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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mark.davidson@mindspring.com
href="mailto:mark.davidson@mindspring.com">Mark Davidson</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> June 04, 2003 3:54 =
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: heavy Steinway =
action</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Okay, let's give you guys some more =
information
(no don't have 88 SWs yet, just a little history).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>First, I am actually the customer, =
not a
technician. If I knew then what I know now would I buy this =
piano --
probably not. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So problem #1 is simply </FONT><FONT =
face=Arial
size=2>ignorance. Probably true for most customers. I, =
probably
like most people (piano techs excluded), </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>do not expect to have significant =
</FONT><FONT
face=Arial size=2>issues with such =
an instrument.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keep in mind that Steinway pianos are =
not bought
from the factory, they are bought from dealers. Some dealers are =
better
than others. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I had a choice of three L's locally, =
none of
which were prepped (we're talking ZERO prep aside from tuning). =
One
could not be played because it</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>still had the packing material in the =
keyboard
(they took it out while I was in the store). Shocked? Welcome to =
reality.</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Mark, et =
al.,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>No. I'm not =
at all
shocked. This is, sadly, the status quo for many piano dealers. The =
phenomena is
not at all restricted to the sellers of Steinway pianos.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>And this is =
why I
recommend that the prospective purchaser arrange to play any piano =
he/she is
planning to spend a goodly part of his/her life with for at least an =
hour or two
in the dealers facility before handing over any money. The piano should =
be tuned
and voiced. At least generally. It may need a bit more voicing after =
delivery
but the voice should be smooth, even and generally in the ballpark. The =
action
should be in good working condition and fully and finally regulated. =
Again, it
may need some touch-up regulation after being played for a few months =
but the
action should be comfortable to the artist before the piano arrives in =
his/her
home. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>If the =
dealer and his
technical staff cannot (or will not) make the piano perform to an =
acceptable
level in the showroom how are we to have any confidence that he can do =
this once
the piano is in our home?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>There are =
some obvious
exceptions. One would be the customer who is asking for something =
outside
of the norm. The dealer should not be expected to modify the piano prior =
to any
sale. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Nor should =
one expect the
same level of in-store prepwork on the "Weekend Special Grand Piano =
Sale! Prices
Starting At Just $4,995! Get The Brand New Heirloom Quality Grand of =
Your Dreams
Today! Free Tuning and Delivery!" But surely expecting a $30,000 to
$100,000+ piano to be in proper tune and voice and with a properly
regulated and balanced action should not be too much to ask. These are, =
after
all, supposed to be musical instruments. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>And the =
wheeler-dealer who
has wrangled every last dime of profit out of the deal should not expect =
the
same level of service as the buyer who is willing to pay a reasonable =
price to
the dealer in exchange for a reasonable level of service.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Yes, I know. =
It would also
help if the dealer didn't grossly inflate the marked prices to confuse =
everyone
who walked in the door. But one problem at a time. Many =
technicians, if
consulted, can offer advice on what any given piano should cost and thus =
help
the buyer wade through the B.S.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>All this is =
basic advice
we all, as technicians, should be giving our customers. And it is the =
level of
service every purchaser of a high-end piano should be insisting on =
before
purchasing something as personal and expensive as a Steinway (or =
whatever) grand
piano.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Let's face =
it, both the
manufacturer and the dealer stand to make a considerable profit from =
this
exchange. They should be expected to perform at least this minimal level =
of
pre-sale service. If the dealer is unable or unwilling to provide this =
service
to the prospective customer prior to the sale, why on earth should we =
expect
them to provide it after the check has cleared the bank?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080>Many dealers =
may well balk
at this. But if enough piano buyers end up going elsewhere, who knows, =
perhaps
even the most reluctant of them will get the picture.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" =
color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 face=Arial =
size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080
size=3>Del</FONT></DIV></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>