Steinway vertical

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Clyde Hollinger wrote:

> Dear list,
>
> A church, whose two pianos I have been servicing since 1986, was
> recently recipient of a donated new Steinway vertical piano.  I have
> several questions I hope someone can answer:
>
> 1.  Is this one of the difficult-to-tune 1098s?  It measures about 46
> 1/4" high and has the number 45 cast in the plate.

Yes.


> 2.  If so, would you recommend I service the piano (I'm not hurting for
> work), or should I let the Steinway dealer's people wrestle with it?

Only you can answer that question. They are difficult to tune. Not impossible. I worked
pretty closely with them for several years and learned to wrestle them into submission
without too much stress.


> 3.  It was signed by Henry Steinway on the top surface inside the lid.
> Does that have any specific meaning or does it increase the value of the
> piano?

That and about $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee at a good coffee shop. While on
marketing and promotional trips the Steinway's would often sign whatever pianos a dealer
would have on the floor.


> 4.  When facing the front of the piano, the soundboard appears to have a
> deliberately made saw kerf about 7 or 8" long in the lower right corner,
> parallel with the woodgrain.  What is its purpose?  I never noticed
> anything like this before.
>
> Thank you.
> Clyde Hollinger, RPT
> Lititz, PA

If memory serves, that cut is not actually in the soundboard. It is in the solid maple
cutoff block. It is there to take up wood expansion and contraction due to humidity
changes.

-- ddf