Hi David,

Just wanted to let you know... Fred Hersch was here at the
Conservatory last Sunday for a solo concert and he selected
the 1929 D (Stanwood/Wapin) over our new (1999) NY D.  He
said the new piano was better than a lot of the  Ds in the
basement at Steinway but the feel and response didn't match
the Stanwood action.  I don't know how much the quality of
sound is due to high strikeweights with Hamburg hammers or
the "Wapin" effect (the combination definitely works), but
that is the sweetest sounding piano that still has more than
enough power to kick ass I've had occasion to work on.  I
sat in the last row (280 seat Recital Hall) and when he was
playing pianissimo the sound still filled the ears like you
were wearing headphones or were standing right next to the
piano. Very nice! I received many compliments on the piano
and heard a lot of people talking about it afterwards.
Nothing makes you feel better than to be riding down an elevator
(anonymously) and hear people discussing not just how wonderful
the music was but also how the piano was the best they had ever
heard!

Thanks for all your great work and the tools you are giving us to
do our best work!

Eric Wolfley