I like many Grotrian-Steinweg pianos – I was brought up with a 185 grand (from 1896) – but this new 2 metre something grand has proximal plate bearing bars that will become a tuner’s nightmare. (One of my friends recently described how he wakes up in a cold sweat, some mornings, thinking of the pianos he’s got to deal with that day!).

Gr-Steinweg bearing angle

There is such a steep angle to the agraffes that the amount of tuning drag already requires the use of Protek lubricant (applied to the plate bar with a needle in tiny amounts – any excess wiped away). I expect to have to do this on some older pianos kept in poor conditions, but this plate design makes a piano old before its time!

Not good, Grotrian! (steep angle doesn’t show well on these pics).