Hardman pianos

[Dave Nereson]

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    (For- What- It's- Worth Dept.):
    I tune a 1916 Hardman 5'2" grand which I think used to be =
great-sounding but now, for various reasons, is just "OK".  But I have a =
1904 Hardman, Peck upright in my living room which has more guts in the =
bass and better sustain than many a small grand.  The case is also =
beautiful with an inlaid Greek key pattern across the top and around the =
keybed and inlaid wood "torches" with mother-of-pearl handles and flames =
on the front panel.  It also has a cast iron frame under the keybed, =
making it quite heavy. =20
    The action is a Wessell, Nickel, & Gross, with wippens that have =
lost motion compensators for the soft pedal.  W, N, & G really made some =
nice actions in their heyday, but I've seen some from later decades that =
were a disgrace to the once-famous name.  Maybe this was after Aeolian =
bought the Hardman name -- did they also control the W, N,  & G name? =
According to a book I read about pianos -- I forget which one -- actions =
made by Wessell, Nickel, & Gross (three former Steinway employees who =
went into the action manufacturing biz), became quite well known.  But =
of course the general public didn't always remember the exact names and =
some salesmen of the time would try to sell a piano by touting its =
"wood, nickel, & brass" action.  No kidding.
    Hardman, Peck also made mini-uprights with different names on the =
fallboard.  Mine says 'Hensel', with Hardman, Peck & Co. underneath.  =
It's a cute 42" upright, not console, with 73 keys, and sounds as good =
as most spinets or drop-action consoles I've tuned.  Great gig piano -- =
I can roll it up a ramp into my truck all by my lonesome.       --Dave =
Nereson

 ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: kam544@flash.net=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2000 9:50 PM
  Subject: Re: A terrible piano


  >...I would have sworn
  >I was tuning a 75 year old Hardman upright...
  >Patrick Greene

  Hey, watch how you throw that name around there, pardner...  :)

  I picked up a 1909 Hardman grand (about 5' 8") about a week ago that =
looked
  like the pits for all practical purposes, has multiple cracks in the
  soundboard, definite bearing problems in places, action regulation =
highly
  irregular, pedal lyre loose as a goose, action shifts to the left, =
chipped
  keytops, tuning pin solution stains abound, about every reason on =
earth to
  trash the thing, or do a complete rebuild ... but with a name like =
Hardman?

  For the fun of it, I installed some used Tokiwa shanks and Abel =
hammers
  that were removed from a Steinway D.  Did some rough regulation ... =
very
  rough ... and man, does it put out like no piano I've ever met ... =
just
  unbelievable.

  It defies all known piano technology I've learned.  Just blows me away =
the
  magic sensation it gives when I play it.  I'm going to do as little as
  possible to not lose that mystique.

  So watch how you throw that name around there, pardner...  :)

  Keith McGavern
  Registered Piano Technician
  Oklahoma Chapter 731
  Piano Technicians Guild
  USA


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