I'm considering a Steinway B purchase and may be doing so at their factory store. For those of you who don't know, the actual commitment to purchase and a hefty deposit is made beforehand. My question is, when a customer auditions various pianos at the factory and finds one that is very close, but would like to have it voiced a tad softer or brighter, and/or request a slight regulation adjustment, will they do say, an octave voicing and regulation for the customer right there on the spot before finalizing the selection? Or is it one of those take it or leave it and deal with it after you get it home?

Thanks.

Doug

I don't know the answer to your question but I can tell you that in my opinion, for the prices they charge for Steinways, they should do anything you ask.

I picked mine at the factory. They had 2 technicians who were available for exactly that purpose - to make adjustments in voicing/regulation as needed. They were very gracious and checked in with me in the selection room every hour or so to see if they could help with anything. I did find a few minor issues, but overall the pianos were prepped really well. I found that some were voiced brighter than others, and some actions felt heavier than others, so there was a good mix. BTW - I did not pay a deposit beforehand.

If you don't find a piano you love, do you get your money back? I auditioned numerous Steinways at a dealership when piano shopping years ago, but I did not love any of them. I would have had a real problem if I had paid a non-refundable deposit!

I'm sure that even I would be able to find a likable Steinway from their NY selection

The service you get there should be very high. But, I don't think there is much point tinkering with it there because you won't be playing it there permanently. It will sound different in your home, and action adjustments will likely get a little jumbled in the move.

Thank you for those responses. I agree that after some adjustment time, there will be a tuning, voicing and regulation in my home after delivery. I'm not worried about the deposit as this is a very long-standing, reputable dealer who will stand by the transaction. And I am very pleased to hear that they will be so accommodating with these requests. My point in having these adjustments before picking one out is to make reasonable sure I will be happy with the final overall results. As we all know, not all Steinways will sound & play the same! Therein lies the issue and I appreciate the replies, especially your experience, wg73! Thanks.

Doug

Doug,

Let us know how it turns out. I think many of us here are very interested in the details.

Dan

Thanks, Dan. It won't be for several weeks, but I will report back assuming I do this!

Doug

Doug:

It is NEVER unreasonable for a customer to expect a dealer to prepare a piano to their liking. That is called good customer service, and is one component of making a sale, or at least it is in our showroom.

I would add this: If you are noticing that nearly every piano you are trying is in need of adjustment, maybe you should check out some other brands with different approaches to sound. Have you tried any of the European pianos, like Bosendorfer, Bechstein, Sauter, Blüthner, Estonia or Sauter? You might find they won't need any drastic adjustments to meet your expectations... just a thought!

Yeah, or maybe even a Sauter.

Heh, heh.

Further to the comments by Russell Kassman, the OP might (not) want to read this:

http://www.georgekolasis.com/steinway.html

Kolasis isn't just spouting his own opinions, he also quotes Larry Fine.

G

Yes, I've actually read that article. A couple of comments:

1. Steinway has made a policy of sending new piano dealers in need of final voicing and regulation on purpose. Their rationale is that pianos used to be finished very similarly at the factory, but then customers would invariably ask for changes (we all do this, don't we?) in voicing and regulation. Their reasoning was that it would save time and money to NOT do the fine work at the factory, but have the technicians take care of that out in the field. This did two other things, it opened the door for the policy of using "Steinway certified techs only" and it created an opportunity for the company to expedite their deliveries.

I'm not saying this is a good thing, and I'm not saying this is all 100% true - - but I've heard this more than once. It is possible (likely?) that some of these "unfinished" pianos don't get the attention they require and the subsequent results are similar to what Mr. Kassman writes about? Maybe.

2. I've auditioned 5 different brands of large grands, and a few models within those brands. While the Steinway B's (and one A) I've tried all needed some voicing, and a little lightening of the action (a personal choice - not a defect) they all felt better, offered me more tone control, and gave me more confidence while playing them than any other pianos I tried. So, the concern about Steinway's pompous or otherwise "3rd place position" comments may not be unfounded by the author or others, I have not personally come into that. Maybe I'm not sophisticated or experienced enough of a piano connoisseur to detect these things, but then even if that's true - so what? In the end, the buyer is the one who needs to be satisfied. I enjoy arming myself with information, but I also am (barely) wise enough to be critical about judgements and their sources, too.

The decision-making process moves on!

Doug

While in Germany a while back I visited 3 local Steinway dealers.

I can assure everybody here this this type discussion does not take place over there.

You sit on a Steinway in a showroom - any showroom - and they are ALL to die for.

In fact most of the other brands you come across over there knock you off as well.

Even the Chinese I came across appeared a whole notch higher.

Never travel over there to select a piano.

You may never return......

Norbert

I didn't have that experience. I've played Hamburg Steinways in London, Munich and Zurich. Most were very bright as compared to NY, and the actions were inconsistent. I only found a few B's that had a very controllable action at ppp dynamic levels. The finishes were consistently very nice, though, if that's what you're into....

Most of the pianos I've seen in Europe were very good, though I did play one Boesendorfer 225 that was just horrendous.

I've never heard of any other Tier 1 or 2 piano using that rationale, even the ones that may require a lot of work from the dealer.

I think a better approach is to have pianos with different voicings available for a customer to try out. There is no reason why every Steinway has to be "finished very similarly at the factory" (or at the dealerhship). Once a piano is on a dealer's floor, expecially a very expensive one, it should be prepped quite well.

I couldn't agree more! This is just what I have heard. And I have also heard from others very recently that their time in the Steinway selection room was extremely rewarding and very satisfying. If I go through with this plan, then I'll know too!



Doug

You might as well. What's the worst that can happen? A nice visit to NYC?

I think you SHOULD go Doug. But then, do yourself a favor and run up the street to Faust Harrison and have a look at their Steinways. You just might find what you're looking for!

Don't know if they'd do it on the spot, but if your really serious and have already put a deposit down, demand that they do it and give them a few days. They should do anything you ask them to. You did them a favor.

I've always prided myself on being quite a bulls..t artist.

But I gotta hand it to 'em -- those guys are pros.

It's one thing for the factory to ship the piano to the dealer for final voicing.

And quite another for it to leave the factory requiring a transformation to unlock its potential.

Maybe they are waiting for them to be seasoned at their final destination?

Invariably, it saves factory costs at the factory by passing them on to the dealer. The labor of highly skilled technicians is the most expensive part of piano building. This is certainly a factor in why Steinway dealers feel more justified in keeping discounts small or negligible. Many Steinway dealers are very proactive in preparing their pianos. Some are not.

The idea that this method will expedite the company's deliveries is predicated upon delivering unfinished product.

An amazing number of their sales happen on the promise of the reputation and the potential of the piano. The responsibility for fulfilling that promise falls to the dealer and to the customer. When this is the case, the reputation of the dealer for technical excellence is what should be relied upon. Or you should not rely on promises, but wait for a completely satisfactory presentation of the instrument to be purchased. What a novel thought.