably disabled for a while(It was not!) and that could cause loose leads. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I mention that thousands of pianos in my service from as far back as the late 1800's have been in New England without climate control and have key leads</FONT> <FONT face=Arial size=2>as tight as the day installed but did not get much response other than the Warranty had expired anyway.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    To my mind when someone pays $50,000 for a piano a bit more support should come from the manufacturer.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    I wouldn't have been looking to break the bank with a bill . Perhaps the Representative 's hands were tied.(by the way it was someone other than Kent ) I have had other manufacturers --Yamaha for example ---extend the Warranty on a minor problem such as this.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    "I'm sorry your client is having a problem with our piano. In the interest of good customer-technician relations what would you charge us to fix the problem ?</FONT> <FONT face=Arial size=2>"</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    The answer would have been $150.00.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    My clients paid me that night with a generous gratuity but it would have nice to get some reimbursement for them.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    While I'm on a roll why is every problem presented to Steinway the first time they've heard of this and someone else's fault (Frozen action centers as example).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   End of rant.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    Tom Driscoll RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>    </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>   </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=dporritt@mail.smu.edu href="mailto:dporritt@mail.smu.edu">Porritt, David</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, December 03, 2006 8:32 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: Problems with new Steinways</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV class=Section1> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dale:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Could you send me a copy of that warranty?  I have wanted to see one for a long time but it seems these are classified.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">dave<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">David M. Porritt</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><A href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</A></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2> </SPAN></FONT></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> <A href="mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</A> [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">On Behalf Of </SPAN></B><A href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Saturday, December 02, 2006 11:44 PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Problems with new Steinways</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Hi all</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  I don't get out in field much but I have seen two new Steinways recently year.  One is a new L & the other a New O.  I saw the O last week. Really quite a nice sounding piano.</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">    I've laid my hands on probably hundreds of Steinways of all vintages & not expereinced glide bolts so loose they were wobbling & turnable by hand.  Also they were about three cranks from being in touch with the key bed which seems to be par for the course. The damper up stop rail is all the way down on the screws & the dampers are still over traveling a mile. The clients biggest concern though is Bass dampers that won't shut off.  After tweaking futzing & lightly bending they were improved only slightly.  Primarily it was notes 11 thru15 but on forte blows they were all slow to shut off, with a very nasty over ring.  After further examination I found they no longer employ the use of damper return springs. IMO this is a mistake & a pain for any tech trying to achieve really quick shut off.  Regulation was in need but not desperate</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  The L had so many false beats in the top capo sections that it was not possible to tune cleanly.  Glide bolts a mile off & keys bouncing like a spring board. etc etc.</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  Are you guys seeing similar things & is any one having success getting a response from the warranty department. </SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  I have more to say regarding this but want to hear your feed back.</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  Thanks</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  Dale Erwin</SPAN></FONT></I></B></EM><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><EM><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">  By the way I secured  a copy of the warranty & the wording is so nebulous I can't tell it covers any thing </SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></I></B></EM></P> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></I></B><o:p></o:p></P></DIV> <DIV> <P class=MsoNormal><B><I><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=black size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SERIF"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'">Dale Erwin--Piano Restorations<BR><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Modesto</st1:place></st1:City>, Ca.<BR>Shop 209-577-8397<BR>cell 209-985-0990<BR></SPAN></FONT></I></B><B><I><FONT face="Abadi MT Condensed" color=black PTSIZE="12" FAMILY="SERIF"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: 'Abadi MT Condensed'">Web site <A href="http://www.erwinspiano.com/">http://www.Erwinspiano.com</A> </SPAN></FONT></I></B><B><I><FONT face="Book Antiqua" color=black size=2 PTSIZE="10" FAMILY="SERIF"><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: 'Book Antiqua'"><BR>Restoration & Sales of<BR>Steinway & Sons plus other fine pianos.<BR>Custom made soundboards by design</SPAN></FONT></I></B><B><I><FONT face=Arial color=black size=2><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-STYLE: italic; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></I></B></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>