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Interesting links from one of my favorite piano bloggers: Mr. Jeffrey Shackell, piano rebuilder in UK. :

All new pianos are the same? PART 1 (Hamburg Steinway B-211)

All new pianos are the same? PART 2 (C. Bechstein B-212)

All new pianos are the same? PART 3 (New York Steinway Model B)

All new pianos are the same? PART 4 (Fazioli F-212)

Wonderful series series of photos! Thanks for posting this most interesting blog. I’m beginning to share his love of Steinways.

The same subject was once discussed some 30 years ago in the respected “Frankfurter Allgemeine” coming to no appreciative conclusion of same question. You can compare all the technical data in the world but without playing and trying the various candidates and then finding your own preferred instrument, this will forever be an elusive subject. Nobody knows and it seems, nobody “will”
By same token - and this is IMHO the biggest change - there are many surprises today among those makes NOT traditionally considered among the traditionally top tier.. How these instruments can (and do) sometimes even be preferred to those of the established Royal club, gives evidence of how non-conclusive but also fascinating this whole subject is.
Happy reading - but more importantly: “Happy Playing”
Norbert😊

Pianos 1, 2, and 4 appear to be brand new. The photos of the NY S&S show a nearly 20 year old piano that has endured a good amount of use.

Blog posts are from 2013.
Shows a brand new Hamburg, and an old New York model.

I’m not the biggest Steinway fan, but these obviously have no bearing on recent quality of construction.

Why don’t you find brand new recent examples and take pictures for us, Nam Anh!
You can prove your point.

Or you can take pics of a recent Hamburg, post them, and I will go to my local Steinway dealer and duplicate your pics, on a New York model.

The New York Steinway in the post has 55X.XXX serial number. I don't think it's an old model piano. As the blogger have said, it's a slightly older than the other pianos in the post.

As you said, "shows a brand new Hamburg". So there they are, photos of a recent Hamburg
BTW, I didn't want to prove any point. I just share some links with piano photos, that's all

2000, maybe 2001. The other pianos were new.
Not current example of NY beam finishing, music desk design, fall board finishing, and I believe a different generation (or different protocol for maintenance) of action making equipment in the NY factory. Different management of the NY factory, and of course, different company ownership.

Does the year 2000 seem ‘slightly older’?

Of course. I've seen and tried a very recent New York D (made in 2017). It has polished finish, mahogany inner rim, natural wood beams, and "hamburg liked" cast frame.

I don't think Hamburg Steinway has different company ownership than New York.

I think he means that the ownership of S&S was different in 2001 than at the time the blog posts were written.

Some photos of my 1985 piano. Much enough older, I guess:

Made in 1985 Steinway

That’s a beautiful piano!

I was surprised to see the "bell" contraption on all the pianos, particularly the bechstein. This was originally a Steinway creation, no?

Yamaha CF series have it too, now.

Right! I’m sure you are not trying to prove the same point you continually post about. wink wink

This is 2019 Nam Anh.
2013 is not a current model.

OH, OK, I see . . .
You are not interested in putting effort into a constructive comparison of current build quality.
You prefer living in the past . . .

Let me know if you change your mind. chicken

I’ll let you know when I really understand what you said

I believe that Hamburg and New York plates are cast in the same Steinway-owned factory now. Apparently, sourcing plates had been a problem, and with the demise of most of the US piano industry, Steinway had to purchase O. S. Kelly to be able to ensure a supply.

I really want to know who was the plate supplier for Hamburg since decades. No information found.

I know that both Hamburg and New York have Kluge keyboard since Kluge was bought by Steinway. In the past, Kluge keyboard was found only on Hamburg.