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<DIV>Hi Kevin. Don Mannino, RPT, just wrote me on this very =
subject:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>Rim thicknesses vary in Kawai pianos =
according to the
design of the particular model. This would be true of Boston =
pianos as
well. The inner rims in these pianos are made from either Matoa or =
Callophyllum, both of which are Asian hardwoods with the density of hard =
maple
(Callophyllum is a little harder than Matoa).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>If you compare an RX-2 rim thickness to a =
Steinway L,
for instance, you will find that the total rim thickness is quite a bit =
more in
the Kawai. The inner rim alone is almost as thick as the entire L
rim. The outer rim in Kawai pianos (and other Kawai built pianos) =
is a
softer wood, and is not considered as important =
structurally.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So let's start rebuilding Yamys and Kawais. After all, Ron O. built =
his
first couple killer pianos out of Samicks.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Terry Farrell<BR></DIV>
<DIV> <SPAN id=__#Ath#SignaturePos__></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message -----
<DIV>From: "Kevin E. Ramsey" <<A
href="mailto:kevin.e.ramsey@cox.net">kevin.e.ramsey@cox.net</A>></DI=
V>
<DIV>To: "Pianotech" <<A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>></DIV>
<DIV>Sent: Saturday, February 22, 2003 7:26 PM</DIV>
<DIV>Subject: Re: Steinway bashing, cont.</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV> Ric, I have it on good authority that =
the
tech's doing factory work in NY are expected to get two and a half =
actions
regulated per day. No wonder they come to the dealerships needing a day =
and a
half to two day's worth of work. It's no problem for a tech who =
knows what
he's doing, but we sometimes do complain, a bit. =
<BR><BR>
Question; why do more Steinway's get rebuilt than any other piano? =
Perhaps
it's because they're so expensive that they can be looked on as an =
investment.
And why aren't there more people re-building, and I mean soundboards and =
all;
Yamaha's and Kawai's? Because most people would just go buy =
a new
one? I think Joe Garrett said once =
something about
the wood used in the rim made rebuilding one "less than desirable =
" Am I
right? <BR>Just some musings. <BR>Kevin E. Ramsey<BR> =
Well hey
there Gordon.... I will be the first to admit I have sort of a love / =
hate
affair with Petrof. I keep thinking what a downright beautifull =
instrument they
could make if they would just stop being sloppy in some key areas. =
<BR> But if you start looking closely you find all kinds of =
interesting
stuff....tho word has it they are improving and in general cleaning up =
their act
quite a bit these past couple years. <BR><BR> Actaully... it seems =
that
much of the criticism I hear directed at NY Steinways goes along the =
same
lines.... too much sloppyness. But I would have a hard time =
understanding they
could compare to some of the stuff I routinely see that has come off the =
Petrof
lines through the years. <BR><BR> RicB <BR></BODY></HTML>