<!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 5.50.4134.600" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Actually, I'm not so sure a Yamaha takeover would be all that great = a solution. Either for Baldwin or for the piano industry as a whole. When take-overs of this sort occur a certain amount of homogenization of = design and manufacturing is inevitable. Clearly, Yamaha understands about things = like manufacturing quality and manufacturing consistency -- concepts rather = foreign to Baldwin of late. But, when at its best and most successful, Baldwin = was noted for its willingness to innovate and push the rather staid envelope of = piano design -- concepts rather foreign to Yamaha today. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>While I don't pretend to be fully aware of Baldwin's financial = situation I would still suggest that their situation is not necessarily as bleak as = has been portrayed by some on this list. It will not take all that much to turn themselves around with fresh, high-performance products that are once = again competitive in the marketplace. Some strong and enlightened management = and leadership along with a willingness to take a relatively small risk or = two. The rewards could be substantial.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Del</DIV> <DIV>Delwin D Fandrich<BR>Piano Designer & Builder<BR>Hoquiam, Washington  USA<BR>E.mail:  <A href="mailto:pianobuilders@olynet.com">pianobuilders@olynet.com</A><BR>= Web Site:  <A href="http://pianobuilders.olynet.com/">http://pianobuilders.olynet.com= /</A> <HR> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <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=rbrekne@broadpark.no = href="mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no">Richard Brekne</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> June 05, 2001 8:25 = AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Baldwin-No News, = Just Rumors</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>Yes... they just moved their Kings rook to Queens = Bishop 4. Given the games development up to now the boys at Steinway are = beggining to sweat again. I  understand there is some guy named Fisher or = something hiding out in Cananda they are ferverently trying to reach.... but of = course I dont really know... <P><A href="mailto:Billbrpt@AOL.COM">Billbrpt@AOL.COM</A> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE="CITE"><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=-1>List,</FONT></FONT> <P><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=-1>Just a rumor so = don't hold me to it.  I heard that Yamaha may be making some</FONT></FONT> = <BR><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=-1>moves to take over = Baldwin.  It wouldn't be a bad solution at all.</FONT></FONT> <P><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=-1>Bill Bremmer = RPT</FONT></FONT> <BR><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=-1>Madison, Wisconsin</FONT></FONT></P></BLOCKQUOTE> <P>-- <BR>Richard Brekne <BR>RPT, N.P.T.F. <BR>Bergen, Norway <BR><A href="mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no">mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no</A> = <BR>  </P></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>