Bosendorfer: I need help!!!
Markus
I've been working on a project for school that compares Steinway,
Yamaha and Bosendorfer. I can find tons of info for the Yamahas and
Steinways, but I've come up very short in finding info on Bosendorfer
construction materials.
If ANYONE can supply with info on what materials Bosendorfer uses to
construct their grand pianos (any, but I'm working specifically on the
Model 275 and 290), I would be so very appreciative. I'm pretty
desparate here. I'd like to know what is used in the action, case,
sound board, frame, etc.
Thanks so much for your consideration!
Mark
(remove the *- -* to email me)
LFletc6143
>Yamaha and Bosendorfer. I can find tons of info for the Yamahas and
>Steinways, but I've come up very short in finding info on Bosendorfer
>construction materials.
>
>If ANYONE can supply with info on what materials Bosendorfer uses to
>construct their grand pianos (any, but I'm working specifically on the
>Model 275 and 290), I would be so very appreciative. I'm pretty
>desparate here. I'd like to know what is used in the action, case,
>sound board, frame, etc.
Mark,
Bosendorfer has a unique rim construction, consisting of sprucewood blocks laid
up almost like laying bricks (but not exactly) instead of continuous sheets of
thick veneer laminated together. Also, unless they have changed, even the lid
is made of spruce. You can go to the Piano Technician Guild website at PTG.org
and look the company up. Send them an email requesting a brochure and any other
information they may have available to help you. I'm sure they will be happy to
reply.
Larry Fletcher
Pianos, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
Dealer / Technician
kam...@flash.net
--
Keith McGavern
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA
Mark Mandell
This is basically correct, however, the top layer is beech
which is hard enough to accommodate the screws that hold
down the soundboard.
Mark Mandell
* Sent from AltaVista http://www.altavista.com Where you can also find related Web Pages, Images, Audios, Videos, News, and Shopping. Smart is Beautiful
Markus
Thanks, but as I mentioned, I've already contacted Bosendorfer and
haven't received any reply in any form. They only import 50
instruments a year into this country anyhow, and I'm sure they need no
help selling them, so why reply? Heh.
Thanks for the resposes! If anyone else has info, I'd really
appreciate your sharing it with us!
Mark
San Luis Obispo, CA, USA
kam...@flash.net
> Thanks, but as I mentioned, I've already contacted Bosendorfer...
You didn't mention that at all.
> If anyone else has info...
Contact the Bosendorfer dealers that have those 50 imported instruments
you mentioned.
ttl
the 170yrs? special edition and the other one is probably what you've
been looking for (I am not quite sure though, I thought it was 225. but
come to think of it, it could be a 275. sorry didn't pay too much
attention....you know $$$$). I didn't bother to ask the price....you
know $$$$. Here you go.
Forte piano 201.265.1212
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Rick Clark
>I've been working on a project for school that compares Steinway,
>Yamaha and Bosendorfer.
Hi, Markus,
Out of curiosity, what school do you go to where piano construction is
studied, and what is this project all about?
Rick Clark
Markus
Actually, I go to California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) in
San Luis Obispo. The class is a technical writing class, and being an
avid pianist for the last 16 years, I figured a comparison of my
favorite 3 manufacturers would be a good (and easy) topic. And I was
right, except for Bosendorfer. I can find info on construction
materials for any and every other make and model of piano through
manufacturer websites (including Fazioli's dinky web page), but
Bosendorfer takes the taco for having the hardest to find information.
Thanks to anyone who can shed light on the matter.
Mark
Gary and Jo Evoniuk
Nothing like picking a topic that you're into to make it fun. I don't see
many (or any?)attachments on this list, but if the capacity is there some
readers might be interested if you posted your paper here (even if it is a
technical writing exercise). I'd be interested. You might learn something
from someone on the list.
Gary Evoniuk
Durham, NC
Gary and Jo Evoniuk
b...@thepianosource.com
Mark, if you want to email me a land address, I will be happy to ship
you a couple of extra Bösendorfer brochures that I may have. Not sure
exactly what I have as I am not with a Bosie dealer at the moment.
Also they, if I recall correctly, don't really get into construction
but may prove interesting. Tid bit: the plate is sand cast and then
put out in the weather for several years. After rusting and aging, and
inspection for major flaws, it is then spray painted red, I am told,
and then hand sanded down until the red is gone. This is done 11 times
and the plate is inspected between sandings for minor flaws, etc. A
flawed plate is discarded. After 11 sandings it is ready for use.
I think someone mentioned that the rim is not bent but is made of
Bavarian spruce and fitted to the curve by hand so that the cellular
content of the woods is not altered or modified by the stretching and
bending and thus becomes part of the sound producing system of the
piano.
--
Bob Shapiro - - located in paradise (southwest Florida)
A retail salesperson dealing in major brands with years of
experience both in normal retail sales but also in college
and armory type sales. I have represented Steinway, Schimmel, Baldwin, Kimball, Weber, Yamaha, Bosendorfer, Feurich,
Nakamichi, Kemble, Seiler, Schumann, Korg, Roland, and many others.
Currently representing Kawai, Petrof, Kohler & Campbell, Samick, Technics.
For credentials and also for
the answers to many of your questions please see
http://www.thepianosource.com
Tom Shaw
1. Is the metal plate of piano likely to crack or warp? If so it
common enough to require the elaborate ageing and curing etc that Bob
mentions?
2. I know that shipbuilders used to find oak trees with the shape of
the prow of a ship so they wouldn't have to bend that critical
part...nearly a ninety degree angle was required. Is that what you mean
Bob? It is very hard to believe that you can find any tree which is
shaped like the rim of a grand piano.
TS
Markus
Heh. I suppose when the report is complete (the due date is the first
Friday in December), I could post the report (if I fill it is
substantial enough). I'll decide when that time comes, however.
(Forgive me for being a bit shy... I wouldn't want to embarrass myself
by posting a not-so-well written work).
Thanks for all the replies!
Mark
San Luis Obispo, CA
http://www.calpoly.edu/~mmansur
b...@thepianosource.com
>A couple of questions please.
>1. Is the metal plate of piano likely to crack or warp? If so it
>common enough to require the elaborate ageing and curing etc that Bob
>mentions?
The iron plate is designed not to warp. A crack or a warp would be the
death of a plate. Plates are actually engineered to break rather than
warp or bend. That's the reason why iron instead of steel is used.
Unlike the steel in piano strings which is designed to be knocked out
of shapes thousands and thousands of times and still to continue
returnng to its original shape, the plate is part of the tension of a
piano which allows the pressure on the strings so that they can be
properly tightened to make the sound of the piano.
>2. I know that shipbuilders used to find oak trees with the shape of
>the prow of a ship so they wouldn't have to bend that critical
If you look at the post Larry did a few days ago, he explained that
the rim instead of being bent on the Bösendorfer, is really fitted
with pieces and blocks like a jig saw puzzle so to speak, and then
sanded and shaped for the curve. I am going to look for a long lost
copy of some specs to include in the package I will be mailing to you
this weekend. I don't pretend to be a tech. so some of this is my
layman's interpretation (and memory) of some pretty involved stuff
that was explained to me by a craftsman from the Vienna factory.