John - Regarding the soundboard & oil-canning, etc. - it's not a pitfall if you simply plan on replacing the soundboard! Many (most - hopefully!) of us would not even consider rebuilding a piano like that without planning on soundboard replacement - and redesign, preferably. Terry Farrell On Mar 13, 2010, at 11:32 PM, John Dorr wrote: > Thanks for your answers thus far, guys. I'd like to respond to > what's been sent so far. Pardon the formatting... my email server > is very basic. I hope my interspersed answers and comments are > discernible. > > Paul Revenko-Jones wrote: > "If you are not seriously determined to replace the board, you might > rethink that. The piano may have "measured crown" (vague meaning > there), but it might well be false crown with the board suspended by > the strings across the bridges. You would be restringing over the > old board which may well collapse further upon de-stringing, and > then be asked to support new bearing. And how are you measuring > bearing, if I might ask? Just a thought. Otherwise, go for it! :-)" > > Ok, I measured downbearing by the ol' rocker guage. I put the > middle foot on the bridge and was able to rock it to each side. > That's about all I know of how to check it. Please, anybody, > enlighten me of a better way. Last I heard, (on this list) > Steinway's "spec" was "SOME downbearing." So there is that. > Bearing that in mind, I didn't put a feeler guage under either end. > > I remember reading somewhat recently about what you're talking > about.. that once the strings, which may be holding the board UP, > are loosened that the board may "oil-can" downwards. What would be > the good test for this? I would THINK they'd let me loosen all the > strings and then re-check for crown, because they're not using the > piano anymore. Would that be a good test? > > Thanks for reminding me of that possible pitfall! > > > Kent Swafford wrote: > "We happen to have an 1881 85-note A in the shop right now. It's a > very nice piano. We have had a few surprises (mostly because of some > rebuilding work that was done at Steinway in the 1940's) but modern > parts appear to work just fine. Name another product built in 1881 > for which you can still buy parts!You might have a good piano there." > > Thanks for the encouragement, Kent. > > > In a message dated 3/13/2010 7:15:55 P.M. Central Standard Time, davidlovepianos at comcast.net > writes: > "If you are doing this as a spec project figure out a realistic > value whenit's done (that age and only 85 notes is worth less than a > more modernSteinway), figure out the cost to get it there including > a new soundboard(if it's the original board it's too old no matter > what it looks like), newpinblock/stretcher construction if it's one > of those partial plates, finish,case parts, action, moving, cost of > selling (commissions). Figure out thevalue added that you'd like to > make on top of just your time (you must havesome incentive for the > risk you are taking other than just your hourlywage). Add 6% per > annum opportunity cost (what you might have earned withthe money > otherwise that will be tied up for period of time you will beworking > on it). Subtract the costs from the value and see if there's stilla > positive number that you can offer and expect a reasonable return. > CallSteinway first and see if they want to buy it as a historical > record pieceand compare. Keep in mind that it's a different market > than it was twoyears ago and the prospects for a change are > uncertain, to say the least. David Love" > > Thanks, David. I'm in total agreement with Paul. That IS care. > And, yes, that's how I'll arrive at a bid price to buy it, with a > 15% goof-up factor on top of all estimates. I wouldn't have thought > of calling Steinway first, so thanks for that. And I wouldn't have > factored in the time value of money, so I'll do that, too. > > Anybody got a rough idea of the value of a good 1881 Steinway 6 > footer? (Subtract 15-20% for Montana!) > > I'm well aware of the downward trending of piano values, and > that this would be a highly speculative endeavor. But I'm also just > intrigued with the process of restoration, and I realize I'll > probably have to "pay for my education" in this process. To this > point, I've only taken some beaters of no great interest and made > them play well and hold a tune. I want to take the next step and > restore some pianos, and learn about refinishing. (I'll farm out > this piano for the refinishing, though.) > > > Again, thanks to you who have responded thus far, and I hope this > discussion might also foster some interesting tangents on rebuilding > pitfalls and potholes - possibly even some anecdotes of unexpectedly > wild success. (Do those even exist?) > > John Dorr, RPT > Helena, MT >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC