concert grand longevity

[Antares]

Allen Wright writes:

>The other possibility we're considering is bridge work - recapping etc. But I
>wanted to lob this concept out about concert grand longevity and see what
>people think of the notion, and whether any of you have suspected (or
>confirmed or maybe don't agree with) the theory.

Antares writes:

My experience with the all concert grands so far is, that after a fairly short time, say 10 - 20 years, most of their glory has gone away.
It sounds pretty sad, but that is one of the major reasons, why, after about 8-10 years the Concertgebouw here in Amsterdam buys another concert grand.
What happens with the "old" ones I do not know, but I think they get sold for a cheap price.
I do know quite a number of older concert grands, and they all have the same problem...the biggest problem is always the dip in the treble and the only thing you can do to "mask" this, is indeed new strings and hammers, a most perfect regulation, tuning and a most wonderful voicing.
I think that these last things are more important than the fact that an instrument is more or less young and vital.
Most pianists are very sensitive to a perfect and smooth action, a more than gorgeous tuning, and lastly, a heavenly voicing!

Recently, I restored a 30 year old Steinway concert grand. It had always been a character but the last years nobody played on it anymore, because there was a second one and much younger.
The newest instrument was not as nice as the older one, so I asked permission to work on the older one, which was granted.
Now, everybody chooses for the older one!
I agree that concert grands do age very fast and I can not give a proper answer why this is the case, but I am pretty sure that it has to do with the enormous soundboard and the extra tension.
I do not think that re-capping the bridge will help, maybe lowering the frame just a bit and new strings, dampers, hammers will give extra power for a number of years.


Friendly greetings from :
          
CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
André Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
       
‰  where MUSIC is no harm can be  ‰