Taken from the old website. Original post date: June 5, 2005
Recently I purchased a new concert grand piano. I was extremely picky about finding an instrument that would match all my needs. I am one of those notorious customers that will spend hours trying a product only to say “I’ll think about it” at the end.
One of my chief requirements was for the piano to play as if the makers had put their heart into it. This is difficult to explain. Basically, many new pianos – even brand names – are mass-produced which means cheaper parts, cheaper labour and higher marketing costs. What I look for is the rare hand-crafted instruments made of only the highest-quality material which took long hard hours to create. Often, one has to go back pianos made in the ’20s to find such a delicious treat.
I was fortunate to find such an instrument in Orange County which was being sold through another wonderful concert pianist – Bob Estrin. The moment I tried it, I was astonished by its even, responsive touch, and its warm, rich powerful tone. It was a Mason and Hamlin – relatively unknown in the music world but considered by many to be even better than Steinway.
Mason and Hamlins produced some truly wonderful instruments. When this ‘little’ 1100+ pound toy had arrived into my living room, I couldn’t keep my hands off it for weeks!
