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<DIV><FONT size=2>A simple question, a simple answer...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Does a stupid teenager who lowers his =
$20,000 pick
up to the grown, buts the wrong wheels on it, chops the roof down, =
and
paints it to look like a clown car require
permission from Toyota? Nope. Will the warranty be =
voided? Probably. Can he fight it? Yes. Will he
win? Doubt it. Does he deserve to loose that right?
Yup.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Does a home owner who removes a wall and adds 800 =
Sq. Ft. onto
their house require permission from the home builder? Nope. =
Will
this void the warranty? Probably not. Why? The
modification requires approved structural engineering plans in =
order to
secure permits. A county inspector also must sign off that =
the work
was done correctly.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If a technician installs Able hammers on a Steinway =
at the
owner request does this void the warranty? Probably not. =
Why?
A qualified technician did the installation and the modification doesn't =
effect
the function of the action. On the other hand if the customer =
buys a
set of hammers off of e-bay, installs them himself, uses the wrong =
glue,
hasn't a clue about tail tapering, shaping and bore angle, and damages =
the
hammer shank bushings in the process, does this void the warranty? =
For the
action it probably does. Without regard to this if the sound board =
develops a crack six months later is Steinway still obligated to fix =
it?
Probably since the sound board is unrelated to the
hammers.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If the Steinway is 75 years old and is completely =
rebuilt with
Able hammers, Renner parts, Roslou strings, and a Bolduc sound board, is =
it
still a Steinway? Yup. Why? Well...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>1. The pianos built by S&S today are made =
of
different materials then they were yesterday. Rebuilding a =
Steinway with
new Steinway parts would not make it any closer to the way it was =
originally
then it would be with Renner parts. It would be greatly improved =
either
way.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>2. German Steinways use Rennor actions
already.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>3. Because Andre Bolduc builds his sound =
boards in his
shop and Steinway builds their sound boards in their shop is a Bolduc =
board any
less then a Steinway board? Well... they are both made of wood, =
they are
both glued together, they both have ribs. If it is installed =
correctly I'd
have to say that the Bolduc board would work just as good if not better =
then a
Steinway board. Just because a different technician installed it =
and used
a different table saw to cut the ribs, does this mean the piano is =
no
longer a Steinway?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If a dumb kid chooses to screw up his pick up it =
would
probably void the warranty. Why? Because the parts used were =
not
remotely designed for the vehicle. Is it still a Toyota? =
Well the
vehicle was physically as well as technically radically modified to
intentionally be "different". I'd have to say that it is now =
something
else. </FONT><FONT size=2>If a rebuilder uses Able hammers =
instead of
Steinway hammers is it still a Steinway? Yes. Why? =
Because
they are still hammers, designed to be installed in a piano, a piano =
just like a
Steinway. They will sound and voice differently, but NOT =
functioning
differently. They are still within the specified technical =
parameters of
having the same fit and function. Do you think Steinway likes the =
idea of
being subtly thought of by a customer that their hammers are inferior?
Probably. Oh well.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Rob Goodale, RPT</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Las Vegas, NV</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
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<DIV><FONT size=2>Several questions arise considering recent =
discussions about
patent infringements, though this takes a slightly different =
angle. At
what point do changes breach any tacit understandings/agreements about =
what
can be done to a piano and still call it that maker's piano? =
Does the
technician have any legal or other obligation to adhere to the =
designers
intention, or commit any breach by making such =
changes? </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>David Love</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>