It is interesting. I have never heard of Weissbrod pianos. Perhaps they started making whole wheat and became Brodmann.

Steinberg was only one of several "Saechsische Klavierhersteller" [state of Saxony] all of which had excelled at their craft for very long time.

It is neat footage ... Imagine the Safety concerns TODAY ??? Things have changed tremendously.

That was my thought as I watched. From a resource management, environmental health and safety, and general working conditions point of view, it's a cram course in no-no's. The worker footage brings to mind Chaplin's satire Modern Times.

Also the pace of the workers was alarming. I suppose they could have sped up the film to show German efficiency, but the white coats and grey suits in the same frames move slowly, so I don't know.

Anyway, not a good promo for meticulous craftsmanship, more like a high-volume production plant under pressure. So don't worry about self-promotion unless you were one of the white coats.

Many companies have long histories but often it doesn't really apply to modern times.


In this context I would like to see a similar documentation by those big oriental pianos who often claim having an active piano making history for over 100 years.

Wondering what their production methods looked like then, their factories of production, their speed and care of production then and of course - ahem - their "factory coats".

Norbet,

I think you probably know that Yamaha piano production didn't really get going on a significant scale until after WW2 when Yamaha sold stock for the first time and opened the Yamaha Music Schools that ultimately became their own best customers. As my wife's great uncle explained it to me...when Japan was defeated in WW2 and people realized that their emperor was a human being and not a divine being, the whole of Japanese society decided that they needed to become responsible for their own destiny and that they should learn from those who defeated them.

So yeah, the early history of Yamaha is probably less impressive than Steinberg's if that's what you're hinting, and if Yamaha has any factory footage in the vault from the 1920's, they don't share it. In terms of what the pianos looked like, this may help a little.

http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/piano/histry/content/content01.html

You'll notice there is no 'coat' among the photos. BTW, I wasn't making fun of the important role of assembly line inspectors. It's just that in Larry's link what with the laborers working at breakneck speed, the 'coats' look more like sweatshop overseers.

Larry,

Do you happen to know Steinberg's peak production years? (An awful lot of lumber stacked at the mill in the clip)

Do you happen to know Steinberg's peak production years? (An awful lot of lumber stacked at the mill in the clip)

OK, this is compressed a bit and should run more smoothly. PaintedPostDave ... let me know if it runs more smoothly for you.

Larry

I let it run again and checked intermittently. The image seemed cleaner. I don't know if it was smoother. That wasn't a problem when I watched it. Next you should go for 3D and THX.

It's an interesting clip, but as a Steinberg promo on your own website, I'd edit out everything up to the footage that shows actual piano production...save maybe a still of the map that shows Eisenberg's location.

The intro is too long and generic to sustain interest and the workplace footage at the mill is too ghastly from a health and safety perspective to be effective stimulating interest in pianos. Just one opinion of course.

Hats off to them!