Mabel Chung visits Pearl River

Here are some pictures from my visit to the Pearl River factory in Guangzhou, China in July. I spent more time at the Grand production than the Uprights. I was surprised that most things were done by hand and very few machines and tools were used. Most factory workers make US$300 a month and office staff make less than the factory workers. Private tuning is US$15. A domestic helper (a maid) would cost about US$100 a month. All of the Senior technicians in the factory are young, mid 30's to early 40's. The older technicians are retired ,or can't stand the long hours and factory conditions. The factory is not fully air-conditioned and is very noisy. I saw few hearing protection. The "Tuning" (or a should say the Pitch Raise Person) person would tune for 8-10 hours a day, sometimes upto 18 pianos. (By the way, I was told the guy I saw was the best looking guy in the Tuning dept. and he is only 18 years old. I wondered if he would be deaf by 25 ???!!!) It is very hard to get a job in a well-known company like the Pearl River. No......I don't want to work there ...........

Brett and Susan Dearing hosted the meeting. There was way too much delicious food. 

Bill also brought papers from Roy Kehl, a noted expert. 

Bill brought books on piano history and a mortised-in pinblock to examine. 

You never forget your first sostenuto. 

Some of Bill's slides featured rare and beautiful patent drawings 

Tremaine's subwoofer threatened to shatter our ribcages. 

Bill Shull gave a fantastically detailed presentation on early Steinway grands, featuring video on a television and Powerpoint projected on the wall. 

Possibly the only spinet in the world with a dragon attached to the music desk.  

Are you missing a bench?

It's probably here.

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