
We believe the viewpoint of the technician is a unique and valuable one that adds a measure of "inside" information that can help the prospective purchaser. Our goal in this article is to inform the reader of the special quirks, qualities, limitations, and characteristics of the brands the writers most admire and are most familiar with. All have been designed with certain qualities, sound, and touch in mind, and each instrument has been made with great care. The pianos discussed below are all considered among the finest made today. There are many flavors and essences, and there can come a point at which the dominant factor in the selection process is personal preference. Selecting a piano can be compared to selecting a fine bottle of wine, perfume, or cologne.
Although you'll recognize common ground in these technicians' opinions, there are also differences, and each speaks only for himself. All of them strive for quality and perfection, and have intimate relationships with the pianos, inside and out. Each technician has extensive hands-on experience with the specific brand(s) he writes about. In the short pieces below, you'll hear from the people who service these instruments - some of the most respected piano technicians in the country. In the last issue of Piano Buyer, we focused on the viewpoints of dealers who sell high-end pianos. It's a paradox, but their goal is achieved when the pianist forgets about the piano and is able to focus exclusively on the music being played.

Their mission is to provide the pianist with a sublime, inspiring, creative, and enjoyable experience every time he or she plays the instrument. Piano Technicians who eventually drift toward the high-end market are usually people who appreciate quality, strive for excellence, and can even be called connoisseurs. As you'll see over time, although different writers often describe the same brands in very different ways, certain common themes are evident. In order to give prospective buyers of high-end pianos a better sense of the individual personalities of these brands, we will occasionally provide selected dealers, technicians, and pianists the opportunity to describe the musical and other qualities of the highend brands they represent, service, or play.
