[piscator]

fastcarfan,

Congratulations! I think your story is a great example. I tried several Boston pianos at a Steinway showroom and found them just wonderful. Of the medium grands on the floor that day, I thought the Boston sounded => than the Steinways. Sales hype doesn't make a piano sound pleasing, we just need to trust our ears.

When I traded in my 'barrelhouse' 1935 upright' the only piano brand I didn't want was Steinway. Nothing wrong with Steinway, but it wasn't my image of myself. I wanted an OLD piano, but not a prestigious piano. I really wanted my teacher's Baldwin, but she wasn't ready to give it up. I also loved a Chickering I'd found, but it needed parts that were difficult to come by.

In my search, I came upon a piano that spent 70 years in hotel service. The mahogany case was severely marred from decades of handling. It was not a pretty piano. I sat down to play and found the keyboard action was regulated perfectly. Opening the case, I discovered fairly new hammers. This piano had been well maintained, but was cosmetically very rough. That's how I ended up with a 1929 Steinway. I loved the piano, not the maker.

Choosing a piano, SOUND is the critical factor, but subjective factors are also important. I wanted a older piano with 'a tale to tell' -- it doesn't improve the timbre but it adds to my enjoyment in playing. I pay a price for that in highter maintenance. Other people may gain confidence from knowing a piano is new and that's perfectly legitimate.

BTW: I think you're absolutely right that owning an older Steinway (or Mason & Hamlin, Chickering, etc) is a bit like owning an older Porsche. They require some love and tweaking to get the best out of them. But playing one that you love is an awesome experience. The incredible tone of a particular 1930's Steinway 'Music Room Grand' that I played 20 years ago still rings in my head.

I don't want to blow that out of proportion, though. They DO make pianos just a well now as they did 'back in the day'. And, modern pianos benefit from all the tremendous advances in materials science, adhesives and coatings. They're tighter, less affected by humidity, sound-boards are stronger, etc. etc.

I don't entirely agree with your wife's piano tech. I've used 'non-factory' parts in my Steinway, but I wouldn't describe them as "cheap autozone". My tech and I decided on German hammer replacements because we were striving for a particular tone. I seem to recall that certain Asian hammers were more expensive. Also, the Steinway factory in Queens has a deserved reputation for being.... aaah.... what's the word?... a bit screwy? Getting parts is not always so straightforward.

I don't know this for certain, but I seriously doubt that any available parts would make your Steinway less desirable or 'turn it into a ricer' For one thing, there's just so few parts that have any likelihood of replacement -- felt hammers, felt dampers, maybe strings. Major overhauls requiring things like sound boards and pin blocks are pretty rare.

I've definitely met a few Steinway snobs who couldn't find middle C. Generally, I love them! They offer a nice treat for me to play while visiting! It's true though that many 'furniture buyers' neglect regular tuning. I'm guilty of that too, at times. It doesn't lead to a 'ricer' engine replacement though, there's no engine.

I enjoyed your comments! You made a great decision on the Boston. I always thought it was a real 'sleeper' -- a Steinway with a different label. Tone is subjective, but I felt they succeeded in acheiving a Steinway tone instead of adopting a Kawai/Yamaha tone. Enjoy it!

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