By "the whole thing" surely you don't mean NEW soundboard,bridges,pinblock, action, and a nice finish for under $7000? In my neighborhood a first class finish on an upright can run $4000. I'm talking about meticulous work. We've all seen "rebuilt" pianos with shimmed boards, inexpensive finishes, new action parts, and the thing is no fun to play. --- "D.L. Bullock" <dlbullock@att.net> wrote: > Way off. We do the whole thing for about half that > > D.L. Bullock St. Louis > www.thepianoworld.com > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: ryan sowers [mailto:pianorye@yahoo.com] > Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 8:24 PM > To: Pianotech > Subject: Rebuilding vs. Buying new uprights > > > I figure an upright should be able to be rebuilt > for > about $13,500 > > Action $4000 > Belly $6000 > Refinish $3500 > Am I way off here? > > Here is what some new uprights list for (according > to > Larry Fine's latest suplement to The Piano Book: > > Astin Weight U-500 50" Oiled Oak $13,380 > Baldwin 6000 Mahogany $11,280 > Bechstein 52" Walnut $34,040 > Bluthner 52" Walnut $31,718 > Bosendorfer 52" Walnut $43,978 > Boston 52" Ebony $11,980 > Broadwood 50" Walnut $12,510 > August Forster 49" Walnut $15,750 > Grotrian 52" Ebony $27,200 > Haessler (Bluthner)52" ebony $23,254 > Hoffmann 52" Ebony $12,480 > Kawai K-80 52" Ebony $12,590 > Mason & Hamlin 50" $17,012 > Petrof 53" $14,500 > Pleyel 51" Mahogany $18,780 > Pramberger 52" rosewood $9,990 > Sauter 51" $19,800 > Schimmel 52" Mahogany $18,800 > Seiler 52" Walnut $19,180 > Steinberg 52" Walnut $13,050 > Steingraeber 54" Ebony $31,780 > Steinway 52" Walnut $26,600 > Yamaha U-5 52" Ebony $12,590 > > The typical vintage upright is 56" tall, Steingraber > is the only one to come close at 54". Many of the > finer vintage uprights feature beautiful veneers and > cabinet work that would cost a premium to build > today. > > > Also There are many people who can afford high > quality > pianos but find that grands just take up too much > space. > > Over the next 20 years I think that good vintage > uprights are going to become more and more > collectable. There is only a finite number of them > out > there and they are dropping like flies. > > Ryan Sowers, RPT > Puget Sound Chapter > www.pianova.net > > > > --- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote: > > David Nereson wrote: > > "I guess any chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled > > by the glue you use when > > it's re-assembled, but the surface on which the > new > > block is glued has to > > remain relatively undamaged." > > > > I like the chainsaw idea for the pinblock removal. > I > > used to trim trees > > professionally - now why didn't I think of that? > > However, you are correct > > that it will leave a "chewed up" set of backposts > > and spacers. That is one > > of the fabulous qualities of West System type > epoxy. > > The more chewed up your > > surface is, the better it adheres! So no worry > about > > that at all. In fact, > > if your surface is smooth, it is recommended that > > you rough it up with very > > coarse sandpaper. > > > > Terry Farrell > > > > www.farrellpiano.com > > > > > > Drilling a few hundred holes? I'm curious > about > > this method. Has it > > been > > > > described in the Journal? > > > > > > Andre Bolduc demonstrated an L-shaped jig > that > > screwed or clamped to > > the > > > face of the old pinblock, I believe, then hung > > down the top of the block > > > (piano lying on its back). The part that hangs > > down has a guide for a big > > > foot-long, half-inch (or so) diameter drill bit. > > > You start at one end and > > > drill holes the depth of the pinblock (actually, > > height of the pinblock > > when > > > the piano is standing up in normal position) as > > close together as you can. > > > The drill stop or gauge or piece of masking tape > > around the bit is set for > > > that depth (actually height, that is, the > > pinblock's vertical dimension > > when > > > piano is upright). Divide the width of the > piano > > by the diameter of the > > bit > > > and that's approximately how many holes you have > > to drill. Now there are > > > little bits of wood still between all the holes, > > since you can't drill > > holes > > > precisely next to each other or the drill bit > will > > "find" or "seek" the > > > adjacent hole and not go straight. You've got > all > > these holes OOOOOOOO > > but > > > you have to remove the wood between the 'O' s -- > > the hour-glass shaped > > > remaining walls between the holes. I think he > > used a bil ol' chisel and a > > > mallet. And I mean a 3-inch wide wide one and a > > big mallet. > > > Once he chopped out the block, I think the > > surface was smoothed with a > > > router, then prepared for the new pinblock. > > > Yes, it was described in the Journal, but I > > don't know which issue. > > > Terry Farrel's method of renting a big > > circular saw, or maybe even > > using > > > a chain saw, seems easier. A tech from our > > chapter once demonstrated > > > removing a Steinway grand pinblock using an > > electric chain saw with a > > > pre-set-up "track," or guide, attached to the > > stretcher. But that's where > > > the block was doweled or glued to the stretcher. > > > In an upright, for > > > removing the sides or pinblock with a chain saw, > > you'd need some way to > > keep > > > the blade exactly vertical, or horizontal, > > depending on your set-up, so it > > > wouldn't chew up the sides or the back assembly > > too much. I guess any > > > chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled by the > glue > > you use when it's > > > re-assembled, but the surface on which the new > > block is glued has to > > remain > > > relatively undamaged. > > > OR: > > > If you're rebuilding the whole piano, > > including refinishing, > > re-guilding > > > the plate, new block, new board, new everything > > else, then just leave the > > > old assembly in the driveway or back yard for > > several months, and after > > it's > > > been alternately rained on and baked in the sun > > several times, it'll just > > > knock apart with a small sledge hammer. ;-) > > > --David Nereson, RPT > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > === message truncated === __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
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