<!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 6.00.2900.2627" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello List and Joe G who = said:</FONT></DIV> <DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>If most of the Manufacturers would = follow the lead of Kawai they would be able to cut costs and have parts that are = consistant >in size, virtually indestructable and action stability. As for my = original post, I was referring to Sound Boards! Because we do >not have = Slow/Olde growth Spuce available, Steinway's method of Sound Board Construction is = no longer viable. Hence, >crappy pianos, IMO. Their cavalier attitude = has always been a source of annoyance for many, including me!<G></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>>Having said that, there are still = some things that are viable, time tested to be excellent, even in todays market = place. IMO, >they just need to listen to us a bit more and quit with the "holier = than all" attitude.<G></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I agree, Joe. Maybe I am lucky in my = 1914 S&S "A" which has a completely crack free soundboard and, being from = Hamburg, the spruce may have come from the Black Forest. This is the piano I am going = to re-string. I am about to order a set of bass strings from Gregor of = "Hellerbass" (<A = href="http://www.hellerbass.com">www.hellerbass.com</A>)  in Germany who is offering me my first set to be ordered from him = at half price. The metals I shall use are Roslau "blue" label which I hold in = stock. I am NOT going to re-gild the frame as I like the look of what is = there now. I have the full set of keyboard felts from Andre - touch, balance as = well as front - all in Wurzen. Then I shall be looking to replace the hammer = assemblies with Andre's Wurzen-hung set. It may take a little while before I get to = that stage as it's my own piano and I shall take my time over = it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The model "D" I have been quoting in = the List has yet to confirm having the work done so I'm putting out "feelers" on the = List to see if there are any pit-falls I should be aware of in an 1890 Model "D" = full re-string.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards from that South Downs = Village</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michael G.(UK)</FONT></DIV></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=joegarrett@earthlink.net = href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joe Garrett</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk href="mailto:michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk">Michael Gamble</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, May 23, 2005 4:49 = PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Old = Steinways</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michael,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>If most of the Manufacturers would = follow the lead of Kawai they would be able to cut costs and have parts that are consistant in size, virtually indestructable and action stability. As = for my original post, I was referring to Sound Boards! Because we do not have = Slow/Olde growth Spuce available, Steinway's method of Sound Board Construction is no longer viable. Hence, crappy pianos, IMO. Their = cavalier attitude has always been a source of annoyance for many, including me!<G></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Having said that, there are still = some things that are viable, time tested to be excellent, even in todays market = place. IMO, they just need to listen to us a bit more and quit with the = "holier than all" attitude.<G></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards,</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk href="mailto:michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk">Michael Gamble</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=joegarrett@earthlink.net href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joe Garrett</A> ; <A title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, May 23, 2005 = 4:18 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Old = Steinways</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hello Joe and List</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Lindner did just that! And look = what happened to them! Yet the reason they became defunct was due to insufficient = R&D on the modern materials they used at that time. One = manufacturer in the UK (Bentley) started using plastic flanges - now, some 40 years on, = those flanges are breaking and due to the slot between the ears being so = narrow they are not easily replaced with standard wooden flanges. Now, of = course, we have the main action rails of extruded aluminum (and what a pain = they are to replace an action screw in so the threads don't cross!) plastic = buttons and jacks. And so it will go on I dare say.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Regards</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Michael G.(UK)</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- = </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=joegarrett@earthlink.net href="mailto:joegarrett@earthlink.net">Joe Garrett</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, May 22, 2005 = 11:31 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Old = Steinways</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ed said: "<FONT face="Times New = Roman" size=3>the <BR>really great pianos happened after they had = finished their learning curve."</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Ed,</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" = size=3>Pity, they need to continue their "learning curve", IMHO!!! An, at = least, join the modern world of existing materials/technology available.</FONT> <BR></DIV></FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Joe Garrett, R.P.T.<BR>Captain, = Tool Police<BR>Squares R I</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>