I’ve seen some of the case changes coming through, and there’s only one that I REALLY hope they never change - the pedal box.
I work with both Hamburg and NY concert grands in “my” concert halls, and a simple adjustment inside the box (like tightening a screw) can take 40 minutes on a Hamburg, to remove and disassemble much of the whole lyre assembly, and 10 minutes or less to pull off the front plate on the NY. I have never seen any disadvantages posed by the simple assembly.
I sure hope someone is listening!
Kathy
Original Message------
I was there on Thursday but not the selection room. The rounded arms are in production. Don't know how long the last of the square arms will take to work through. The exterior changes are in response to the explosive growth of the export market for NY Steinways. Also it is a fruit of the decades long unification efforts between the two factories. As it stands now I've been told the NY Steinway will continue to be distinct in it's belly and it's action. So no crowned ribs and the accelerated action dowel stays. The factory is increasing production for the first time in a long time. The Spirio trapwork is unique to the Spirio instruments. The rims are marked as they come off the press Spirio or not. The Spirio pianos have a completely different keybed installed from the start. I've been told the belly mounted sostenuto is six months away for twenty years but now that it's on the Spirio; Who knows? As far as upgrades go I will say in all sincerity that I believe they are making the best pianos right now that they've made in a hundred years or so. I've been fortunate that for the last 29 years I've never stopped working on the new pianos from the factory both large and small. I know the factory's failings better than most but I've also been witness to the steady progress through the years due in large part to the dogged efforts of people who's names you will never know.
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Karl Roeder
Pompano Beach FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 01-27-2019 18:41
From: Dennis Johnson
Subject: Upgrades at NY Steinway?
Hi Martin-
I was at the NY selection room recently, the week after Thanksgiving, and at that time they were in process of changing the cheek profile but not done yet. The prepped pianos we saw did not have a belly mounted sostenuto rail, but I'm told that will be coming very soon. I would like to hear more details about necessary framework changes in keybed and trapwork on all pianos to accommodate the new Spirio system.
regards,
Dennis.
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Dennis Johnson, R.P.T.
Piano Technician
Music Dept.
St. Olaf College
Original Message------
Interested to hear if any techs. have been to the selection room at the NY Steinway factory very recently, I hear there have been small changes in '"fit and finish" cabinetry possibly more akin to Hamburg B's and D's, curious if they will or have yet adopted Hamburg belly rail mounted sostenuto. If you have been there on clients or schools behalf what choices were there in the number of pianos available?, I hear that the "newer" styled cabinetry models have been selling and being selected over the traditional cabinets but not sure if it was this alone that was the determining factor.
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Martin Snow
Boston MA
617-543-1030
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