<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="comic sans ms" color=#c00000>The two postings copied below are, in my opinion, examples of excellent critical thinking, aided and abetted by years of high-end experience...listen and learn, folks. Listen and learn.</FONT></STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Rich and all,</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I don't believe that it will spell "demise" or disappearance just yet . . .</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>A few weeks ago there was a thread going on another list about scaling when I wrote the following;</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>"This topic of scaling inadequacies in shorter pianos has interested me since very early in my concert tuning career, during the late 70's. It has taken three decades for the world of mainstream piano design to make a move. The pace of change remains painfully slow. I believe this is a consequence of the market dominance of one company, which refuses to change
their product because they are so successful that they don't have to change a thing. There remains considerably more to be achieved in the area of scaling, if we allow ourselves to move the goal posts to wherever they need to be for best performance. The evolution of the acoustic piano is not yet complete."</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>I think the above has some relevance to your comment Rich, because I believe that the S&S marketing strategy has been so successful that they have found themselves able to continue doing very well, building instruments which are no longer leading edge. Nevertheless, they do seem to know where to draw the line (in Hamburg at least). Baldwin had a similar artist programme to S&S, but they would seem to have taken their casual approach to standards are little too far to keep the balance sheet the right
color.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>I predict, that when the new raft of thinking piano designers from around the planet start to gain some traction, we'll very likely see S&S respond with an upgraded range, just like Harley did with the V-rod. Eventually, Harley came to the realisation that quality chrome and paint alone wasn't quite enough.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>At present though, in piano-land, for some it remains 'steady as she goes'.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>Best,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face="Lucida Grande" color=#000000 size=-4>Ron O.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=1>___________</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT
size=1></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>Perhaps you should volunteer to become editor for the list postings. I<BR>don't really get any of this: rebuilders with "obvious <BR>vulnerability...".<BR>What's that? People express their opinions directly and matter of <BR>factly<BR>out of frustration, disbelief, mostly. I don't think that those with <BR>other<BR>ideas about how to approach rebuilding and design are serious threats <BR>to any<BR>major manufacturers market share. The criticisms of any manufacturer <BR>will<BR>make an impact or not based on sheer volume over time, not because <BR>something<BR>was more tastefully and diplomatically expressed. Tiptoeing around the<BR>issues and taking care not to ruffle any feathers may be more genteel <BR>but<BR>I'm not sure it's any more effective and it certainly makes for less<BR>interesting reading. <BR><BR>David Love<BR><A
href="http://us.f810.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=davidlovepianos@comcast.net&YY=57008&y5beta=yes&y5beta=yes&order=up&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b"><FONT color=#003399>davidlovepianos@comcast.net</FONT></A> <BR>www.davidlovepianos.com<BR></DIV><BR><BR><DIV>Stan Ryberg <BR>Barrington IL <BR><U>jstan40@sbcglobal.net</U></DIV>