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Hello everyone -
After reading this forum for a very long time, I have finally taken the plunge - and have now become a member. I know a few of you, and hope to get to know a quite a few more. I look forward to participating as appropriate.

By means of introduction, allow me to make just a couple of comments about myself. First, I have worked for Steinway & Sons for over 25 years. Second, I will not get involved in discussions centered on putting down another manufacturer's product. Third, I'll do my best to address Steinway / Boston / Essex related issues and questions as factually as I can. Finally, I have witnessed a great deal of what appears to be "anti-Steinway" sentiment - so I've put my armour on! Please know that I do not care for cool-aide of any flavor - as some here who know me will confirm.

One more thing - I want to personally thank all of you who took the time to put down so many kind words regarding Henry Z. Steinway. I consider it a wonderful privilege to have known him - and to have been named by him as a friend.

I thank you all for the opportunity of participating in these discussions, and for being part of this group.

Welcome to the forum, Bob! I think dealers of ALL brands have to have a thick skin to hang out around here, but I learn a lot from them so I hope you will persevere.

Hi Bob,
Welcome! I am new to this forum as well and I really enjoy it.
It is my dream to own a Steinway someday.

Hi Bob:

Welcome to the forums!

You'll find it a lively place.

Are you replacing piano*madam?

I still love my Steinway. Now that I'm a full-time student again I've found it doubles as a chick magnet.

Hello Bob,

Welcome to the family.

Quite some time ago I read one of your contributions to a Google forum where you were involved in a discussion about the origin of the Boston piano design. I used your statements here in a similare discussion on this forum.

If I may I would like to put you at work straight away.

How would you position (to a potential customer) the new Essex grand piano line to the Boston grand line.

Overall one may have the impression from reading Steinway advertising or video spots the Essex line is a bit positioned in the 'home decoration corner' with lots of cabinet finishing choices and perhaps also more suitable for the jazz pianist or popular music fanatic.

Recently I had the opportunity to very briefly play a few Essexes next to a Boston 163 and 178.
My impression was that e.g. the Essex 173 and 183 were serious contenders.

How would you describe, Essex compared to Boston:

* The touch/action, i.e. in what way do the action mechanism differ?
* Tone

Could the Essex line become a serious in-house competitor for the Bostons?

schwammerl.

Welcome!

Good to see Steinway "officially" represented here.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for joining, and for the humble introduction. Feel free to post your experiences in the "Henry Z." post at the top of the forum if you want to share.

I really don't think this forum is as anti-Steinway as it may seem at first blush. Reading through my posts may seem to present an anti-Steinway tenor, but what I'm really objecting to is some of the marketing catch-phrases and putting down other makers by some who sell them (the occasionally snobbish sales pitch I've read and experienced more than once).

Thinking back on my favorite 4-5 pianos I've ever played (cost being no object), the reality is 3 of my favorites were Steinways: two really well-prepped NY D's and a Hamburg B.

We look forward to your contributions here.

Hi Bob! I'm just wondering if you happened to know Don Hall. He worked for Steinway for years. He was my stepfather. Unfortunately he passed away some years ago, but I thought I'd just check to see if you knew him.

Welcome to the forum, Bob!

There are actually quite a few Steinway fans who post here, as you can see in my thread," Steinway owners... ". So you won't be all alone.

As terminaldegree pointed out, most objection to Steinway on this forum stems from the overzealous marketing approach used by some Steinway dealers, and not the pianos themselves.

One or two dealers actually posted on here with this type of marketing rhetoric, and they were promptly tarred and feathered. But they reformed. Only one still posts occasionally that I know of.

I am a proud Steinway B owner myself; my dealer was GREAT, and they prepped the piano beautifully. I highly respect the many fine brands from Europe, but well-prepped NY Steinways (B or D)are my absolute favorite pianos for the same reasons I listed in my other thread. [edit] It's great to have an S&S rep contributing here!

Mr. Snyder,

Great to see/read you here.
I hope this will be a more pleasant place for Steinway as there has been no
real quality representation of Steinway products until now.

I look forward to your involvement.

Greetings Bob,

Welcome to the forum. It's good to have a well respected Steinway Rep posting his opinions and sharing his knowledge with us..

Cordially,

Bear

welcome Bob. There are many Steinway fans who own other pianos.

Hello Bob,

Welcome. It is good to have you onboard and to have a more direct voice for your company here.

I truly look forward to your input.

Hi Bob,

Thank you for joining, and for being upfront about who you are, and what company you represent. You get major points right away for honesty.

I know Kyle and Dana keep an eye on our web site, but choose not to participate. That makes you the brave one :-)

As others have already stated, I think you will find plenty of people here who like Steinway pianos, it's more a question of some of the marketing tactics.

I think there is still a lingering perception that Steinway is, how shall I say ... snobby?

Seriously though, thanks for joining, it's always helpful to have professional representation from the major players.

BTW Bob, you may find this thread interesting...
http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/23982.html


Now, about our next tour of the Steinway factory...

Best,

Frank B.

I don't know if you really need armor Bob. Facts will probably be the best antidote.

My own memories of Steinway threads gone awry are of PW members who imploded when their Steinway exuberance got overheated. I remember Berber and his beloved Boston rosettes, Madam and the square tail, Karen ABCDE and the Steinway investment portfolio, Prospero and the ravishing redhead, and Nashville Steinway's spontaneous combustion after only a few days on site. Then there was the "Doctors prefer Steinway" grenade. I think Madam launched that one too.

I honestly don't think there is a bias against Steinway pianos or Steinway sales professionals here. It isn't like any maker has the market cornered on shady sales tactics. My guess is that you'll have more trouble keeping some of your over-enthusiastic troops in line than you will fighting any battles.

I look forward to reading your posts and hope that you are treated fairly.

Hi Bob...
Welcome....
You'll enjoy.....

Geez, I cant believe I missed this thread. Must have been when I was away on business. Anyway, Welcome Bob, better late than never and there certainly has been allot of anti S&S bias. I hope there will be another PW S&S tour and we can meet and talk. Regards, Lee

Thank you Lee - and I'd be happy to arrange a factory tour for Piano World participants, if there was interest.

Best,
Bob S.

Bob, That would be great. I'm sure there would be interest if we start a new thread. I'd like to go ahead and start one. When would be a good time to do a tour? Would there be a minimum or maximum number of guests? Thanks, Lee

Let's start by finding out a few dates that would work out for the greatest number of people. We can then narrow it down, so as to accommodate the majority - if possible. I'd say we'd want at least six - with no upper limit. If there were more than fourteen or so, we'd probably do two separate, simultaneous tours - because it's important that all participants be able to hear what's being said.

But let's start by agreeing on a month (Nov or Dec), then choose a couple of alternative weeks, then end up with a day - or possibly two days - and I'll take it once a week has been determined.