Good to know about the pneumatics. I didn't have long to look under the Jansen bench, and haven't had any delivered yet to have a closer look. I recall that the underside was set 90 degrees to the usual, maybe to fit in the pneumatics. I do recall that it looked so much like a standard artist bench from 10 feet away that none of us noticed the difference. I did sit on it afterward to see how the up-and-down worked with the knob. I don't recall it being too stiff, but then I'm not 4-foot-nothing and 90 pounds, either, like some tiny women.
It will also be an expensive proposition. I think Jansen said $780, but the hall who is ordering one has their own account so I don't know the total. They intend, as any school would also do, to keep it separate and special, not mixed in with all the other benches in practice room or studio use.
Jansen also sells a petite adjustable bench which is less expensive than their standard, and CSU Long Beach was planning to buy a number to put in their electronic piano lab, where students were complaining about non-adjustable benches. I'm sure there are many good small bench choices, but they liked the quality of those.
I don't know whether one of the pneumatic Jansen benches might appear in Denver, especially if Kawai has any big pianos there for a concert or recital. If they do, be sure to check out the bench to see if it's one of the "hydraulics".
Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2015 17:19
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: hidrau benches
Hidrau is pneumatic, despite the name: two gas-filled cylinders, one inside each leg (two T-legs). I guess the Jansen one must work differently, must be working at an angle to some kind of mechanism, probably the same scissors type. Is that right? The Hidrau model allows them to work directly, and probably also makes them harder to press down - not for little kids or anorexics.
The best "Institutional Price" I found for the Hidrau was $550, with retail at about $700, pretty pricey. I guess the company is trying to get a better foot in the US market by selling directly to universities and conservatories, trying to make its product more familiar and accepted. At that premium price of $699, it is a bit steeper than almost anyone is willing to afford.
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Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
http://www.artoftuning.com
"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2015 14:19
From: Kathy Smith
Subject: hidrau benches
Hi, all,
This last season, I had two different artists request a hydraulic bench. The concert hall only has Jansen benches, and we rented a Hidrau from the local Yamaha/Bosendorfer dealer. The artist was pleased, and I started to research whether they should buy one, such as from Benchworld or direct, or whatever. The people in the hall didn't care for its looks, called it "industrial" but thought it might be good to own one.
Then we had a local PTG meeting with Don Mannino, and he had a Jansen bench in front of his Kawai. Imagine my surprise toward the end of the meeting to learn that it is also hydraulic. Don said they'd been in use exclusively with Kawai grands for about 4 years with no problems, and that the exclusive agreement might be ending soon. So this makes me think it isn't widely known yet, if Don wasn't sure. None of us knew, anyway.
I called Jansens and they do now sell it to the public, schools, halls and so on. My husband David (Vanderlip) immediately ordered one for his school, Pomona College. Jansen calls it their "pneumatic" bench; I didn't look at the works, and probably couldn't tell hydraulic cylinders from pneumatics, anyway. The bench looks just like the standard artist bench, with round adjustment "knobs" but the knob in this case doesn't turn in a circle, it just releases the pneumatic function and then is spring-loaded to return to its starting position. My concert halls ordered two also, preferring the fact that they look like what they're accustomed to, and can switch out legs easily.
I like the options available with the Jansen artist benches. You can order the pneumatic version with all their standard choices of color, top, finish, leg style, and leg length. Plus it's an American company, with no exchange rates or IRS involvement, if that helps anyone, especially in the college financial setting.
Concerning leg lengths, I really have enjoyed having benches of different heights to offer pianists both at schools and halls. The standard Jansen leg length of 14" gives a top height of 18-21", if I recall from my research several years ago. I also ordered a set of 12" legs (rarely requested) and 16" legs (more commonly requested) which would give a 20-23" height. The legs are all interchangeable and quick to switch out if needed. I think you can order any length leg you want on an artist bench order. Also, I don't think the pneumatic bench is in their catalog yet, but they readily offer it if asked.
The Hidrau benches are very nice. You might want to give Jansen a call when adding up all your options. They said supply might be slow for a while, due to the pneumatic cylinder supply they use. I think they are more expensive than the price Fred got, but way cheaper than the Hidrau benches I initially saw in Benchworld (when I stopped my research). We still might get a Hidrau for recording purposes; we'll see.
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Kathy Smith
Anaheim CA
714-904-5408
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2015 13:51
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: hidrau benches
Did you see the Hidrau bench in Pianomania? One of the pianists didn't want to use the Hidrau, was unfamiliar with it and seemed to think it wasn't professional (the Hidrau was obviously the default bench there, some hall in Vienna), so the tech had to go all over the building hunting one of the old-fashioned kind.
I'm looking forward to its use for recording. I had hoped to have them before a session with our head piano guy, who has complained bitterly about creaks and noises of the nearly brand new Jansen benches (they aren't at all bad, but they are not absolutely solid and lacking noise). But, alas, they didn't arrive in time.
------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
http://www.artoftuning.com
"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2015 13:01
From: Kent Swafford
Subject: hidrau benches
Thanks for the report. Here, there was initial resistance to the Hidrau benches. People said they looked like gym equipment. By now, however, they are accepted, and preferred by most.
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Kent Swafford
Lenexa KS
913-631-8227
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2015 12:07
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: hidrau benches
An update on ordering Hidrau benches direct from the factory. They are very nice to deal with, the export person has pretty good English, they have all the right forms (special IRS forms that will be required). Price was astoundingly low, $550 for two including shipping - it will vary with the Euro, and I hit a low, though that might go even lower with the Greece situation. It also varies a bit with number of units purchased.
The down side had mostly to do with my university's policies. Hidrau does not accept credit cards or payment via PayPal. They accept checks (and in dollars) or direct bank transfers. Fair enough. However, they also insist on payment in advance. It took three months, but with the aid of my department accountant, we finally managed to persuade central accounting and purchasing to make an exception.
Result: delivery this morning. Excellent product. Simple as pie to assemble (8 bolts, 4 of the allen, 4 phillips). They extend higher than standard. Low is maybe a fraction higher than standard. ZERO wobble or noise. I think people will be pleased, especially for recordings.
------------------------------
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
http://www.artoftuning.com
"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2015 12:34
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: hidrau benches
I received off list responses from a few people (thanks Alan, Kent and Steve!): the answer is that we can order directly, in lots of four, at a very favorable price based on exchange rate of the moment. Right now, it comes to under $350 per bench. Contact info:
Patrycja Piechota
Export department
Rabal de San Roc 70
46680 Algemesi- Valencia (SPAIN)
Phone 0034 96248 11 82
Fax 0034 962481306
www.hidraumodel.com
export@hidraumodel.com
skype: hidraumodel-export
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Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
http://www.artoftuning.com
"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-27-2015 10:37
From: Fred Sturm
Subject: hidrau benches
Anyone know who is carrying the Hidrau artist benches, and selling to the trade these days? Eric Johnson of PerArts no longer carries them, and everywhere else I have found seems to do retail $699. I don't see a convenient way (if there is any way at all) to order them direct from Hidrau, or find out from them who carries their product, other than using their contact form and asking them (which I will do if nobody knows).
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Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm@unm.edu
http://fredsturm.net
http://www.artoftuning.com
"We either make ourselves happy or miserable. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Casteneda
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