<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: medium; FONT-FAMILY: AGaramond Bold"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1522" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <P> <DIV>Jurgen said: " <DIV><FONT size=+0>With respect, I would offer a different opinion than Joe Garrett on a=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>few points:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Based on the many German pianos I have seen during my years working=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>there, I can say that while the heyday of German overdampers was=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>earlier, many were still made after the turn of the 20th century. =20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>There are some astounding overstrung overdampers made by Ibach and=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>others, but especially Bl=FCthner, that blow the socks off of just =</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>about=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>any contemporary upright you would compare them to, in terms of=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>scaling, tone, touch, and yes, even damping.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>The case is definitely a perfectly typical example of German styling=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>ca. 1900. I have a R=F6nisch with almost the exact piano case (though=20=</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>not an overdamper) in my shop. German piano of the pre-WW1 era came in=20=</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>essentially two stylings: black or walnut, with frames on the panels=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>and decorative matching veneer. There were also a smaller number of=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>mahogany pianos made, mainly for export to England. Almost always,=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>the finish was french polish, which gave real depth and glow to the=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>wood grain. The Germans liked to show off the fancy wood, while North=20=</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>American pianos of the day were most often covered with thick coats of=20=</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>colored varish, which obscured the grain and eventually turned into=20</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>alligator skin. Pity."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Jurgen,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>I stand corrected. I was going on my personal experience and not any difinitive information. Most German made Over-Damper Uprights are, IMO, great, in all aspects of construction, design, asthetics, etc. It is a unique sound, to which I like.<G> Learned something today. Thanks.</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV>Regards,</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)</DIV> <DIV>Captain, Tool Police</DIV> <DIV>Squares R I</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BODY></HTML>