Duaine, 1. Ask the dealer of the shop to clear the area around and on the piano so that you can get a tuning hammer into play to find out whether it will hold a tune and get the serial #. If you don't have a Pierce Piano Atlas, send the serial #, and we can try to pinpoint the date of manufacture. 2. Compare the resale value of reconditioned upright pianos in your area with the amount you will have to invest in labor and materials in addition to the purchase price and expense of moving the piano. 3. Check the action parts to see how brittle they appear to be watch the hammers as you play the piano to see whether they wobble sideways. You want to know how much of the action you will have to replace and price those parts. I'm a sucker for a nice old piano but I know very little about Ellington's. Pierce does list the serial numbers though. Unless reconditioned uprights are selling for a lot more than they do in my area, if you have to replace a lot of action parts due to brittle wood or dry rot, it may not be worth it. Good luck, Fran Helms Duaine Hechler <dahechler@mlc.net> wrote: >Frances and list, > >I am a technician, even though relatively new. The piano is a full size >upright. > >Duaine > >Frances Helms wrote: > >>Duaine, >>You don't indicate whether this is a grand or an upright. The Ellington Piano Co. Cincinnati, Ohio, est 1893 is now controlled by Baldwin Piano Co. but Disc. in 1930. Accordington to the Pierce Piano Atlas, these were manufactured from 1895 to 1930. >> >>If you aren't a piano technician, you should contact one who is a member of the Piano Technician's Guild for an appraisal of the piano. No one can evaluate a piano without looking at it. You should expect to pay for his/her services. >> >>A lot depends on the condition of the piano, whether it is an upright or a grand, etc. >>Good luck, >>Fran Helms, >>Topeka, KS >>Duaine Hechler <dahechler@mlc.net> wrote: >> >> >> >>>List, >>> >>>I recently visited an antique shop and found a piano called "Ellington". >>>I really don't know the true condition since stuff was piled in front of >>>it or the serial number. >>> >>>From the outside, the case looks in good condition and most of the >>>keytops look good. >>> >>>I know this is a wide-open question, but does anyone think this piano >>>would be worth pursuing as a rebuild ? >>> >>>Thanks for any advise, >>>Duaine >>> >>>_______________________________________________ >>>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >>> >>> >>> >> >>__________________________________________________________________ >>The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp >> >>Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/ >>_______________________________________________ >>pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >>. >> >> >> > >_______________________________________________ >pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > __________________________________________________________________ The NEW Netscape 7.0 browser is now available. Upgrade now! http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp Get your own FREE, personal Netscape Mail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com/
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