"New" old uprights

[JIMRPT@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 5/02/2000 9:28:07 PM, Joseph wrote:


Joseph;
 I separated these two comments from the "rebuilding" post because I wanted 
to address them without being in the "rebuilding" context.

First:
<<"on any old upright approaching the century mark I doubt there is much in 
the way of soundboard life left.">>

  Right off let me say that I recognize the general, and common, knowledge 
that a generic soundboard has a limited life span.  But..............where is 
the empirical evidence that this is so? Is this so only in some sections of 
the country?  Why do there seem to be more soundboard replacements and 
replacing advocates in areas that are either drier or colder than where I 
live?

 On what do we judge a soundboard? Is it by sustain time? Clarity of tone? 
Richness of timbre? Ability to transmit a loud powerful passage without 
breaking down?  How do we judge this? 
  Is the mere fact that a sounding board is X years old a reason to replace 
it?
  Is the mere fact is that a piano is being restrung reason to replace a 
board?
  Is there any expectation of improving over a boards performance, by 
installing a new board, when the old board has a good, rich, clean, high 
sustain time quality?
  Is there any expectation that a board that has lasted X years, and still 
performing its function, is suddenly going to 'die' just because it was 
restrung?
  Answers to these four questions are only acceptable with attendant 
'empirical' evidence.

  Now there are some, whom I admire and listen to very closely, who advocate 
wholesale soundboard replacement...this may be needful in their areas but not 
needfully so in mine.  The theory/common knowledge that some types of boards 
are prone to failure in certain ways is a valid one. The theory/common 
knowledge that since some are going to fail 'all' are going to fail is not 
needfully as valid, or even perhaps that 'most' are going to fail.

<<"Thought: If there is such a demand for the nostalgic look and the
pre-eminent tone associated with larger upright instruments, why aren't
they being produced?">>

  I can think of several reasons why this is so although I don't recall 
anyone saying anything about "pre-eminent tone". :-)
1. The advantages of generic actions in grands over generic actions in 
verticals with the exception, possibly, of the Fandrich action for verticals.
2. The increased size of houses today over the average house of bygone eras.
3. The higher relative cost of even cheap verticals as compared to the lower 
relative cost of some small grands.
4. More acceptance of buying on credit...... thus allowing the average 
consumer to feel comfortable in upgrading their buy from a vertical to a 
grand.
5. The fact that an upright at 4,000 of todays dollars is a much higher 
percentage of disposable income than was one which cost 95 dollars at the 
turn of the century.
6. The fact that when I started selling pianos a well known maker sold one of 
 their 5'7" grands for 3,500 dollars and one of their consoles for 1,100.  
Now the prices respectively are  37,000 (a 10.6 fold increase) and 16,000 (a 
14.5 fold increase) These numbers are for the same exact model and size which 
are still being made.
(now I ain't the samrtest guy in town but I think that you can find a very 
respectable grand for 16 thou or less huh?)

As for "why aren't they being produced"......they are but not many of them 
are selling and for the reasons they aren't, see the above^.
My thoughts.
Jim Bryant (FL)