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Hello, When did Steinway start using high gloss finish fall boards on satin finish pianos. I saw a model D satin finish with a high gloss fall board. Sincerely, Steve

I was not aware they ever intentionally had a high gloss fallboard on a satin piano.Now Steinway does have what
I call a "lustre" finish which is somewhat of a semigloss sheen but still lacquer based. Now a high gloss polyester fallboard on a rubbed out satin piano, that I've never seen and who would want it. In that Steinway fallboards are not really readibly interchangeable I would say what you saw was a fluke. Maybe Steinway Bob could enlighten us. Was this a C&A piano, a showroom piano or in a garage studio.

Quite often high gloss concert pianos are made into matt finishes particularly on the lid because they often reflct unwanted light into the eyes of the orchestral musicians behind it. I have also seen pianos rubbed out for television purposes leaving the shiny fallboard because it's reflection of the fingers is good television.

Steinway Hamburg satin black have had gloss falls (the inside only) for decades. The satin black in the UK is more of a matt than a satin, i.e. it is poly based with a matt spray topcoat rather than the US type of rubbed satin. Looks nice when new, but after a while the matt areas which are touched or brushed against, such as the cheeks and parts of the music desk, become shiny resulting in a blotchy appearance.

Hello bigbird -
We started doing this early in 2010 -

Hello Bob,

Going off the current topic, could I ask you the following?

I heard somewhere that S&S new york is making some changes to the casework details of the standard grands. (Desk configuration?) This ,if so would be a great upgrade. As you know the music panel falls forward which with the top curve towards me always seems to look upside down The side tables have a quarter round cut out which puts the sides in front of the whole assembly Originally to accomodate candle holders? The biggest practical disadvantage with the NY V the Hamburg desk assembly is that the standard production only gives one angle of the panel. The hamburg having 3 and the newer i believe having 5 positions.

Could not the topstick of the NY be widened slightly to allow 2 short sticks. say one of about 4' and one 10 or 11".

All this could improve the practical possibilities especially when the piano is used in situations such as recording studios.

Thanks for listening to my ravings.

Great Christmas & new Year

John G

these are not ravings at all John! There are quite a few small changes that take place, over time - - some of which are being seen just now - -

I will send my manufacturing colleagues your comments about the topstick - -

thank you, and a very Merry Christmas to you as well!

Thank you very much. That's what I wanted to know. Thanks for getting back to me. Sincerely, Steve

Yes, my Steinway has a high gross fall board and I like it.