<!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><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000080 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=davidlovepianos@earthlink.net href="mailto:davidlovepianos@earthlink.net">David Love</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> November 17, 2002 6:57 = PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> When is a Steinway = still a Steinway</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Several questions arise considering recent = discussions about patent infringements, though this takes a slightly different = angle.  At what point do changes breach any tacit understandings/agreements about = what can be done to a piano and still call it that maker's piano?  = Does the technician have any legal or other obligation to adhere to the = designers intention, or commit any breach by making such changes?  What is = the responsibility to inform customers of such changes (say in a spec = situation with a piano for sale)?  Or any other considerations that I have = not mentioned, or though of.  These types of changes, I realize, are = made all the time.  What obligation do we have as technicians in such situations?  Any other thoughts on the subject would be appreciated.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>First, I can't think of any = operative patents by Steinway that are still in effect.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Second, this situation has existed = in the auto industry for, what?, close to a century now? People have long been = modifying automobiles and trucks to varying degrees while keeping the original manufacturers label on the front. In the late 1950s I put a bored out = and otherwise generally breathed-on Oldsmobile Rocket 88 V-8 engine in my = 1951 Chevrolet. You'd better believe I kept the Chevrolet name on it. Except = for the sound I didn't want anyone to know what was under the hood! (They found = out anyway when the rear end wouldn't absorb the stress of all that = additional power...)</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>They have also dealt with a variety = of after-market 'tuners' such as Callaway (Corvette), AMG (Mercedes), Dinan = (BMW), etc. For the most part manufactures have ended up working closely with = these tuners, helping them where they could and using them to enhance the = overall performance of their automobiles. The tuners are able to give a select = range of customers a level of performance unavailable from the = production factories. Working together with the factories these shops have raised the overall level of performance of several production = automobiles. So much so that occasionally a factory will buy the tuner (AMG by Mercedes, = for example) and make the tuner-enhanced automobile available as = a regular part of their line. </FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Third, I believe it is important to = inform people of what is going on inside their pianos. We go out of our way to = point out where we deviate from the original manufacturer's design and = construction. In part, because we're proud of what we do--we've worked hard to develop = the designs and techniques we use--but also because we believe the customer = always has a right to know. </FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>For a while we would do work both = ways. Sometimes at the customers request we would do fairly conventional = rebuilds. Eventually we stopped doing those and for some years now have done only = partial or full redesigns and modifications. The people bringing pianos here--be = they three years old or 103 years old--know what to expect. We make sure of it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT color=#000080>Del</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>