Baldwin worth rebuilding?

[Bob Hull]

Caut - 
The university I subcontract for has a 1960's 9'
Baldwin in their main auditorium/Chapel.  (It is not
the recital hall) 
The sound of this instrument is absolutely nasty. I
have been servicing it for only the last 3 years so I
don't know what all has been done to it in the past.
Tuning it is almost useless because unisons can't be
made to sound decent.  The last time I tuned it I told
the head of the keyboard dept. that anymore playing on
it would possibly damage the key mortises, the
bushings are so gone.
I have promoted the idea 2 or 3 times that it should
be rebuilt, but he maintains that he doesn't think
it's worth rebuilding because he says he doubts it
would sound very good even after rebuilding.
It will be a long wait for a donor to come up with
80-90 thousand for a new S&S or other 9'.  I have said
that about $25,000 would get a complete rebuild, with
new board, bridges and refinishing.  It has one of the
bridge designs where the bridge pins are not parallel
to the stretcher.
I don't do soundboards or 9's. Is there any reason
that a quality rebuilder of concert grands couldn't
turn this beast into a beauty?  (A couple of
rebuilders have said they thought it would be a great
piano after rebuilding but I'd like to hear from other
cauts. (Same question for a Kawai KG -6C - why not
rebuild instead of spending so much for a new) 
The amount of money available for new pianos and piano
maintenance is so tight, wouldn't it be better
financially to rebuild?

Bob Hull




	
		
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