This trip included detailed discussion about a very particular rosewood finish, stimulating technical discussion at the factory (!) all set in gloomy early European winter weather, gray skies and rain, sometimes a lot. The problem with traveling to interesting places on business is that you rarely get the time to really experience a city. I’ve been to Vienna at least 20 times and love it but still don’t really feel like I know my way around. It probably is partly the American idea that since I have never driven a car around, how can I be expected to know anything? On the Saturday I left, I had lunch with Rupert L and his 2 sons at the Cafe Central, one of the real Viennese coffee houses. What really great experience! Rupert intentionally brings his sons regularly so they can learn true Viennese culture.

This has been a crazy month. I’ve been traveling every weekend. Made a whirlwind trip to Europe, flew into and out of Munich for a trip to Vienna with a dealer. Left warm sunshine for clammy rainy Europe. Well, I guess summer is over. But it is always good to visit the mothership and every trip to the factory shows me something new (if nothing else, I learn my way around a little better). For one thing, I saw with my own eyes that the beech cap on the inner rim does not extend to the bass side, except for the model 280. That was the source of personal embarrassment on PianoWorld recently. The factory has really been working on making the 280 a more familiar sounding piano, while still remaining a Bosendorfer. So,the inner rim has much more beech, not just the perimeter cap. It also has that rail

The idea came from a discussion with Don and Sam Bennett of PianoWorks in Atlanta. PianoWorks is a great dealer, Don is a real piano guy and his son Sam is bringing technology to the company in a thoughtful way. The thinking was that there was insight and suggestions that PianGuys have that can help their customers and help bring some attention to their dealership.  It occurred to me that it could be a vehicle for me to help my dealers as well as give Don some encouragement to actually start the blog. Nothing like a little friendly competition. I will probably include some personal stuff because, to be honest, I don’t think I have all THAT many insights and everybody loves kittens and kids, right?