It's interesting to me that the subject of Baldwin pianos has come up.

My home town is Conway, Arkansas, where the final assembly plant for
Baldwin grand pianos is located.  Baldwin management from Ohio just
announced last Thursday that they are closing the Conway plant and
moving that function to the Truman, Arkansas, plant.  What bothered me
was that there was absolutely no outcry from the people of Conway that
this was happening.

The fact that Baldwin grands are built there has always been one of
the things I tell people about my hometown.  I can often remember, as
a kid, stories of famous pianists sneaking in to Conway to personally
select their new piano -- I believe Liberace was one who did this.  The
people of Conway would never learn about these visits until the artist
was already gone.

I'm glad to learn that the new Baldwins are basically junk, because
I was wanting to purchase a new one day.  Does anyone know what years
that Baldwin grands were well made?  Some day I want a nice piano to
add to my proudest possession, a Hammond B-3 that is, honestly, in
"as-new" condition.  It looks just like it came off the showroom floor.

Well, I was upset that Baldwin left Conway, but now that I learn they
were making junk, I don't care as much.

Joe Isom
Buffalo, New York