<HTML xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40" xmlns:o == "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w == "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 == "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html;= charset=us-ascii"> <META content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"= name=Generator><o:SmartTagType name="PlaceType"= namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:Sm= artTagType><o:SmartTagType name="PlaceName"= namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:Sm= artTagType><o:SmartTagType name="country-region"= namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:Sm= artTagType><o:SmartTagType name="place"= namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:Sm= artTagType> <STYLE> st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) } </STYLE> <STYLE>  </STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY lang=EN-US vLink=purple link=blue>Sally, Thanks for= the email.  Could you tell us a bit more about the= hammers?   Wurzen AA felt?   Good to hear= they are using softer hammers. David= Ilvedson <DIV style="PADDING-RIGHT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px;= PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 3px solid;= PADDING-TOP: 5px"> <HR> Original message From: SallyPhillips= <SPHILLIPS54@DIRECWAY.COM> To:= <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG> Received: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 15:16:32= -0400 Subject: Bechstein Questions <DIV class=Section1> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Hi= folks,<o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">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> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I hope that= helps.  <o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial">Regards,<o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial"><o:p> </o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sally= Phillips<o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:= Arial">Director<o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">C. Bechstein= America<o:p></o:p> <SPAN= style="FONT-SIZE:= 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></DIV></DIV></BODY></HT= ML>