Old uprights - think twice?

[Ron Nossaman]

>I am wondering if there is a gradual change in our thinking taking place
>regarding old uprights.  Ten years ago I would have thought that the
>best way to advise owners of these pianos is that they be disposed of.
>
>Yet some of them were very well built, and it seems to me that there is
>a slow but increasing sentiment that at least the better ones are worth
>keeping.  Should we show these old beasts more respect?
>
>Regards,
>Clyde Hollinger, RPT


Hi Clyde,
Do you mean service, or rebuild? I can't speak for anyone else, but for me
it's not a matter of respect, put of simple practicality. I've
resometherothered a number of old uprights through the years and will
likely do others in the future. I wouldn't hesitate a bit to do a full
blown remanufacturing resurrection on a decently built one if someone was
willing to spend the required multiples of finished market value to have it
done. So far, I have yet to meet that someone. Most folks are reluctant to
put more money into an upright than it's "worth". Those that will, measure
"worth" in ways other than cash value, up to a point. An upright, like a
grand, will reach a point where realistic service won't result in realistic
performance and forces the issue of rebuild, replace, or ignore
indefinitely. The grand will have a higher finished market value
(hopefully), and will be more likely to be rebuilt. It is also more
expensive to replace, and takes up an awful lot of floor space to be
allowed to stand there dead and ignored for any length of time as a plant
stand.

As far as servicing worn out old uprights, I'm not interested as long as I
have better work to feed me and mine. I'm not interested in servicing old
worn out grands either, and for precisely the same reasons, but I'm much
more likely to go out and look at a grand because of the vastly greater
potential for rebuild work.

Interestingly enough grand owners seem to be far more willing to accept the
results of a living room autopsy than are upright owners. I presume it's
because an upright can be much further gone than a grand and "most of the
notes still work, can't you just...". 


Ron N