Steinway as a company realized that the restoration part of the piano business is big business, and they wanted a piece of it. As it turns out, Steinway’s biggest competitor is used Steinway restoration.
So let’s put this ‘genuine parts’ issue under the microscope so that you, the Steinway piano owner, can make a better decision when it comes to restoring your heirloom piano.
NO LONGER THE OWNERS
If a single part is missing it means it’s not a Steinway anymore, then it’s not a Steinway either. The Steinway family sold the business in 1963 to CBS. After that, the lines of distinction blur when it comes to family involvement.
The last recorded family member to have worked at Steinway was Henry Z. Steinway. He is listed as the last president until 1977 (remember he is owned by CBS).
He is also said to have worked at the factory (signing custom limited editions) until his death in 2008 at the age of 93. This seemed strange to me. How many 93 year old billionaires do you know who work in a factory?
Regardless, even 2008 represents 7 years without a member of the Steinway family. That’s a big part that’s missing. The company is currently owned by Paulsen and Co., an investment management firm.
NOT ALL PARTS ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE FACTORY, THEY ARE SUBCONTRACTED.
· Steinway doesn’t make their bass strings, they are made by Mapes in Tennessee.
· Steinway does not manufacture their finishes, they are manufactured by Wurdack Industrial Finishes of St Louis MO.
· Steinway hammers are not sounded with Steinway lacquer, but with Wurdack lacquer.
· Steinway does not own a forest, but they buy their wood from Fred Tebb and Sons in Tacoma Washington. Ask about their Steinway grade Sitka spruce as anyone can buy it but it will be expensive.
I have found other companies that sell the same grade of Sitka Spruce, which comes from the same forest, at a much lower cost.
OTHER THIRD PARTY COMPANIES THAT WERE ACQUIRED BY STEINWAY
Cast iron plates have been made by the OS Kelley Foundry since 1938. Purchased recently.
The Kluge Company manufactures action parts such as tuning pegs, felts, complete actions. Recently purchased.
THE QUALITY OF THE PARTS
It’s easy to assume that when a part comes in a box that says Genuine Steinway Parts, it’s of the highest quality. But this is not necessarily so. Other action part companies make duplicate Steinway parts, often of better quality. Tokiwa and Renner now have a long history of making action parts that are both reliable and more affordable and don’t take away from the Steinway’s performance quality.
I once held all the different parts next to each other, and there wasn’t any special quality to the Steinway parts to distinguish them from the others.
THE HEART OF STEINWAY
The soundboard is made using a described process called a “recipe”. This recipe is basically a Sitka spruce panel glued with sugar pine straight ribs that dries to 4-5% EMC. When it sticks to the piano it grows and is crowned. That is! Any experienced soundboard bellyman can duplicate it.
CONCLUSION
As an illustration of how silly this whole part thing is:
If I replaced a part on your Steinway with a Tokiwa part and asked you to sit down and play the piano. Would you be able to tell me what note Tokiwa’s part had?
I do not think.
If you get anything from this article, I hope it’s this: You can restore your Steinway to the same high standard and affordably by shopping around, asking questions, and taking your time making your decision.
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