looking to replace my upright...

[Clyde Hollinger]

Stephen,

It's hard to believe you're serious, but based on what I've read from you in
the past, you probably are.  The first challenge is to find any kind of
half-decent piano for $750 or less.  To add ten or more specific criteria to
your projected price probably eliminates every piano in southern California
(the area you specified) and even the entire world.

A year or two ago you spoke adoringly of your Ricca & Son.  Unless your
emotions have changed, keep the Ricca.  After you have a several hundred
thousand bucks to throw around, you can see if anyone is interested in
custom-building a piano to your specifications.

Regards,
Clyde

Stephen Airy wrote:

> Hi all.  Right now I have a 56" Ricca & Son upright, which has served me
> well.  I got it from some friends that were storing it, but they were
> moving and were going to take it to the dump.  Instead, I used it to help
> learn piano tuning and repair.  It has served me well and has a halfway
> decent tone, but I am almost ready to move on to another piano.  I'm not
> quite sure yet exactly what I plan to do with the Ricca, but I have some
> ideas.  I am thinking about getting another piano in a few months or so.
>
> So...  I was wondering where I could get some information on pianos to
> look for?  Basically, I would like to spend no more than $500 to $750,
> although that figure could change over the course of a few months.  I do
> not have space for a grand, but am a fairly advanced pianist.  (I'm a
> technician also, but still learning some things.) :)  I basically would
> like a very powerful, rich bass tone, with a fairly long sustain.  I also
> would like a midrange that has a fair amount of bright, rich overtones
> (but not harsh), and a bell-like upper treble section.  Because of the
> lack of space, I regret to say that I would be forced to settle for an
> upright.  Because of the tone I am looking for, I think that anything
> less than 57" tall would be too small, unless someone can suggest a
> smaller piano that has a good tone.  I would like a tone that is
> definitely superior to the current piano I have.  Samples of what I have
> now are at http://pianoplayer.hey.nu/HHMA_CD but I would like a more
> powerful low bass, a richer midrange, and a better high treble (for
> example, less false beats, more sustain, clearer tone).  I definitely
> need at the bare minimum 88 keys, because my playing style calls for it.
> Also, some of you may get on my case for mentioning stringing scale, but
> I've heard pianos that are similar to AND different from what I have.
> Basically, I can often hear the difference between wound strings and
> plain strings in certain ranges, and I would like plain trichords down to
> at least A#2.  Because of personal preference, I would also like to have
> wrapped trichords down to F2 or lower, because I've heard pianos with
> that that had a richer tone in that range, but that's not a strict
> requirement.  Also, I would prefer NOT to have a hockey-stick end tenor
> section of the long bridge, although I suppose I could settle for a
> little bit of minor blending on the lowest couple notes.  An exeption to
> the hockey-stick rule would be if I find a piano that has plain trichords
> all the way down to F2, and has a few-note hockey-stick section, so long
> as it doesn't extend above A2, A#2, or B2 or so, and is otherwise well
> scaled.
>
> What types and brands of uprights would you all recommend, based on what
> I have said above?  Also, about cabinet style, I don't really care if I
> get a plain cabinet or a fancy one, but I would prefer something that's
> in reasonable shape, if possible.  Also, about the action and other
> internal things on the upright, I don't mind having to do some minor
> work, or even full regulation on the piano, but I would definitely prefer
> not to have to make major replacements to parts for a while.  (i.e. I
> want to be able to bring the piano into good performance condition with
> what exists in the piano.)  As far as preferred brands, I don't really
> have any preference/requirements, but brands that have a good reputation
> would be preferable.