Weber grand -- long-term quality?
Michael Peroz
doesn't like Yamahas (tone too bright), but has fallen in love with the
sound of a 7' 1" Weber. However, the price is almost too good to be true
for a piano that size, and a Yamaha salesman told her that the Weber will
sooner or later turn tinny (she tried a 6' 1" Weber, and the upper range on
that did sound tinny). Does anyone have any (relatively) long-term
experience with Webers, as owner, tuner or technician? Is it worth buying,
or will it turn into a piece of high-maintenance junk in a few years?
Thanks,
Mike
SEMarcus
Weber representatives may state that there are significant differences between
Young Chang and Weber pianos, but I am not aware of any differences other than
cabinet styles.
Kindest regards,
Steve Marcus (SEMa...@aol.com)
http://members.delphi.com/stevemarcus/index.html
Director of Sales, THE BEAUTIFUL SOUND, INC. (630) 325-9999
http://www.qrsmusic.com/mrktng/dealers/Beautsound/BeautSound.htm
Ozmazome
right piano for me. That does not make me an expert at all but does make me
want to share my opinion (a horrible human trait, eh?).
If you like everything else about the Yamaha but aren't happy with that
Yamaha-ish bright sound, you could have the Yamaha voiced so that it isn't
so bright. I have been told that Yamaha uses hard hammers and high string
pressure/tensions to achieve that sparkly brightness, but that quality, like
nearly everything else about a well-made piano, can be tamed in the caring
hands of a good technician.
Others worth looking at: Steinway (Great, but $$), Fandrich & Sons (lovely
pianos), Wilh. Steinberg (very nice), and the Estonia (which can be a little
inconsistent but, when good, are quite nice). Some pianists really like the
Grotrian-Steinwegs, and others swear by Mason-Hamlin. All are good pianos.
The Fandrich & Sons 7' is really nice and growing in popularity amongst the
Jazz pianists. I have a 5' 6" Fandrich & Sons and I am delighted.
I am not familiar with the Weber but I think it likely to be just a decal
name and not really a distinct brand. If it's a 6' 1" it could be either a
Hyundai or a Young-Chang--both have a decent track record and are unlikely
to become "high-maintenance junk."
Ozmazome
------------------------------------------------
Stay calm, it's just ones and zeroes.
Michael Peroz wrote in message <7eqjga$pg9$1...@bgtnsc02.worldnet.att.net>...
VOCE88
>
>Weber representatives may state that there are significant differences
>between
>Young Chang and Weber pianos, but I am not aware of any differences other
>than
>cabinet styles.
Hi Steve,
Please include string length and soundboard area in differences for most
all of the grands.
regards
Richard Galassini
Cunningham Piano Co
Phila,. Pa.
1 (800) 394-1117
Dave Zappa
> If it's a 6' 1" it could be either a
> Hyundai or a Young-Chang--both have a decent track record and are unlikely
> to become "high-maintenance junk."
>
> Ozmazome
> ------------------------------------------------
> Stay calm, it's just ones and zeroes.
Ozamone:
For the record, Hyundai does not build pianos. Hyundai tagged pianos
are built by Samick and imported and distributed by a company on the
east coast with the right to use the Hyundai trademark. I do like your
tag, there are many who need to heed it.
Dave
--
Retail salesperson formerly representing 17 different acoustic &
digital piano brands. Support your local service-oriented dealer.
Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of my employer.
To reply by e-mail please remove the "SPAMTHIS" from my address.
pTooner
Michael Peroz wrote:
> My wife, a classically-trained pianist, is looking at grand pianos. She
> doesn't like Yamahas (tone too bright), but has fallen in love with the
> sound of a 7' 1" Weber. However, the price is almost too good to be true
> for a piano that size, and a Yamaha salesman told her that the Weber will
> sooner or later turn tinny
Have you ever heard the term "blowing smoke up your a**?" It is true that all
pianos get brighter with age, but Yamaha is the worst offender at this among
the major brands. Modern Webers are Young Chang products and have an excellent
reputation for durability and quality for the price.
Gerry
diane peterson
Changs are made in China... there's an excellent reputation for durability and
quality if i've ever seen one....
diane
pTooner
diane peterson wrote:
> jeeeezzz, Gerry... talk about blowing smoke... Many of the "Modern Webers and Young
> Changs are made in China... there's an excellent reputation for durability and
> quality if i've ever seen one....
