<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16587" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Just back from NAMM, I'll make three comments about the present moving toward the future:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1) Amazing improvements in Chinese pianos. Some of them offer scale and soundboard design ideas frequently discussed on this list.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The first production piano with a treble fish is being made in China. (Hailun, designed by Frank Emerson)  Many Chinese pianos now have clean transitions over the bass break.  Many pianos are nicely voiced.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>2) Some beautiful verticals are being produced. Perzina's verticals, with the free-edged soundboard have a bass that surpasses most small grand pianos. Bet you'll see more of this soon.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>1) and 2) tell me we may be raising a generation of pianists who begin their playing on pianos worth listening to, possibly leading to a market of people who really can hear beautiful piano sound.  There is a range of makers, from mid-low to high end, who are clearly competing with the sound and touch of their instruments.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>3) expect after market carbon fiber composite parts with adjustable geometry, fitting many pianos you rebuild,  available for technicians to buy before the end of 2008.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The mass market may be shrinking, but the quality market seems to be growing. Like Israel and David said, good technicians will have good customers.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed Sutton</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></BODY></HTML>