Grand Carriage

[Jeff Stickney]

List:
        One of the casters on the grand carriage of our 9' Steinway grand
had a blowout which has prompted us to consider the following:
        1) Replace the casters 2) Replace the carriage with a new one 3)
Replace the carriage with the individual leg dollies
        My questions: Are the individual leg dollies not a good idea for a
piano that has to be moved on and off stage on a regular basis?  We have a
9' Yamaha with those large, very smooth-rolling brass casters with the brake
and it doesn't seem to have a problem.  Would the "dollies" not be as stable
- offering the risk of a broken leg if someone is not careful?  (We'd look
at the kind with a square receptacle for the leg and 4 small wheels)
        Do those grand carriages get worn out in general over time?  The
middle is awfully high (bowed up)and the ends of the arms where the piano's
legs rest are awfully close to the floor.  Are they this way when new, or do
they lose strength over time?  I checked out the custom made carriages from
Decals Unlimited, but at $1,500 a crack they seem quite pricey compared to
around $250-300 for most others.  Are the others (Schaff, Jansen,
Pianotek....) created equal?
I hope this hasn't been covered before on the list - I  seem to recall some
discussion but not regarding the individual leg dollies vs. carriages.
Thanks for any input.


Jeff Stickney, RPT
University of Montana
jpage@selway.umt.edu