<HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3059" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> <DIV>Ric, and all:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>One of real eye-openers from the Rochester rebuilder's showcase was the amazing number of innovations possible with stunning results in most cases. But it also occurred to me, while I was there and since, that because of the economics of factory production (as a well as shareholder pressure from public companies) that in five years we'll be lucky to see any of the innovations adopted or brought into the mainstream. It's a conservative crowd, and understandable given the costs of production and the nature of the market. But isn't it too bad that we'll see most of the really deeply considered ideas expressed in only limited numbers from the onesy-twosy shops. But thanks to all of the people who did the thinking and making!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Paul</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> <DIV><STRONG>"If you want to know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune cookie)</STRONG></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 02/23/07 01:15:59 Central Standard Time, ricb@pianostemmer.no writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"> <DIV> <STYLE type=text/css> .aolmailheader {font-size:8pt; color:black; font-family:Arial} a.aolmailheader:link {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:visited {color:magenta; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:active {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} a.aolmailheader:hover {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; font-weight:normal} </STYLE> I would think that if there is one thing the piano industry has itself <BR>proven over time is that the absolute best that can be built is not the <BR>result of a factory manufacturing situation.  The best factories have <BR>done about all then could possibly do to combine the idea some form of <BR>mass production with the idea of hand made-craftmanship. Inherent in <BR>this concept is the admission that the best artisans, if left to <BR>themselves would be able to produce a superior instrument then can be <BR>produced in a factory setting. Indeed, to some degree one can still pay <BR>for <<extra attention>> at some of the better factories. <BR><BR>Strikes me that it is entirely possible, if not highly probable, that <BR>the absolute best the industry has produced to date has come out of some <BR>small 1-2 man shop setting. <BR><BR>I dont like to use words like better or best or worse often... because <BR>so often they are used in contexts that have to do with purely <BR>subjective things.  But the quantifiable exists to be sure.  Ron Overs <BR>piano in Rochester for example.  The obvious care taken to just about <BR>every detail was indeed superiour to just about anything I have ever <BR>seen from anywhere. <BR><BR>Cheers <BR>RicB <BR><BR>   If you point of reference is the finest that the piano industry has <BR>   produced to date, I'll stick to my answer, Thank you very much! <BR><BR>   Frank <BR><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>