<!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 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>Comments below:</FONT></DIV> <DIV> <SPAN id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- <DIV>From: "Richard Brekne" <<A href="mailto:Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no">Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no</= A>></DIV> <DIV>To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>></DIV> <DIV>Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2003 5:17 PM</DIV> <DIV>Subject: Re: Moving Damper Guide Rails</DIV></DIV> <DIV><BR>> > > Given all that.... do you "put" the Steinway = name and decal back the way you<BR>> > > found it ? Not that I object to = basically totally re-designing the<BR>> > > instrument.... but = if you do.... how do you justify calling it a Steinway ?....<BR>> > > = It's easily as much a Trout by then eh ?<BR>> ><BR>> > I thought = we just went through all that a while back?<BR>> ><BR>> > A 1970 = Ford Mustang that has TRW 12:1 pistons, a stroked crank, a Wieand hi-rise = aluminum manifold, a Holley 850 cfm double pumper dual feed carburetor, Hooker = headers, Muncie wide ratio transmission, balanced driveshaft, 4.88 rear end = gears, etc., etc., etc. is still a Ford Mustang.<BR>> <BR>> Well, that might = be.... and it might not... depending on your viewpoint. What is a VW bus with a = Corvette engine then ? </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>A fast VW microbus!</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And what is it if you in addition pull out the stock front = suspension and put some other makes in ??</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>A funky VW microbus</FONT><BR>> <BR>> = We may have gone through all this in the past... but its a long way from resolved. I = have a big problem accepting an instrument that does not have a Steinway scale, = and does not employ a compression board as a Steinway myself. Thats not what = Steinways make, and such a piano will not represent the Steinway = sound.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>Well, I would always agree that a rebuilder = selling a piano that is modified from original should divulge changes, just as the = owner of the VW bus should indicate that the audible rumble at the rear of the = vehicle is a 400 h.p. 310 c.i. V8. However, I would still keep the metal VW = thingee in the front of it!</FONT><FONT = color=#000000> </FONT><BR> <BR>> > I think the only time we need consider a need for changing the name on a = rewhatevered object is if it goes into full-scale remanufacturing to a = set design and available at some level of large scale. Perhaps like the = Shelby Mustang. Obviously there is some grey area there. And yes, if one were = selling a significantly modified thingee, I feel it would be appropriate to tell = of the modifications - but if it had a manufacturers sticker on it before, I = think generally it is A-ok to put the sticker back.<BR>> <BR>> Like you = say... there is a grey area. What I dont understand about all this is the = hesitancy of some rebuilders to take full credit for their modifications.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>Have to agree with you here for sure. Why = would someone not want someone to be aware of their changes? Unless, I suppose, the = changes were made to cheapen the final outcome. But then that gets into a whole different ballgame (cheating folks).</FONT><BR><BR>> > Even Andre = Bolduc who says not to change a thing - doesn't he cut a curve into his = soundboard ribs? Gee wizz, isn't that kinda like playing God?<BR>> <BR>> I = dont know what Andre does or doesnt.... but I do know that just because a thing = looks like a Mustang.... or a Steinway.... at first glance.... doenst mean that = thats what the beast really is.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>For sure. And perhaps for the = better!</FONT><BR>> ><BR>> > IMHO, all this is much ado about nothing.<BR>> = ><BR>> > Terry Farrell<BR>> <BR>> NIMV</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>NIMV? Not in my view? Well, it seems from the = above, we agree on everything. Unless of course you think that if you change the = stringing scale of a Steinway and install a rib-crowned board, that you should not = put a Steinway decal on the fallboard.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>I see your point - it is not then a FACTORY = Steinway. Of course not. What about an 80 year old ALL ORIGINAL Steinway. Should = that have a S&S sticker on it? It is most certainly not as made in the factory = (inverted soundboard, cracked bridges, dull corroded strings, alligator = finish). I would dare say a nicely rebuilt Steinway with a modified stringing = scale would be closer to the factory job than an old worn out all original Steinway. = I think the sticker says what the piano started out to be and that is = it.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>I think if it has the major components of the = original piano - case, plate, etc. it gets the original sticker, but anyone = selling a modified piano should divulge the schedule of changes made.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT color=#008000>In every other area I can think of there is = no concern about modifying things. I used to goof around a bit with boats. If = someone told me they have a Sparkman & Stevens NY 32, the first thing I would be = curious about is all the changes/modifications the boat has had over the years - = not to decide whether it is still a Sparkman & Stevens NY 32, but just = because I know that unless someone was preserving it as a museum piece, it will = almost never be as originally constructed. In fact, different builders would = modify a designers plans a bit for a new owner during the initial building = process - then it would be a Sparkman & Stevens NY 32 with a ketch rig, or wheel = steering, or whatever, but it was still a NY 32!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><BR>> <BR>> RicB<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> --<BR>> Richard = Brekne<BR>> RPT, N.P.T.F.<BR>> UiB, Bergen, Norway<BR>> <A href="mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no">mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no</A><BR>&= gt; <A href="http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html">http://home.broad= park.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html</A><BR>> <BR>> <BR>> = _______________________________________________<BR>> pianotech list info: <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">http://www.ptg.org= /mailman/listinfo/pianotech</A></DIV></BODY></HTML>