ABC News Chinese Instruments

katfey · Post by **katfey** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:30 am

Did anyone watch Thursday's ABC News segment on Chinese instruments?
They started on Eastman Guitars and how they were comparable in quality to Fender -but much cheaper. At the end they talked about how other musical instruments manufacturers in China are vastly improving in quality and making a strong showing in the marketplace. They briefly showed a Chinese tuba.

Comments?

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:53 am

Yep. The Chinese stuff is getting better. If the truth was known, many of the parts on the so-called 'domestic' instruments have been made off-shore for years.

pulseczar · Post by **pulseczar** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:22 pm

A little off topic, but i know Schecter guitars and probably many other guitar manufacturers send their to countries like china and korea to have it made and assembled, and then sent back to the US to have it set up, and then shipped to customer.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:39 pm

How eximious and arcane!

glangfur · Post by **glangfur** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 4:48 pm

Eastman is an excellent company. Keep an eye out for them.

In the interest of full disclosure, I work for Shires trombones, and we have a partnership with Eastman (no they are not building our trombones, or any part of them). They have consulted with Steve Shires on design and manufacturing methods for their lilne of brass instruments, and they are producing an "Eastman by Shires" line of intermediate level trombones. He has visited their Chinese factory twice and been very impressed with the quality of work and care they are taking to do it all right, not just cheap.

A quality company run by quality people.

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:55 pm

FWIW, 2/3 of the pianos built in the world today come from China. The quality of these pianos is improving very rapidly.

Steve Marcus
Store Manager, The Beautiful Sound
Chicago area Steinway & Sons Piano and Cristofori (assembled in China) Piano Dealer

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:13 am

Steve Marcus wrote:FWIW, 2/3 of the pianos built in the world today come from China. The quality of these pianos is improving very rapidly.

Aren't lower-end Steinways made by Pearl River?

Dylan King · Post by **Dylan King** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:02 am

Random thought...

Chinese food is so darn good. They always give us so much of it at their restaurants. I never walk out of a Chinese restaurant without an over-full stomach.

They are trying to make Americans fat, and from the looks of myself in the mirror, they are succeeding.

Why?

They are fattening us up so our own leaders can devour us.

Micah 3:1 Then I said,
"Listen, you leaders of Jacob,
you rulers of the house of Israel.
Should you not know justice,
2 you who hate good and love evil;
who tear the skin from my people
and the flesh from their bones;

3 who eat my people's flesh,
strip off their skin
and break their bones in pieces;
who chop them up like meat for the pan,
like flesh for the pot?"

4 Then they will cry out to the LORD,
but he will not answer them.
At that time he will hide his face from them
because of the evil they have done.

Have a nice day.

-MSM

cambrook · Post by **cambrook** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:45 am

That sure is a random thought

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:06 am

Chuck(G) wrote:Aren't lower-end Steinways made by Pearl River?

In early June 2006, Steinway will introduce to its dealers some new Essex Pianos that are assembled under an OEM contract (not a partnership nor joint venture) by Pearl River.

Essex Pianos are, indeed, the most affordable pianos designed by Steinway & Sons.

In fact, Steinway maintains an office in Shanghai that is involved in the Essex manufacturing and the retailing of all Steinway & Sons, Boston, and Essex pianos in the growing market of China itself.