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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Paul:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>This is the way of all the top instruments. The top French horns, flutes,
violins etc. are all made in very small shops. The fact that we now have a few
pianos being made this way is progress. The best factory made instruments of
any type will never approach the small shop output in quality. It’s just that
in our history this phenomenon has excluded pianos. Now it doesn’t!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>dp<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>David M. Porritt</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'><a href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>PAULREVENKOJONES<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, February 23, 2007
1:34 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Pianotech List<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: Long term pitch drop,
was: Type O</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Ric, and all:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>One of real eye-openers from the <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rochester</st1:place></st1:City> 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!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Paul<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>"If you want to
know the truth, stop having opinions" (Chinese fortune cookie)</span></font></b></strong><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>In a message dated 02/23/07 01:15:59
Central Standard Time, ricb@pianostemmer.no writes:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>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 wi! th purely <br>
subjective things. But the quantifiable exists to be sure. Ron
Overs <br>
piano in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Rochester</st1:place></st1:City>
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 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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