<font color='navy' size='2' face='Comic Sans MS, sans-serif'><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> With all due respect Elwood</font> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> The Baldwin and the Wurly were victims of the </font><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">changing</font><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> times and there own poor quality control and certainly not what we said about them. Since when do manufacturers give a hoot as to what we think when it come to R&D or such things.? Frankly...you give us too much credit. </font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> Perhaps you didn't read my entire post. I'm a fair minded but straight to the point guy. I give credit where it is due. Both negative and positive.  I have supported many diligent effort by folks trying to make a better  piano/product or protocol on this list perhaps you,v'e noticed?</font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> Long live Steinway but don't drink the kool-aid lest it blind you to real issues;..FWIW  anyone who wants to lead their business parade waving the Steinway company banner by being  loyal Steinway groupies will usually not get the same loyalty in return when the time comes. I know more than a few guys who've been stung. Mama bear protects her den. Be careful  there.</font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> Thanks for undated report on the 1098s. Thats all good information to digest.  I hope I see the new improved version.</font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2">To be clear what got me started was the marketing video bashing other makers action parts and </font><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; ">insulting </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; ">technicians rebuilding Steinways privately.  Talk about negative. Seriously?</span></div> <div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; ">Regards</span></div> <div><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; ">Dale</span></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2">  </font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> </font></div> <div><font color="#000080" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif" size="2"> <br> </font><br> <div style="color: navy; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; clear: both; "><font size="1" color="royalblue"><b><font face="Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, Serif"><font color="black"><font color="mediumblue" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">Dale Erwin R.P.T.<br> <font color="green">Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.</font><br> </font></font></font></b></font><font color="darkgreen"><span style="font-style: italic;"><b><font size="1"><font size="1" color="black"><font color="blueviolet"><font color="black"> <font color="black" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">Mason & Hamlin</font><font face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">/Steinway/</font><font color="black" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">U.S. pianos</font><font face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif"><br> </font></font></font></font><font size="1" color="cornflowerblue" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">www.Erwinspiano.com</font><font size="1"><br> </font><font size="1" color="crimson" face="Comic Sans MS, sans-serif">Phone: 209-577-8397</font><br> <font color="darkgreen"></font></font></b></span></font><tt><tt><font color="darkgreen"><br>  </font><br>   <font size="2"></font></tt></tt><br> <br> </div> <br> <br> <div style="color: black; font-family: arial, helvetica; font-size: 10pt; ">-----Original Message-----<br> From: Elwood Doss <edoss@utm.edu><br> To: 'pianotech@ptg.org' <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Mon, Oct 22, 2012 10:12 am<br> Subject: Re: [pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_7891a39c-2e86-492c-826d-a753114f677b"> <div class="WordSection1"> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Well, we’ve dissed Worleys and Baldwins until they are now made off shore.  It’s Steinway’s turn to be dissed, I guess!  Wrong stringing scale, overblown advertising, who gives a plug nickel?  We purchased 28 Model 45’s (1098s) last year and I am very much impressed with them:  1.  Front rail and balance rail punchings same as Steinway grands; 2.  True sostenuto pedal – first I’ve seen in an upright (I know there are others; go ahead, tell me about it) – which means that our piano majors can play the music using the same pedal techniques as when they are playing the grands; 3.  Hammer rest rail adjusts with capstans, rather than having to glue additional felt under them to adjust the hammer blow distance; 4.  Action posts are in the front of the action rather than the back so replacing the action is the easiest I’ve seen;  5.  When removing the action the pedal rods stay in place because they are supported (like many of the old turn-of-the-century uprights);  6.  The fallboard and cheek blocks are removed in one piece just like the grands.  7.  Don’t know whether this is good or bad, but they use the same letoff regulating screws as the grands (jack screws).  I’m sure there are others but they just don’t come to mind.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">There is a design problem or two that I wish were different, but I choose to be positive about the pianos and I’m impressed with them.  Gee, I feel so much better!</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Joy!</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Elwood</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Rev. Elwood Doss, Jr., M. Mus. Ed., RPT</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Piano Technician/Technical Director</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Department of Music</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">355 Clement Hall</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">University of Tennessee at Martin</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Martin, TN 38237</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Office: 731/881-1852</span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Fax: 731/881-7415</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:">Cell: 731/479-4043</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"> </span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"> Dale Erwin [<a href="mailto:erwinspiano@aol.com?">mailto:erwinspiano@aol.com</a>] <br> <b>Sent:</b> Sunday, October 21, 2012 1:57 PM<br> <b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a><br> <b>Subject:</b> Re: [pianotech] who pays--A perspective On Steinway marketing</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal"> </div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:">comments below</span></div> <div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:">Dale Erwin R.P.T.<br> </span></b><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:">Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.</span></b><b><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"><br> </span></b><b><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:">Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos<br> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.Erwinspiano.com">www.Erwinspiano.com</a></span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"><br> </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:">Phone: 209-577-8397</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"><br> </span></i></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"><br> <tt> </tt></span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"></span></div> </div> <div> <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_3e36d956-a9aa-4344-addf-8d3fde3a46f9"> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="color:black">Which incredible amounts of money are those, Dale? Here in the land of </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="color:black">300,000 people, depressed aircraft industry driven, that ain't </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="color:black">happening. You folks within an hours drive of 4 million people will </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="color:black">never get that one - ever.</span></tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> That comment was primarily I hope for the long ears listening from ........</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> But...Over a lifetime of repairing these pianos, it adds up. And you are correct the geographic/demographic</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">  difference is huge. I'm 100 miles from 4 plus million folks in the bay area and 300 miles from 12 million in L.A</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">a</span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">nd the pianos come from farther away. </span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"></span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">> They have provided us with a very special opportunity to develop our</span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">> own research and design capabilities & in all sincerity...I am</span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">> grateful for this.</span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">Bullshit. </span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">Ok, whatever and make money at it? </span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">There are plenty of other pianos with the same problems.</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> And no one pays us to repair them although we are rebuilding a schiller upright from Vegas and some Masons >From San Diego</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> </span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> It's </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">just the public's and technicians snob attitude connecting to Steinway's </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">snob attitude that makes Steinway the most improved make.</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> . It is what it is. The name draws money. Money gives opportunity. Hey... I didn't make the rules.</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">  Are you saying I'm a snob? If so Then you don't know me.</span></tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"><br> <br> <tt><span style="font-family:"></span></tt></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">> You      dislike their behavior</span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">> toward you and you dislike them but, they feed you anyway.</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">I dislike their attitude toward me/us not them personally.  We're saying the same thing.</span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"></span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">Wrong. I don't dislike them, but rather their attitude that a </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">demonstrably deficient series of design decisions make the best piano in </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">the world. And they sure as hell aren't feeding me.</span></tt><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"> </span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:">Understood-Dale</span></tt><span style="color:navy"></span></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy"> </span></tt></pre> <pre style="background:white"><tt><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:navy">Ron N</span></tt></pre> </div> </div> </div> </div>  </div> </div> </font>