Stuart and Sons

[jamie_liszt]

A few weeks ago I went into the factory place where they make the Stuart and Sons piano's. I got a tour of the whole place by Wayne Stuart himself, met his wife, had a chat to him for about an hour and played some pieces for him. My friend and I were playing in the showroom concert hall where they keep their pianos (mucking around with heart and soul duet) and he started playing on a 3rd piano along with us.

OMG, great experience, lovely pianos.

[prongated]

A few weeks ago, I would testify to how horrible Stuart pianos are.

I recently performed on the one at the John Clancy Auditorium at UNSW, which I remembered was a shocking one to play on - tinny bass, non-existent top, no clarity, the list goes on. I walked in, expecting a piano struggling to keep up with the demands required by Dutilleux's sonata. Surprise surprise, it was dynamically strong enough, capable of being quite articulate, and the distinct sound that I usually find inferior was, on that day, a bonus. And I can play the F# in the bass of that last chord!!!

...a piano Australia can possibly be quite proud of.

[iumonito]

Have you played Ron Overs'?

[prongated]

Played the Ron Overs at the Sydney Conservatorium for a little bit of warming up purposes...seemed to have very very good, responsive action - at least much better in this respect than the Steinway D in that same hall!

What do you think of them?

[iumonito]

Overs I only know by listening to sound clips and looking at pictures and schematics.  They seems state of the art.

If I ever go to Australia I will have to go to Sidney and play the 280 and the 227s that are there.

[andyd]

Overs I only know by listening to sound clips and looking at pictures and schematics.  They seems state of the art.

Overs' piano has been described as a stencil Samick grand with an Overs make-over.
I've never played one so am unable to comment on the results.


Incidentally, Stuart has produced a demo CD to show off the tones of his pianos:
https://www.stuartandsons.com/index2.php
(skip the intro, click on 'the sound' and then at the bottom of the next page 'order demo CD')


Regards

Andy

[iumonito]

Hi Andy,

Just to clarify your comment.  Sammick, which makes a very wide range of products (mostly low end), provides (or at least used to provide) rims and plates to Ron Overs, made to Mr. Overs specs.  For example, Overs rims are made of rock maple, which as far as I know no Sammick product uses.

I think it would be rather unfair to imply that Overs pianos are no more than a modified Sammick.  Instead, I would say Overs gets some large components for its pianos from Sammick.  I find those two to be materially different situations.

Do you disagree?

[prongated]

Nonetheless, Samicks make quite decent pianos now...I quite like the sound of their NSG-series grands...possibly the most refined out of all Korean-made pianos.

[andyd]

iumonito,

Not at all, I have little knowledge of Overs.  I just wondered at the 'state of the art' comment, when I understood that much or even all of his work has been centred on other people's pianos.

Regarding Overs, where does he source his action?  It's not the first time I've seen a good opinion expressed about that.
Stuart uses an action made for him by Tokiwa.

jamie-liszt, are you going to buy a Stuart?


Regards

Andy

PS.  The felt of the abel hammers fitted to the renner action in my Bluthner comes from...Australia

[jamie_liszt]

I have always wondered how good the overs piano's are, they seem quite good, maybe one day I will play on one.

I don't think I have enough money nor the room the get a stuarts piano yet. Since I am only 18 living at home, maybe later in life.

[iumonito]

Not at all, I have little knowledge of Overs.  I just wondered at the 'state of the art' comment, when I understood that much or even all of his work has been centred on other people's pianos.

Regarding Overs, where does he source his action?

Ah, well, it's a tinkerers art.  My impression is that Ron has a keen interest in making individual components of the piano better.  Here is an example:

Piano actions have inherent friction.  Theoretically less friction will make a better action.  Ron designed an action (his own, I don't know who produces it for him if someone other than himself) that has less inherent friction than the typical Renner.

Go through details in the piano and you will find a little trove of those in the Overs pianos: ribs, string speaking lenghts, relative tensions, cross-over ranges, string termination points, soundboard rib shape.  I really like that the guy has no qualms about appreciating a design flaw in a fine piano, like a Bechstein or Steinway, and making a modification to the design that makes the piano be materially different, even if it requires making changes to the plate, hitch pins or other difficult stuff to change (let alone adding some mass here, different hammers there, a srping here, etc.)

In America I know of two shops that have a similar philosophy, on is Del Faindrach and the other is Pianocraft in Maryland near DC (Sam Powell, Keith Kerman and Shaun Tirrel, who love to hod-rod a piano).  I bought my piano from Pianocraft, pretty much one of a kind, and love it.  I wonder whether one day I will get myself a Bose and go to town with my guys and change in it all the things I don't like about Boses but keep the good bones those pianos have (although, why, you may ask, since I can just get myself a Steingraeber that comes out of the box fantastic).

[andyd]

Off topic, but as you mentioned Mr Fandrich, here's a thread regarding his 'tinkerings' with various models - look for the posts by Del and by puakenspieler:
https://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/19238.html


Anyway, I think there are probably small but possibly significant differences in the two approaches Stuart and Overs have brought to their piano building.


Regards

Andy

[krysia]

Slightly off track, but on the subject of Australian piano makers... Regarding Ron Overs pianos, and his 'state of the art' redesigned action: I have had the privilege playing Ron's instruments and also have him regulate and voice (and transform) my two Yamaha C6s. If you are looking for a piano with a truly brilliant action (silky smooth, responsive, with significantly reduced friction), and with a beautifully balanced, rounded, infinitely variable tonal quality - I believe you couldn't do better than an Overs. I've played all the most 'famous' brands (and sizes): Steinway, Yamaha, Schimmel, Kawai, Bosendorfer etc. I own two Yamahas.  If I had the funds to purchase an instrument 'of my dreams', it would be an Overs. I have never played a smoother, more reliable or responsive instrument. If you check Ron's website, there are some sample recordings well worth hearing.