GLENN GOULD, VLADIMIR HOROWITZ, ANTON KUERTI AND CANADA'S  DAVID MOROZ ACQUIRED RE-MANUFACTURED GRAND PIANOS?

Could it be that these instruments were of superior quality?

What makes these restored pianos better and the choice of greats? 

In the heydays of piano manufacturing, in the late 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^th century, forests still yielded premium quality woods to make the piano case.  Some of the trees then used are now extinct or on the endangered species.  Veneers, like the Brazilian rosewood, are so rare that they are just not available.  Similarly, the soundboard materials then utilized are not available in quantities large enough for factory use.  Factories today have to resort to the lower ranked Sitka spruce to make their soundboard as opposed to the better-suited eastern white spruce. The majority of today's piano makers install a multi-laminate pinblock, boasting that it will not split or break. That statement is true, but technicians are facing a challenge every time they tune because of the large quantity of glue used in them.  Some pianos will not be tunable to satisfaction. With increasingly larger demand and the industrial revolution, transitory 'assembly-line' laborers will have replaced many skilled craftsmen in factories today, who, to boot, have to use less satisfactory, inferior materials such as the cheaper presswood, polyester and plastics.  Unfortunately, quality was compromised for quantityÖ 

American piano factories employed craftsmen who came thoroughly trained for the piano building art mostly from German speaking Europe.  Most of these proud craftsmen applied their acquired knowledge and skill for as long they lived.  Thus, well-trained, devoted and patient workers used the best of parts to make beautiful, long-lasting, quality pianos. 

With time and regular use, with mistreatment and with much fluctuation of dryness and humidity, even the best working parts will wear away, metal components will age, fine wood will become brittle. The replacement of the piano parts will be required when the piano cannot perform at full expectation and doesn't look its best any more. 

We, Grand Pianos by Rösch, established our atelier in Alberta, where we enjoy a dry climate ideally suited for the remanufacturing of these fine older pianos. We avail ourselves of our manufacturing know-how and incorporate new technology to the piano industry's centuries of experience.  We still use premium quality woods, accessible to us because of the smaller quantities used, the finest available parts and materials to restore the older instruments to their glory days: 

• New Soundboard material, when required, is white spruce, as it should be;
• New Pinblock, if needed is first quality eastern maple.
• New Bridges are always carved from maple;
• The choice of a new Renner Action;
• New Hammers are chosen to please you;
• The instrument is totally regulated in shop;