Piano Forum

Topic: Manufacturing, and then selling points - what's the deal ?  (Read 1528 times)

Offline m1469

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Here is something peculiar to me.  I assume that most instrument manufacturers know what kind of intstrument they are making.  They know what the "top-of-the-line" instruments are, and they know whether or not they are creating such an instrument.  But why then, does every company seem to sell or describe the instrument (in catalogues and such) as though it is made from the finest of materials and in the best ways ?

I realize, of course, that a salesperson would only wish to bring out what the attributes of the instrument are, but if they are purposely trying to manufacture an instrument that will be more affordable, why then use the selling tactic that this instrument is the best instrument one could buy ?

Every industry remarks on the materials used and the *way* it's manufactured ... but if it's not top-of-the-line, how is this a selling point ?  Maybe every manufacturer believes they are making the absolute *best* instrument in the world.  hehe... I want to make an instrument someday (it's another "dream" of mine)... along with a concert hall to boot.  And it will be the best in the world ;D.


m1469
"The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving"  ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Offline jolly

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Re: Manufacturing, and then selling points - what's the deal ?
Reply #1 on: April 19, 2006, 09:13:07 PM
Because most pianos are made from pretty good materials. What seperates the good from the great is execution, not ingredients.

Pretty nice little discussion about using Steingraber soundboard techniques on Chinese pianos here:

https://www.armleg.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=baa30bfae7a1037a67dd30fa1cc4d851
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Offline alzado

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Re: Manufacturing, and then selling points - what's the deal ?
Reply #2 on: April 28, 2006, 04:59:06 PM
Some of these "advertising points" make sense.  For example, extensive use of spruce, as in the soundboard, is a meaningful "plus."

For my piano, which is an offshore Baldwin called a "Howard," the advertising statements affirming that certain key components are "U.S. made Baldwin components"--  significant.  So some of the advertising claims impart real information. 

Part of the problem, such as Jolly explained, is in worksmanship.  How well are these materials used?

Larry Fine, in his several editions of the Piano Book, also points out the variation in individual pianos.  For pianos that seem to vary quite a bit from year to year of manufacture, you almost have to listen to individual pianos.  Some will sound very good, some will not.  This may reflect the amount of hand craftsmanship in piano production even today.

 

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