<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font: inherit;"><div>That last post should not have been sent. (Thank this new ipad that SHOULD have put it in a draft folder, while I I was called away for a few minutes!) <br /><br /> Put bluntly: even the best new smaller imported pianos lack a resonant "something" I find in most <br />worn-out, massive old "beaters". Something they will NEVER have, but the "beater" could, and even more so, restored. ("Something" I attribute to the less sound-absorbing, very hard woods in the cases -and size- mostly.) But it is tough to convince a customer of the value of this, when they are faced with a $10,000 plus bill, and the prospect of owning a nice, new, clean, shiny "piano", for less. (Something we can not afford to altar, even if we choose to live in our shops for the love of pianos' sake!) We can not compete with the government-subsidized "slave labor" camps of our Asian
counterparts ( only existing because OUR government's policies allowed them to supplant our manufacturing sector!) so another solution, if there is to be one, must be found.<br /> I suggest we start "tossing ideas around".<br /> Here are some from me:<br /> Establish a massive re-factory, where boxcars full of (non-mousey) old pianos can be assembly-line restored<br />(with new keysets and actions, and soundboards when needed) so that their inherent worth, both musically and artistically (case-wise) will be obvious when placed alongside the "new stuff" in showrooms. ( My guess, though, if this is done, is that it too will be done in Asia by some entrepreneur shipping containers full of them over there, and then back. Pianos that are dipped by crane into giant vats of solvent to strip them, and then rinsed and rebuilt, etc..)<br /> Put music education back in schools. (Afforded by spending less on the military, please! Remember: it
is for our MUSIC that we have always been most admired overseas! Even Scott Joplin toured China, and was a "hit"!)<br /> Promote the joy and worth of making your own music.<br /> Promote the value of the more traditional music forms, that incorporate melody, harmony, rhythm and dynamics --- and a nice tone--- for which the piano is most ideally suited.<br /><br /> The "adopt a piano" site will keep many fine instruments out of dumps. I imagine it will be used far more frequently, now that the NY Times article ran. And I will add that I confess that I've frequently been exasperated by the fact that many small "antiques", "art" and "collectibles" that took FAR less skill and effort to produce (AND just "sit there" and don't DO anything!) fetch VASTLY more than these magnificent beasts of musical potential, built by our dedicated, highly skilled forbears.<br /><br /> Oh well.......</div></td></tr></table> <div
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Euphonious Thumpe <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>; <br>
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Prof. Euphonious Thump <lclgcnp@yahoo.com>; <br>
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Re: [pianotech] NY Times article on pianos <br>
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<td valign="top" style="font:inherit;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td valign="top" style="font:inherit;"><div><br /> I agree with Joe 100%. (Except the mousey part --- a mousey piano is, sadly, "toast" in my book. ) Those new, imported pianos, with their sound-absorbing chipboard, or relatively soft-wood, cases, rims and posts are terribly unsatisfying to play, when compared to a fine old German or American piano with an ash and/or maple structure. And even if you find an O.K. sounding one, how long will it last before the string tension warps it so it loses all crown? To add a severe "insult to injury", many of these pianos are of course sent here with the purchased names of revered (but defunct) American makes on them. (American firms often defuncted by the predatory practices of overseas "competition", predatory <br /> We can not compete
economically with nations who use government-subsidized "slave labor" to make things ( and spend so much less on
"defense") <br /> </div></td></tr></table> <div id="_origMsg_">
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Joseph Garrett <joegarrett@earthlink.net>; pianotech <pianotech@ptg.org>; <br>
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Re: [pianotech] NY Times article on pianos <br>
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<td valign="top" style="font:inherit;">I don't know, I think those Yamaha U series pianos sound pretty good, at least the new ones, and while the cases are more streamlined and modern, many aren't locked into victorian aesthetics. The old uprights do sometimes have nice cases, and if you put a new soundboard in with a new action they will sound and perform great. But it may well cost you 30K. That''s fine too if the customer wants to do that and knows what that means in terms of the value of the instrument. That was my point. <br><br>As I said, I have no problem with someone making that kind of commitment but for most it's completely unrealistic and makes no sense. It's too bad because there are many potentially fine instruments out there, but that's the reality.<br><br>Buying a piano has never been a good "investment", not monetarily. Well, except maybe when the
rate of inflation hits 20 percent.
At least then it makes it seem like one. Once you drive them off the lot...<br><br>David Love<br>www.davidlovepianos.com<br>(sent from bb)<br><br>-----Original Message-----<br>From: "Joseph Garrett" <<a rel="nofollow">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>><br>Sender: <a rel="nofollow">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a><br>Date: Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:22:40 <br>To: pianotech<<a rel="nofollow">pianotech@ptg.org</a>><br>Reply-To: <a rel="nofollow">joegarrett@earthlink.net</a>, <a rel="nofollow">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br>Subject: Re: [pianotech] NY Times article on pianos<br><br>David Love said: <br>"We may not like hearing it but fundamentally Fine is correct. It's pretty<br>hard to ask a customer to spend the
thousands it takes to restore an old<br>upright when they can buy a new Yamaha U1 for $7000." <br> <br> <br>David et al,<br>That's all fine and dandy, if money is the object. What does one get for<br>that $7k? Tonally? Not acceptable to me. Aesthetically?DEFINATELY NOT<br>acceptable to me! I guess it'd be o.k. if I don't mind HD particle board<br>and shiny black. The company is great in terms of customer satisfaction,<br>imo. They bend over backwards for us techs. All that is to their credit.<br>However, butt ugly musically and looks, just don't make it for me. Sorry.<br>I'm a rebuilder. I put those olde, mouse infested, family treasures back to<br>what they once were. My clients appreciate that and are willing to pay the<br>price. Ever since the "entry level" garbage hit the market we've<br>experienced lesser than stellar pianos, (I hesitate to even use the<br>word.<G>), that will not last half as long as
all those beautiful olde<br>uprights and
grands of the days gone by. Sad. It used to be that buying a<br>piano was a long term good investment.<br>Respectfully,<br>Joe<br><br><br>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<br>Captain of the Tool Police<br>Squares R I<br><br></td>
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