<!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 6.00.2800.1226" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>I bought a new Steinway some years ago. The = soundboard had a full 1/4-inch REVERSE crown. From both the dealer and from = several Steinway "technical" people in New York: "Does it sound OK". Well, I'm = not very experienced with piano sound evaluation, but it = seems OK. "There, you see, there is no problem at all". "Every Steinway is = unique."</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>This brings to mind a story that Franz Moor told = about a lady that bought a new Steinway grand. She was thrilled with her new sweet-sounding piano. Shortly afterward her technician told her = that there was a defect in the plate (don't remember exactly what it was) that = should not be there and would likely degrade the tone. She demanded an exchange. = She finally got it. After a while she complained to Steinway that the = replacement piano did not have the same tone character as the flawed one. So she = ended up getting a second replacement. After a while she was unhappy with that = piano - she wanted her original piano back - warts and all. Steinway told her = that the piano had already been sold and was not available. The lady was devastated.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>During the time she was trading out pianos, = someone in the basement of Steinway ran into Franz and told him of a superior piano = that had been returned. Franz was shown the piano and indeed found it to be = spectacular. Franz passed that information on to Vladamir Horowitz (sp?) who in turn = stopped in to give a look-see at the now-infamous piano. He was thrilled with it = and requested that Steinway sell it to him and he put it in his living room.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>So, let's see. What is the moral of this story? = If you have a 1/4-inch reverse crown Steinway soundboard, or a Baldwin = with "the most pronounced compression ridges I have ever seen in a one-year old = grand of alleged repute", or any one or more of a number of maladies that might = afflict a new piano - consider yourself LUCKY - it might actually be a one-of-a-kind gem - in fact, it probably is. Remember - "every piano is = unique". I wonder if they also get birth certificates?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: <</FONT><A href="mailto:bases-loaded@juno.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>bases-loaded@juno.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT face=Arial size=2>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 = 8:24 PM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: compression ridges in New = Baldwin grand</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT = face=Arial size=2>> Greetings -<BR>> <BR>> I serviced a one-year old = Baldwin "Artist Grand" - model 225E - today. <BR>> They got the two free = tunings from the dealer and trhought it time to<BR>> tune it again and "have me = look it over" (now that they've had it a<BR>> year!).  The touch was = incredibly light, but that is why they chose it,<BR>> so I made little = comment.  In fact, the piano was rather nice, all things<BR>> considered, except = that the soundboard had the most pronounced<BR>> compression ridges I have = ever seen in a one-year old grand of alleged<BR>> repute.  And they = occurred at virtually every edge joint.  Very<BR>> pronounced to the touch, = and highly visible at a casual glance.  <BR>> <BR>> My question = is this:  In the absence of any tonal problems, no cracks, no<BR>> = buzzes, no killer octave problems (yet), at what point do you consider<BR>> = this an issue that should be brought up with the dealer/manufacturer?  = I<BR>> am quite concerned that this soundboard is in an accelerated<BR>> = self-destruct mode, and hate to see the customer have to find that out<BR>> 3-4-5 = years down the road, but I can hear the dealer denying any problems<BR>> = with it as we speak.<BR>> <BR>> Any opinions?<BR>> <BR>> Mark = Potter<BR>> </FONT><A href="mailto:bases-loaded@juno.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>bases-loaded@juno.com</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial = size=2>>   <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> = pianotech list info: </FONT><A = href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives"><FONT face=Arial size=2>https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</FONT></A><BR><FON= T face=Arial size=2>> </FONT></BODY></HTML>