>
> diane
>
I guess I'll have to bow to your superior knowledge, then. I have NEVER seen a Youing
Chang or Weber grand piano that was made in China. Would you like to quote specific
models? I HAVE seen Yamaha verticals that were made in China, but I don't think even
they make a grand there.
Gerry
Lyrichic
Ha. Ha. It is when buying a piano!
>
>I am not familiar with the Weber but I think it likely to be just a decal
>name and not really a distinct brand. If it's a 6' 1" it could be either a
>Hyundai or a Young-Chang--both have a decent track record and are unlikely
>to become "high-maintenance junk."
I just tried a Weber WG-57 grand. I like it, nice action, perky treble,
alright bass--but my heart sorta sank when the dealer told me they were now
made in Korea. Weber started in 1852, but they've (of course, like so many
other names) been acquired by another company and I can't remember who now.
I would suggest getting a reference from someone who's owned a Weber for a long
time. The price is tempting but...
Julie
Daniel Wilson
> I just tried a Weber WG-57 grand. I like it, nice action, perky treble,
> alright bass--but my heart sorta sank when the dealer told me they were
> now made in Korea. Weber started in 1852
Weber, who were bankrupt, were taken over by Aeolian Co in 1901. This
process has been going on for a long time.
===
| \
| \ dwi...@cix.compulink.co.uk
| [] D Dan Wilson (Friends of the Pianola Institute, London)
| / antispam: remove 2 if emailing
| /
===
kam...@earthlink.net
Daniel Wilson wrote:
> ...Weber, who were bankrupt, were taken over by Aeolian Co in 1901...
Pierce Piano Atlas, 10th Edition, disagrees with this date by two years
(1903). What is your reference source, please?
--
Keith McGavern
kam...@earthlink.net
Registered Piano Technician
Oklahoma Chapter 731
Piano Technicians Guild
USA
http://www.ptg.org/1999/conv/
PTG Convention, Kansas City, July
DeanMay
>>name and not really a distinct brand. If it's a 6' 1" it could be either a
>>Hyundai or a Young-Chang--both have a decent track record and are unlikely
>>to become "high-maintenance junk."
>
>alright bass--but my heart sorta sank when the dealer told me they were now
>made in Korea.
Why the built in bias against Korean made pianos? What is important is the
quality of construction, warranty, price and do you like it.
The Weber is made by Young Chang. I'd compare their quality construction w/
anybody's piano. They don't use plastic in the action and still have solid wood
cabinets, etc., etc.
Young Chang has the best warranty in the industry. And as a tech who has done
warranty claims for just about all the mfrs, I can say that YC has been the
best at processing warranty claims. In other words, their warranty is not just
words on paper.
Dean May
Terre Haute, IN
EBONY & IVORY Piano Rebuilders
===================================
Will a Man rob God? -Malachi, Hebrew prophet
Dave Zappa
>
> Pierce Piano Atlas, 10th Edition, disagrees with this date by two years
> (1903). What is your reference source, please?
> --
> Keith McGavern
>
Why I was there sonny.... you young whippersnappers think you know
everything, by golly... I've been through two world wars and a great
depression, you think you have it tough, why when I was your age I had
to walk through blinding snow storms with nothing on but a towel just to
practice Ave Maria using my left hand only because my right hand was
nothing but a stump (lost it to frostbite in the great winter of
'89)......
Flibbity flobbity floobity flee.... Weber - ha! why I was there when
old Cornelius Weber himself set foot on ellis island, as a matter of
fact, I TAUGHT him how to build pianos - yeh, that's the ticket, with my
wife, uh.... MORGAN FAIRCHILD (whom I've seen naked!)
kam...@earthlink.net
> ...why when I was your age...
What a story teller you are.
> ...Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the
> opinions of my employer.
I'm certain your employer greatly appreciates this disclaimer!
Dave Zappa
>
> Dave Zappa wrote:
>
> > ...why when I was your age...
>
> What a story teller you are.
>
> > ...Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the
> > opinions of my employer.
>
> I'm certain your employer greatly appreciates this disclaimer!
> --
> Keith McGavern
>
For those who didn't recognize it, the post to which Keith is responding
was purely for humorous purposes and in no way shape or form was meant
to be serious. I thought that was obvious.
