Beware of Cowboys

The next step was a converted house next to a shopping parade with some new pianos. Very nice, but no training other than the experience as outlined above. Another move. Became a Steinway agent. Attended a one day seminar at Steinway Hall and promoted himself as a Steinway Technician! There’s magic! He discounted Steinways all over the UK, but we understand from a source that there were complaints regarding the action regulating that a Steinway technician should have known about.

He was then left with one agency, who presumably were not so fussy. Over 30 years we have not seen a number of their grand pianos that have not been prepared for performance.

Piano cabinets are now made with waste materials such as MDF and chipboard, covered with an inert material called polyester, so there is now a demand for quality rebuilt pianos made of natural well seasoned timber. Polyester is liable to blister and split if the panel core shrinks. MDF and chipboard is more likely to shrink than natural seasoned timber. Piano buyers are very vulnerable to these matters. It is therefore not surprising that vintage instruments made with natural well- seasoned timber are in demand to rebuild by Westminster Pianos, maybe to last another 100 years?