The Baldwin Hamilton upright has not become victim to cost cutting by
Baldwin because that model is over 40% of the Baldwin production and
income for the last 20 or so years.

I cannot say anything about them recently because the company has a new
president, who has begun a dreadful austerity program.  I have not seen
any new Baldwin Hamiltons but the other models I have seen and I know
that they no longer even blow the sawdust out of them.  I often find
sawdust buzzing between the string and bridge.  I only dread what else
I will find.

The new president is a lady who was previously president of Procter &
Gamble.  I have no idea why they hired a soap lady to make pianos.  But
Baldwin quality overall may suffer until she learns what a piano person
would have already known.

It would make complete sense that a smaller newer Baldwin Hamilton
might sound better (bigger) than an older Baldwin Hamilton Manualo
Upright.  This is, most likely, so because of several things: the older
one has lost some crown,  The bass is most likely the softest part of
the piano because the bridge and apron have loose glue joints.

In many Manualos I find the soundboard loose around the edges.  I sug-
gest you spend a few thousand to restring and restore or replace the
action and you will be amazed at how the old one will _grow_ in sound.
I find that Manualos are identical between most pianos.  I have noticed
that the actions are so identical that you can swap between pianos in
Hamilton, Howard, Monarch, Modello and others.

D. L. Bullock    Piano World    St. Louis