Uprights

[James Dally]

John:  I am interested in the prices you receive for the uprights.  Thanks,
Jim Dally

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> From: Granholm Bros. <gbros@term.wanweb.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Uprights
> Date: Monday, November 10, 1997 2:53 PM
> 
> Dave and List:
> 
> I've been reading with interest the posts about refurbishing old
uprights.
> My brother and I have done many of them--they are a mainstay of our
> business.  Here are a couple more observations based on our experience.
> 
> We run our business based first on what our customers want.  When we look
> at a rebuildable old piano, we make sure our potential customer
understands
> the levels of work they can buy.  Some just want the piano working as
well
> as possible with original parts, and others want a total rebuild.  The
key
> is honesty with the customer.  I looked at two pianos last week, and my
> recommendation in each case was that the customers not put their money
into
> those instruments--buy something new, or find a better old piano, so we
can
> be assured of a satisfactory result.  The rule, though, is that the
> customer gets what he wants, and understands what that is.
> 
> Those who posted about the sentimental value of old pianos to some people
> were absolutely correct.  We did a mid 20's 85-note Wurlitzer for a lady,
> in spite of our recommendation that she not invest a lot of money in the
> piano.  She didn't care about the cost--the piano had been her mother's,
> and she had learned to play on it, and she wanted it made like new, and
> hang the expense.  She didn't care that the piano was of marginal
> quality--it was part of her family.  So we rebuilt and refinished.  She
was
> thrilled with the piano--so happy, in fact, that she sent her mother in
to
> buy one from us, and I now tune regularly for the customer, the mother,
and
> two sisters.  We've seen over and over again how a customer's eyes light
up
> when a refinished heirloom upright comes back into his home.  These
people
> love their pianos, and they happily write us large checks for the work we
> do.  For most of them, the fact that their pianos are not Steinways is of
> little importance--it's the memories of a grandparent or parent playing
the
> piano, or of the customer herself practicing as a child.  They are very
> happy to see their pianos brought back to life.
> 
> Somebody mentioned maybe keeping a few old uprights around.  We do that.
> We've had some customers poke through our "collection" and discover one
> they like, which they have then purchased from us, rebuilt and
refinished.
> Again, one lady liked her old Schumann so much, she came back and picked
> out another one for her mother.  The pianos, as I'm sure you know, are
easy
> to come by.  We get calls all the time, so we can be picky about what we
> buy.  We've taken some junk in trade, but we part 'em out and recycle
> plates, pins, wire, and as much of the wood as we can.
> 
> I know there are legitimate differences of opinion on this topic.  I've
met
> technicians who hate old uprights, and I've had my frustrating moments
> trying to fix unfixable junky pianos too.  If you can't stand them, don't
> work on them.  But I enjoy the restoration process, and it's gratifying
to
> see how great these old pianos can look and how good they (yes, some more
> than others) can sound.
> 
> Thanks for everyone's input on this topic.
> 
> John Granholm
> Granholm Bros Piano
> Roseburg  OR