<HTML>In a message dated 6/20/02 8:02:10 PM Central Daylight Time, Tvak@AOL.COM writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Were they as terrible back then as they are now, or did they just degrade horribly over time?  Did they have false beats in every note in the top 3 octaves?  A tenor break you could hear down the block?  Bass bichords that can only approximate a unison?  Little or no sustain anywhere? Or were they acceptable pianos that just got worse (and worse) as time went by? </BLOCKQUOTE> Although these pianos were not made very well, they served the needs of America at the time. New homes were being built by the millions, and they were usually much smaller than before. So small pianos needed to be made to fit in those homes. Yes, they might not have been the best, but don't forget, if it weren't for all those spinets, most of us wouldn't have a job. It is what sustained the piano industry for a generation. Are the new pianos any better? As was the case back in the 50's, there were good pianos and there were no so good pianos. The new pianos from China and Indonesia, not to mention Russia, are in some instances much worse. But, they fill a need. We might not think they are much to work on, but customers are, for the most part, happy with them. They do not hear the false beats, the bad tenor/bass break, the sloppy action. The bottom line is that we have work to do. And for that, we should be grateful. And that is why we're getting together next week, to learn to work on these "instruments." See you guys next week. Wim </HTML>