rebuilding decisions

[Farrell]

I find some of the responses to this post to be rather curious. Some say you
should replace the soundboard and recap and new action. Some say it is
ridiculous to replace soundboard and just epoxy the bridges, etc.

I believe it is imperative to first consider what your objectives are. What
do you want to have when finished with your project? A new piano? A
better-than-new piano? A surprisingly good-for-being-80-years-old piano? Is
quality of product highest priority? Is profit highest priority? Is learning
experience highest priority? You also have to consider your existing skills
and equipment/facility availability. And if you are going for something less
than the complete redesign/remanufacture route, you need to consider the
current condition of the individual piano components (which you have indeed
provided some information on).

Various answers to the above questions will result in a wide array of
rebuilding task directions. The answers should lead you toward appropriate
decisions. So what do you say about these issues???? Curious minds.......

The few Millers I have worked on have been very high quality pianos.

Terry Farrell

www.farrellpiano.com


> After searching for a baby grand on which to learn some more skills, I had
> the good fortune to obtain a 1925 Henry F. Miller for small $$.  (Ad said
> "needs tuning").
>
> Not in good condition, obviously, but all the notes play and all the
pieces
> are there, and it is clear after looking it over a bit that this was a
high
> quality piano when new. Gorgeous mahogany underneath a mediocre
refinishing
> job.
>
> So now I have to make decisions about what to repair/replace.  Some things
> are obvious: needs a pinblock, and much of the felt is moth eaten.
Hammers
> have about 1cm long strike "points".  Tuning pins rusty.  Squeaky,
flattened
> knuckles.
>
SNIP
>
> Thoughts?
>
> -Mark