Restore 1900 Stieff Upright?

[Mark Dierauf]

> - ----- Original Message -----
> From: Chris Currie <c.currie@ieee.org>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: February 01, 2000 1:20 PM
> Subject: Restore 1900 Stieff Upright?
>
>
...Snip
>
> > *  I understand that many old uprights just simply aren't worth
restoring,
> > or simply can't be.  Do you think a 1900 Stieff is a promising candidate
> for
> > such a project?
>
> You are going to get a bunch of advice on how to trash this piano.  I take
a
> different view.  It will probably cost you between $6,000 and $12,000 to
> rebuild/remanufacture this piano.  And, no, you won't be able to sell it
for
> that much when you are finished.  On the other hand, the $12,000 will get
> you a basically new action, pinblock inserts, a new soundboard and
possibly
> new bridges, a new stringing scale, etc.  Where else will you be able to
get
> a piano that will play and sound as good as this old piano for that kind
of
> money?
>
Snip...

> Del
> Delwin D Fandrich
> Piano Designer & Builder
> Hoquiam, Washington  USA
> E.mail:  pianobuilders@olynet.com
> Web Site:  http://pianobuilders.olynet.com/
>

  Del I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately (at least based upon my
experience) most of these old upright are getting to be in pretty sad shape,
and there aren't many rebuilders willing to go to the trouble to restore or
remanufacture them the way they would a Steinway or Mason & Hamlin. As you
said, the piano probably isn't worth the cost of such a rebuild, so the
economics just aren't there. On the other hand, if somebody with the skill
and experience to do the job properly can be found, and the customer is
willing to pay for it I have little doubt that such a piano could make a
fine instrument. It also might have some advantages over most new pianos,
i.e. beautiful veneer, (possibly) attractive case styling and a bigger more
powerful tone due to it's larger size.

- Mark

P.S. Chris - Since Stieff is a Baltimore piano, have your technician look
particularly at the bridges. Usually, the bridge capping material runs cross
grain across the bridges and so will definitely need replacement. In fact,
these caps usually fall off once the strings are removed!