Restore 1900 Stieff Upright?

[Clyde Hollinger]

I have never seen a rebuilt old upright.  Are there any that could be displayed
at a convention?  I've seen a number of nicely rebuilt grands.  I'm sure very
few uprights get rebuilt.

Clyde Hollinger

Mark Dierauf wrote:

> > - ----- 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!