<!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 5.50.4522.1800" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman" text=#000000 = bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>A few thoughts.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Pianos are much more like cars than they are = violins. Violins improve with age, pianos do not. A 1736 Guarneri or Stradivarius = are (violins) instruments that are not to be changed. It is generally = accepted that none finer has been produced since these instruments were created. = My understanding is that their construction is not fully understood. It is = wise to not alter these instruments. This is quite unlike pianos.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>The construction of Chevrolet Corvettes, and = Steinway or Bechstein or Mason & Hamlin pianos are well understood. Like cars, = and unlike violins, everything about pianos deteriorates with age. Parts = will need to be replaced as they age. As someone pointed out, we can make a = soundboard just like Steinway (compression crowned) - but why? When we know = how to make a better soundboard (radius crowned). My old Corvette used to = have TRW pistons, a Crane camshaft, a Wiand intake manifold, two Holley = carburetors, etc., etc. It was much nicer than any "All Chevrolet" Corvette - looked = better and was faster. It was faster than most other cars out of the factory, = but now it performs better than when new! Why use a string scale that was experimentally derived, when we can analyze it on the computer AND = experiment with it to produce an optimal scale? The list goes on and = on.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Also, one can look at what goes in to a = Steinway. Let's see now, what year(s) of manufacture should we look at? Do Steinways = have Steinway hammers? Gosh, I thought some had hammer manufactured by Abel, = by Renner. Does it have an all-Steinway action? Or is it a Renner action? = Hmmmmm Let's see what year it was built. Hey, where were these keys made = anyway? You need your action rebuild on your 1970 model B? Ok, let's call = Steinway and order action parts with Teflon bushings (right, get it, all original, = all Steinway!!!)! And what about this big gold-colored heavy thing? I = heard at one time Steinway made these. Who said this one was made in Springfield = Ohio? I thought Steinway was in NY! You mean a very major component of my = Steinway is made by another company? - The same one that makes plates for = .......well who else does Kelly make plates for? Janssen? Kimball? Wurlitzer? The heart = of a Steinway? Hmmmmmm - I'm just not going to feel the same about that old = Steinway anymore..........</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>You can make a piano out of most anything decent = - even a Steinway.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial>Terry Farrell</FONT> <SPAN id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </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=dporritt@post.cis.smu.edu href="mailto:dporritt@post.cis.smu.edu">David M. Porritt</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> Friday, June 01, 2001 = 12:22 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> It won't be a Steinway = anymore!</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I have been in this work for just under 30 years.  I've = heard about any question or comment possible by customers.  There's one = though, that completely stumps me!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>If a piano needs a new sounding board I often here "...but it = won't be a Steinway anymore."  I often come up with a lame analogy to a race = driver.  He doesn't care what kind of fuel pump his car has as = long as it's the fastest it can be.  Do you want your piano to be the = best it can be, or do you want to keep this old sounding board.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Does anyone have a good, but not glib, answer for these = people?  I just don't understand their thinking.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>dave</DIV><BR> <META content='"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=GENERATOR> <DIV> <HR> <FONT size=3>David M. <FONT face="Times New Roman" color=#000000>Porritt</FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3><A = href="mailto:dporritt@swbell.net">dporritt@swbell.net</A></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Meadows School of the Arts</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Southern Methodist University</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Dallas, TX 75275</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3> <HR> </FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>