<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <HTML> <HEAD> <META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 = http-equiv=Content-Type> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=GENERATOR> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Hi List,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>The discussion of decals and = trademarks and patents and such has been interesting.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I have worked for a Steinway dealer = for several years.  Even though the S&S piano has the name recognition of = being the 'best', (agreeably arguable) they are not without room for improvement.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I sat down to the concert grand last = night before I left the store, and just played through from end to end in very = relaxed fashion, listening to whatever it had to say to me.  I didn't play = long before I was struck with a flood of thoughts.  This instrument has = been one of those that has a good sound in the bass, a fair sound in the tenor, = and as you go past about G above middle C, the tone gets weaker and weaker and = weaker until at the top, it's as dead as a doornail.  The artists are = continually crying "juice it up", but even with the heaviest of juicings, = and the most laborious of voicings, it's still dead, just tinnier.  We're = talking about a 5 year old 'D' here.  (With a flat board...) </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I've seen the work coming from = Steinway in N.Y.  Compared to many, it's still good.  But the overall = quality of the pianos that have been coming into the store in the last year or so = seems to be going down, not up.  There was a "Steinway Sale" a few = months back where they had 5 'B's sitting there, none of which had any tone = quality to speak of, but I wasn't allowed to say it.  "We're a _Steinway_ = dealer, and these are _Steinways_..."  My heart sinks a little bit = each time I think about it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I've seen some glimpses from time to = time of what Steinways CAN be.  It's a shame that S&S is stuck in the = groove of making pianos from a 'very good for a 1900 piano design' platform when I = really believe they could be better.  The world of piano technology has = been moving steadily forward, and to some degree, leaving some of the piano manufacturers behind, Steinway included.  I realize Steinway of = N.Y. has gotten burned a few times by bringing onboard new technology that they = weren't ready for, (Teflon bushings come to mind,) but there are some leaders in = our field who have improved action performance, improved sound quality, = improved string scales, improved soundboard designs, all to make an instrument = that is (in my opinion) a far superior instrument than what Steinway is = currently producing. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>My point is they could be so much = better.  And rather than pulling out the propaganda of "If every part of = your Steinway isn't a genuine Steinway part, then it's not really a = Steinway" , perhaps they would do well to embrace some of the new piano technology, = and endeavor to bring a better line of pianos into general production.  = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Personally, (and these are = opinions,) I don't like the Steinway 'Diaphragmized' boards.  I think they are too = weak in the treble end.  I don't like the rib scale.  It goes flat in the = treble end, and we end up with the 5 year old 'D' I was talking about. (tink, = tink, tink...) Their N.Y. action parts have improved some over the last few = years, but I wonder how many piano technicians would choose S&S action parts = over Renner for their own pianos? (When we do replace S&S genuine parts, = we normally use Hamburg parts when we can.)</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>I do hope the rebuilders and the 'thinkers' out = there who are working to make truly superior instruments will keep on working to = constantly make them better.  It's a sad day indeed when the general attitude = is "it's already as good as it gets."  Wasn't it sometime = back around the turn of the century that someone from the Patent Office said, = "Everything that can be invented has already been = invented."?  Now that's sad.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>A little more than $0.02</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Brian Trout</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>