I phoned Kahn's for Pianos
Henry A. Pasternack
about the origin of Bernhard Steiner pianos and to try to get
details concerning Michael Sayers' particular instrument. I did
not speak to Mr. Kahn, but I did talk to a saleswoman who was able
to provide me with some information. It's not the conclusive
picture I was hoping to get, but here is what I learned. Much
of this confirms information I had already learned from other
sources.
1) Dietmann Klavier and Bernhard Steiner are old names that are
currently owned by Mr. Kahn.
2) The Dietmann Klavier manufacture is located in South Africa
haveing been moved there from Germany; there is currently no
Dietmann operation in Germany and there has not been for some
time.
3) Recent Bernhard Steiner pianos were made to a high standard
of quality by Samick in Korea, production having been moved
from South Africa.
4) Kahn's currently has grands for sale bearing the Dietmann
label from the South African manufacture.
The saleswoman was accommodating. She had not heard anything of
the controversy over Michael's prototype, nor could she give me
any information about his piano. She offered to take my phone
number and to have Mr. Kahn call me. At this point, I haven't
heard anything back from him.
This information doesn't tell us anything about Michael's piano
in particular, nor about differences in construction between
Bernhard Steiner pianos and stock Samicks. It does, though,
seem to prove, just as expected, that the Texas Historical
Society is misinformed concerning the German origin of Bernhard
Steiner pianos.
-Henry
Henry A. Pasternack
news:HLtpu...@news.online.de...
> Thanks for your efforts. It is actually not really new to us, as Larry
> Fletcher and others have pointed out. Nonetheless, it makes clear from
> the "Steiner factory" that we were right and that Sayers was a liar.
Well, I'm not really interested in winning an argument or proving that
somebody is a "liar". It seems to me there's a story here, and that
it is possible that Michael's piano originated somewhere other than
the Samick production line. All I want to do is determine the real
facts, free of sentiment and preconceptions.
-Henry
Larry
>It seems to me there's a story here, and that
>it is possible that Michael's piano originated somewhere other than
>the Samick production line. All I want to do is determine the real
>facts, free of sentiment and preconceptions.
Actually, if you look at what both of these people have told us, you see that
the saleswoman put some spin on her depiction of what goes on at the South
African "factory". She said they offered grands with the Dietman label from the
"South African manufacture". She didn't say anything about any Bernhard
Steiners coming from there, and Brian Lawson (I have known Brian through
various other piano boards for a few years, a highly competent and honest
technician) said the work there consists of rebuilding old pianos, and prepping
new Samicks and Young Changs.
This fits with what has been said all along - all Bernhard Steiner labeled
pianos are either Young Changs or Samicks. Young Chang hasn't built any for
them in years, so Sayer's piano has to be a Samick unless it is 20 years old.
Then it would be a Young Chang. The South African factory does not have the
facilities for producing grand plates or rims, and the Dietman pianos being
sold today are in fact built in China.
Sayer's piano is a Samick, current Dietman pianos are built in China, and
Sayer's is mentally ill.
Larry Fletcher
Tom Shaw
freedom from sentiment and preconceptions.
TS
"Henry A. Pasternack" <hpast...@rcn.dot.com> wrote in message
news:bl1hr8$l57$1...@bob.news.rcn.net...
Brian Lawson, RPT
> 1) Dietmann Klavier and Bernhard Steiner are old names that are
> currently owned by Mr. Kahn.
> 2) The Dietmann Klavier manufacture is located in South Africa
> haveing been moved there from Germany; there is currently no
> Dietmann operation in Germany and there has not been for some
> time.
Dietman's was closed in 1989 in SA by Billy Kahn
> 3) Recent Bernhard Steiner pianos were made to a high standard
> of quality by Samick in Korea, production having been moved
> from South Africa.
Bernhard Steiner pianos have always been other manufactures pianos
marketed as Bernhard Steiner ie. Samick, Young Chang, Kawai.... etc.
> 4) Kahn's currently has grands for sale bearing the Dietmann
> label from the South African manufacture.
>
Never seen any here!
> This information doesn't tell us anything about Michael's piano
> in particular, nor about differences in construction between
> Bernhard Steiner pianos and stock Samicks. It does, though,
> seem to prove, just as expected, that the Texas Historical
> Society is misinformed concerning the German origin of Bernhard
> Steiner pianos.
>
> -Henry
But! I read it on the internet, it must be true!
Brian Lawson, RPT
Johanesburg
South Africa
Henry A. Pasternack
news:5fa97097.03092...@posting.google.com...
> Dietman's was closed in 1989 in SA by Billy Kahn
The funny thing about the truth is how hard it is to pin down...
-Henry