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This was not an attempt to get anyone to like the legs or the piano design. It was only an explanation on how the legs and design were chosen; the legs were not the first choice of Steinway, but the designer’s; and that choice was discussed.

I do agree of course there are a number of high end pianos which use really weird modern designs. I have never seen some of those glass or fiberglass pianos in real life however.I have seen a very modern Fazioli in real which my husband thought was incredible. For myself I could see it was beautlly designed but not my style.( not that I could ever own such an instrument anyway)
The one Sauter (Maly )grand (I think its the the Avant grand )
is not for me , even if I could afford it ,which I cannot) Among the uprights I never liked the look of any of the Sauter Maly uprights including the Atres. However when I saw the piano in real life I was quite stunned how beautiful an example of Art Deco it was.So I realized that there were probably more of the Maly uprights which look dreadful in a picture but in real life actually look OK if not wonderful looking.

So we are only looking at a picture of this Steinway piano at the moment ,so it is probably not as rough looking as it looks in the picture. Still I do not think I could live with those legs. I guess there is no ethical problem by using African art.
I suppose I just cannot connect such art ( like many) to a grand piano. (perhaps it does not go with the music we play) I suppose there is a connection between a Marimba and a piano though ,and some African art and statues from places like Benin in Central Africa become very valuable objects in the West.

Usually art from Africa and perhaps even Aboriginal art serve very strong social functions in those tribal communities and is
closely tied to the culture in those communities.
In the West we tend to put art in a museum where it is contemplated. Sometimes it ends up in our homes where it is
treasured.
But no there is nothing wrong with using such art I suppose unless we steal someone's images or designs. I know in Canada some of the Aboriginal people are extremely worried
that thier artistic designs may end up in some curio shop.
One would really have to study what is ethical and what is not.

I'll bet Eddie Van Halen's guitars will start to fetch some crazy prices (assuming they hit the market at some point).

Retsacnal- you’re absolutely right again. Although Im not exactly sure if any of Eddie’s guitars got the same wear and tear and look nearly as trashed as Stevie Ray’s endured. Eddie Van Halen designed guitars and a few years back you could buy a special Eddie Van Halen designed guitar from one of the big guitar makers, significantly less expensive than Steinway’s Lenny Kravitz’s designed Steinway piano.
Well, if nothing else, those people that can drop a 1/2 mil on that piano, much of the money is sent to Harlem Music Programs so that’s good.

Now on collector car auctions they have certain cars that all the proceeds go to a charity, so the bidding is typically higher than the vehicle would normally bring and the buyer can claim the extra money they’re paying as a donation to charity on the fed and state income taxes.

Of course since I’m retired and have never been wealthy I can only be an awed and incredulous at prices of instruments and vehicles that are sold at televised auctions or special pianos designed and signed by musical artists. Oh well. I’m blessed and comfortable at this stage of my life and I have the blue collar answer to a Steinway Hamburg so Im quite satisfied with what I have.

And please don’t rake me over the coals for my comparison of Estonia pianos to Steinway. It’s meant merely as a cool thought. Nothing else.

J&J
You make it sound as though its a sin to compare any piano to
Steinways. I do believe those days are gone !

I notice you edited my comment and removed the part where I said I wished that Steinway could find a way to be as “economically diverse” so they could actually cater to those underrepresented segments of society, kinda changes the entire tone of my post. I wonder why you chose not to quote me in full? Instead of refuting anything I posted you decided instead to selectively edit my reply and toss in some nonsense about “value judgements” when passing judgement on me seems to be exactly what YOU’RE doing with your reply.

Well it’s probably a sin by the Steinway crowd and the Estonia Gang but that’s my answer when non piano folks ask me about the piano. My friend described her big Petrof as a poor man’s Steinway so Im just changing the comparison a bit.

Forum members can be extremely sensitive about comparisons about their pianos so I have to be rather careful with off the cuff banter.

I didn’t address it because it made even less sense to me. Steinway does offer other lines of pianos that are more economical. No brand (not just pianos) that strives to project being up market can place themselves downmarket. A Porsche costs what it costs. They won’t soon offer a 20,000 dollar vehicle. You can find some great pre-owned ones closer to reasonable prices.

I may be missing something.

Forgive me if I've missed this part...

...but is Lenny Kravitz going to get one of these for his own home?

If not, why not?

He designed it but there is no mention of whether he is getting one.
He is donating his proceeds to a Harlem Music Club

I’m sure Steinway will put out a big announcement later

Well it is just that quite a few choices exist when one wants to spend that kind of money. Steinway , Fazioli , Estonia, Forster, Sauter, Schimmel, Mason and Hamlin, Bosendoffer, Bechstein , Bluthner, including quite a few more are all possibly alternatives. Not that I want to down play Steinway. Sometimes one finds a high end piano one loves, sometimes one is disappointed in in a piano one tries including a Steinway .Individual piano's differ from each other even though we like a certain brand.
So yes I think it's really OK to try a Petrof and a Steinway in the same dealer, or to compare both.
I know forum members may be sensitive about comparisons of brands , I do not think we should feel
inhibited though. (within reason and perhaps even without) One should free !

I quit following the guitar biz years ago, but I'm pretty sure EVH had a number of endorsement deals and perhaps even ventured into producing them at some point, or licensed his name or something... ???

He had a huge influence on guitar making. In fact, for years my go-to guitar was a Strat-styled Kramer with humbucker and Floyd Rose tremolo, just like his. Mine was just a white body with black pick guard, but I think they were even selling clones of his (red w/black and white stripes and no pick guard).

(of course, I didn't play quite as well as he did...)

But for the potentially insanely high auction prices I was thinking more along the lines of his actual original Frankenstrat. I'm sure it's as well worn as SVR's guitar and every bit as valuable (if not more).

Guess it makes about as much sense to you as your selective editing of my comment made to me.

For me, the thing that’s special about a guitar is the power and artistry SRV or EVH or Carlos Santana or Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix had playing guitar. Now if buying one of EVH’s guitars means I could channel his skill and expertise....now that would really be something.

Unlike you, Retsacnal, I never learned guitar. My mother said, “we have a piano in the house so if you want to play an instrument it will be piano. By the time I was on my own I had 5 years of lessons and 11 years of piano under my belt so I thought I outta just stick with piano. As a teen I wanted a guitar or a drum set so bad I could taste it.

This video has just been put online. It's a longer version of the one shared on Instagram (see first post).

I think that video is a bit more informative on what Steinway and Lenny Kravitz are achieving or trying to achieve with this piano. I like the African theme stenciling but personally can’t get past those legs. I knew Lenny Kravitz could play almost any instrument he lays his hands on but it’s fun to think he started on piano. It’s also cool that he sat in Duke Ellington’s lap while he played at a Club. Thanks for sharing.

Still can’t stand the legs though.

That's for posting that Mickey!

I dunno, the legs are starting to grow on me.

In all seriousness though, thinking about it as a collaboration of European and African art makes me more receptive to the legs... I think with those legs it makes the connection to African art stronger, whereas if the legs were more... European or Western, then that connection would be stronger...

Just thinking out loud here. I am glad there are all kinds of different artcases and design pianos, it makes things more interesting. And ultimately, having variety is healthy for the industry as well.

Well, how do they look on you?

Cheers!

I think it would be a whole lot more interesting if the piano body itself was done in a matching carved African style rather than just the legs and bench. As it is it doesn't work for me - the mismatch of slapping some African style paint on a classic European shape doesn't cut it.

Lenny's Steinway kinda reminds me of this one hahaha!

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/264538084759673