[AT] OT - using pitchfork

[Larry D. Goss]

Yup.  The only modern piano I've run into that turned out to be a
disappointment all around is the big Bosendorfer. This is a concert
grand that is nearly 10 feet long.  It needs the extra length beyond the
standard 9-foot because of a half dozen extra notes stuck in at the
bottom end of the keyboard -- super bass notes that are darn near low
enough that you can sense the individual vibrations.  Unfortunately,
they come from the factory strung with wire in the treble section that
is too thick.  Therefore, to bring it up to pitch, you have to pull them
extra tight and they break very readily.

It's kind of like owning a Mercedes -- you feel really good about it and
enjoy it until you find out what at maintenance nightmare it is.
(Sorry, George, I'm not picking on you.  I owned a couple of Mercedes in
my lifetime.)  Kimball International bought them out around 20 years ago
and then divested themselves of the company several years later.  The
music department of one of the local universities felt really proud of
the fact that an alum gave them one of the monsters.  They quietly
traded it in a few years ago on either a standard Steinway or Yamaha.

At least it wasn't a Young Chang.  Those pianos have strange overtones
in the low bass that makes them difficult to tune.

Larry

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
DAVIESW739 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 07, 2006 12:16 AM
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Subject: Re: [AT] OT - using pitchfork

Larry I don't know if you ever saw and old Ludwig upright but its built
like 
a tank. The sound board is a master of heavy frame work. No wonder it  
sounded so good. I have heard some that were like playing a tin can in
the wind  and 
others that sounded like a great concert hall. I like the idea that all
one 
had to do was lightly touch a key and get the whole sound of the note
from 
Mom's old Ludwig.  
 
Walt  Davies
Cooper Hollow Farm
Monmouth, OR 97361
503 623-0460