[CAUT] Steinway Style II Grand

[Bdshull@aol.com]

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Stephen,

I do a program entitled "The Early Steinway" which covers the Steinway grand 
from 1859 to 1880.  This represents the final transitional period to the 
modern piano, and Steinway's journey provides a good example of how a manufacturer 
successfully made the transition to what most people now think of as a piano.  
I am also interested in any information that can be gleaned from a completely 
original Style 1 to 6 Steinway, especially the results of an analysis of 
original treble string material.    (I haven't yet discovered - if someone here 
has, please share - what Steinway used for treble wire;  the lengths are too 
short for modern wire, even at a higher pitch Steinway played with during this 
period.  I believe it is important in understanding the 1860's/1870's "sound 
world" to have a Steinway grand from the period which has orginal strings, so 
that a period instrument might be available for historical and period performance 
study.

Ed's right to comment about structural issues;  the pinblocks have a tendency 
to separate and/or warp, and the treble rim joint doesn't do so well either.  
But I know of more than one of these pianos which has been remanufactured 
successfully and is holding up fine, including one I rebuilt which is sustaining 
3/4 degree of downbearing in the mid/high treble area.

I am trying to prepare this program for publication (if PTJ is interested), 
but it is presently a Powerpoint presentation, and it's been slow go, so far, 
lots of pictures, little text.   It's a real fun subject, though, I wish I had 
more time to write tonight, but there are too many issues to raise right now 
(since I'm currently crash'preparing tomorrow's CAUT classes at the CA State 
Conference in Sacramento).  

A brief rundown of a few of the issues:  

Short treble stringing scale, should be rescaled or Pure Sound wire should be 
used (consult with the folks at Pure Sound)

Experimentation with pitch (Steinway was building some pianos at up to A-457)

3/4 plate/pinblock problems, might be fine and you can plug and reuse 
pinblock, but might also be a disaster and you should open up the case (it's a 
"mortised" pinblock) and install a new pinblock;

1st generation duplexing is extremely funky and should be abandoned;  

action geometry - key ratio may be upwards of 64%, and hammers are very 
light;  even "lights" might be too heavy.   

Of course, the typical problems of early modern Steinways you'll find here, 
too, such as damper set screws that cannot be tightened.  But none of these 
actions will have verdigris (unless rebuilt with parts from the verdigris 
period), which is why a very clean original example might make an excellent, fully 
functioning near-museum restoration.  

It is important to determine the "originality" of the instrument, since you 
may want to preserve, if it's worth preserving.  That's a big subject, others 
may want to take it up in this context.....

I could send you the current version of my "Early Steinway Grand" 
presentation if you would like.   And/or you could ask the folks at MARC if they'd invite 
me to give the class there in March (nothing like a brazen effort to get 
invited to MARC, huh!)

Sincerely,

Bill Shull

and also to In a message dated 2/10/2005 6:10:49 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
shsnyder@sover.net writes:
Dear Friends,

I have a customer with a Steinway Style II grand.  This was in production for 
a couple of years between 1872 and 1873 before the introduction of the 
Steinway B.  I hope some of you are familiar with this piano.   This piano appears 
to be in original condition , but is in need of restoration/ preservation.  I'm 
looking for feedback on whether it would be best to restore the piano -new 
soundboard, pinblock,bridge caps action parts.etc. or preserve the  the piano 
using as many of the original components as possible?  I realize there will be 
no clear cut answer, but given the historic/antique nature of the instrument 
your thoughts will be appreciated.

Regards,
Steve

Stephen Snyder
Registered Piano Technician
342 Scotts Lake Road
Salem, NY 12865
518-854-3888

e-mail: shsnyder@sover.net

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