Larry, fine?

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 18 Jul 2008, 21:38

Hang on a minute, I think Mr Fine might be just a tad unfair. I've been reading 'The Piano Book' and I reckon he gives Yamaha and Kawai a really raw deal. In particular I don't see how he can lump the whole of the Yamaha C series (which, let us remember, goes from C1 to CFIII) in the 3rd of 5 divisions of quality. He deigns to put the Yam S series in division 2, but remarks later on in the book that he's never actually played one.

He clearly loves the big German names, but is Bechstein REALLY so great? If so, how come they don't hold their value? And how come the RCM recently kitted themselves out with Kawais? And how many people do you know who have bought a new Bechstein or Bluthner smaller than 9ft? And he keeps banging on about Yam brightness, which, as we all know, can easily be voiced out the very minute after you've bought it.

Hmmmm.........

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 18 Jul 2008, 23:07

As the bean counters have such a big say in most institutions I would guess that pound notes ( or lack of them) have most to do with the selection of which piano is used. Even more so when you consider the quantity being purchased at any one time.

Openwood · Post by **Openwood** » 18 Jul 2008, 23:49

As the bean counters have such a big say

Eye spoze sew - ewe mae bee rite.

Post by **Barrie Heaton** » 19 Jul 2008, 14:03

Not read the book but is there advertisements in it

A lot of Americans think Baldwin pianos are wonderful me I hate them but that just me beauty is in the ear of the beholder

barrie

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 19 Jul 2008, 14:15

I wouldn't trust the bu**er. American tastes are so different from ours. As Barrie says, the Yanks seem to love Baldwins, but 95% of the examples I've seen I'd not give houseroom. I recently tuned a brand new one which was a horrendous piece of crap which was supposedly a "Gibson Guitars" limited edition (Gibson and Baldwin have common ownership) and I've never laughed so much at the action which was made of low grade splintery wood sprayed black ( presumably to make it look like Kawai ABS-Carbon?!) glued together with copious amounts of what looked like dried snot.

Also, the specifications of many pianos for the US market are different to the instruments sold in the UK.

mdw · Post by **mdw** » 19 Jul 2008, 18:37

I had to take a Baldwin Monarch in once as a PX to get a sale. To try and make it saleable I stuck new hammers on it which improved it a lot but it was still a pile of junk. So much so that I scrapped it in the end as I didnt want to sell it and be associated with it. LESSON LEARNED!!!!

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 19 Jul 2008, 18:46

Was it the Los Angeles Oympics where 80 Baldwin pianos played in unison [sic] in the opening ceremony? I thought I was on a bad trip...and I was only a baby tuner then...