<!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 6.00.2800.1264" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>I suspect much of these = marketing considerations and how the piano buying public perceives them is = directly related to the out-of-sight-out-of-mind phenomena. Folks can't see the = wonderful ABS action components - the salesperson can simply report a great = performing, technologically advanced action - cool, that's easy to swallow. But the soundboard panel can be seen by the shoppers - even though they can't = see that it is laminated (but they can SEE the panel - it is REAL), they will = hear it from "the other" brand's salesperson ("are you aware that brand "K" = sneaks those cheap laminated panels into their pianos - you know, like the ones used = in 1970s Winter spinets - our pianos have a solid spruce soundboard like the = concert grand pianos preferred by all the concert artists around the world & = bla, bla, bla..."). </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>I suspect that any mass-producer = of pianos will have an uphill battle successfully marketing a laminated = soundboard. However, the small quantity manufacturer (or remanufacturer) I suspect = can develop a niche that those few open & performance-minded piano = buyers will want to explore. I don't know what small quantity might = be - one to ten pianos per year, definitely yes - 200,000 per year, definitely no.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>I do know that the few = remanufacturing jobs I have secured are based solely on personal trust - even though I have = explained thoroughly the redesign work these pianos will be getting, I am well = aware that the clients basically have zero clue as to what I am talking about. I am = not using laminated panels at this point, but I have no doubt that with = these clients use of a laminated panel would be readily accepted. Their remanufacturing decisions are based 100% on their trust in me and zero = on any piano-design-related technical matter.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#800000>Terry Farrell</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE 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=donmannino@comcast.net = href="mailto:donmannino@comcast.net">Donald Mannino</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> Wednesday, February 04, = 2004 11:17 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Laminated = Soundboard Panels</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"><FONT = size=3><BR>True, but that should not be a sufficient reason alone not to use an alternative = method if it proves to be superior. If the argument you put against laminated = panels was to be adopted by Kawai, they would never have introduced their = ABS actions. I believe that the use ABS for action parts is an excellent = idea, which is superior to using wood, and that eventually this will be = fully accepted by the market. Let's not condemn a technology out of hand = without giving it proper scrutiny. If the market is biased against a good = idea, I believe we have a responsibility as professionals in our industry to = educate the sometimes idiotic-market we = serve.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Ron,<BR><BR>My message was not in the least amount meant to be an argument against laminated boards.  I am very much in favor of well designed laminated = boards, and I have seen and heard them done very well in a variety of piano sizes, = including large grand pianos.  I was simply stating my observations that = they have generally not done well in the marketplace because of the = stigma.  You are correct, fighting the battle to gain market acceptance for = laminated soundboards is very similar to the one fought with the ABS = parts.<BR><BR>Don Mannino</FONT> </BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>