Daniel Wilson
>
> (1903). What is your reference source, please?
Trade gossip, I'm afraid. The Weber board had lost effective control by
1901 but I wouldn't be surprised to hear the paperwork and argument over
the missing wire stocks went on for another two years. The place was
rudderless long before that, more's the pity. Albert Weber Jnr drank it
into the ground. Old man Weber wasn't even a piano tech - he just came
from Germany with a design rejected by his former employers. He had it
built, it worked, he had more built, he played them in the big stores
himself and it was a real success in the 1880s. The casework was a clone
of Steinway's with scrolls all down the legs. He was a bit of a smoothie
with manicured side whiskers who wowed the ladies.
Aeolian did keep the tonal performance - very sweet sustained treble,
rather twangy and anaemic bass. Unlike their Stecks, the American-made
Aeolian Webers are closely similar to the British ones made at Hayes
outside London from about 1907. My stepbrother has one of the grands. I'm
prepared to credit the original Victorian ones were better, but I've
never heard one of those in good order. The 1920s players are all good
value at least, and have lasted well.
Mark Lee
>was purely for humorous purposes and in no way shape or form was meant
>to be serious. I thought that was obvious.
It was obvious. And funny. --
===================================================
Mark Lee - ml...@allwest.net - http://www.allwest.net/leefamily
Honk if you've seen Morgan "The Organ" Fairchild naked.
===================================================
Daniel Wilson
> Hi Daniel
> I'm impressed with all of your posts . Where do you learn all of this
> ????
Most people round the world have heard of trainspotters - the pale youths
in anoraks (it used to be grey macs in my day) who gather like lice on
British railway stations and obsessively note down the number of every
locomotive that passes through. The passing of steam has made little
difference to their numbers or intensity - there's a Usenet group for
them (which I also inhabit, which is how I know) /uk.railway which
amounts to over 600kb of messages every day - about five times this one.
UK player piano enthusiasts may be described as the piano equivalent.
I've been on several piano factory tours and the managers always remark
that where aircraft and cars have aircraft and car enthusiasts, there's
just no such thing as a plain piano enthusiast. The factories only get
visits from player piano enthusiasts.
The main obsession is naturally with the player actions and the music and
rolls that went with them, but really these are just not as interesting
as the instruments and once hooked, you naturally gravitate to the makes
themselves and what made them different, so even Carl Bechstein, who
scorned players until the Crash and then only under duress installed the
"green paper" Welte-Mignon from 1929 to 1932, and even that only marketed
vigorously in Australia so that the shame of it would not leak back to
Europe, comes under our gaze. We bone up on scale designs, wire gauges,
wrestplank (pinboard) materials, hammer toning, soundboards and crown. If
you take an interest in pianos you can't not ! Modern makes such as the
Welmar, Knight, Bentley, etc., have never had player actions but we
respect them as worthy inheritors of the mantle of the old greats.
So old piano ads are collected for the information they contain and the
better of the old instruments keenly scanned for tiny clues to date and
manufacturing location. Most player enthusiasts can give you the key
Steinway dates, 50 years before players. Innocent and sleepy small
American towns like Meriden, CT, where the Aeolian Company started with
its Aeolian organ, are visited by British enthusiasts speaking in hushed
tones like latter-day Indiana Joneses clearing away the cobwebs from rare
gold-lined grottos ... do you realise the original Ae Co building is
still there, with its safe in the basement ! ? ...
I got most of my information from a near-insane and now legendary
collector called Benet Meakin whose father and grandfather bought the
first player organs and pianos, started himself in the 1930s and when I
knew him had 208 pianos (I counted them myself), 24,000 piano rolls and
original piano documentation and sheet music stacked on his staircases
and in his bedrooms so you had to walk sideways everywhere. By dint of
buying a very small house, I have managed to restrict myelf (so far) to
five pianos and 11,000 rolls. There are two places where you can sit
down, and one of those is on a piano stool.
But if you think I know anything, there's a man called Julian Dyer who is
truly _serious_ ...
Gary
I'm impressed with all of your posts . Where do you learn all of this ????
Regards
Gary.
"Daniel Wilson" wrote in message ...
Gary
| \ dwi...@cix.compulink.co.uk
| [] D Dan Wilson (Friends of the Pianola Institute, London)
| / antispam: remove 2 if emailing
| /
===
Thanks Dan.
Gary.