<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Hi folks,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I can help answer your C. Bechstein questions.  C. Bechstein has rescaled almost every piano in their line in the last several years.  The new 192cm, 210cm, and 280cm grands now have a capo in the treble.  Only the 232 is still made with the agraffes all the way up.  The 232 however has a really nice sweet tone and does project very well.  The <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Bechstein</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Academy</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> line is the less expensive of the two lines.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I have asked dealers not to have voicing done on these pianos until I have the chance to speak to or work with their tech.  The hammers are not as hard as most German hammers and they respond very quickly to needling.  They have had all the preliminary needling done at the factory and need very little to make a change.  Also the fitting of the hammers to the strings is usually very good and even any slight needling to the crown will change that.  When I visit the Bechstein dealers I always schedule a lot of time with the techs to address any questions they might have regarding the regulation and voicing.   <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I just spent a week at the factory in Seifhennersdorf (<st1:place w:st="on">Saxony</st1:place>) and had a great time observing the manufacturing process as well as the incredible machinery.  We will have a new Bechstein <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> website up within the month and I will let you all know when that is ready.  I hope to have lots of pics from the factory on the site.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> If you have any technical questions you may email me and I will help.   Questions that involve the history of models might have to be answered by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Germany</st1:place></st1:country-region>.  I’m really only familiar with the current models and the few that I serviced over the years as a tech.  I know about older models but may have never seen one.  Just make sure that you have the serial number of the piano and I can get any information from the factory that you need.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I hope that helps.  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Regards,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Sally Phillips<o:p></o:p> Director<o:p></o:p> C. Bechstein America<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>