benches for old uprights

[Mark Dierauf]

A customer of mine just got a smallish but sturdy looking upholstered
adjustable bench with a music compartment for 100 bucks at
www.themusiciansfriend.com Look under keyboards>benches. It shows as
adjustable from 18.8" - 22.8".

- Mark

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Nereson [mailto:davner@kaosol.net] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 3:09 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: benches for old uprights

    There are still a lot of old uprights around.  But no benches!  Not
ones that are high enough, anyway.  One's forearms should be
approximately parallel with the keytops, and with the fingers curved,
this puts the forearms about 3 inches higher than the keytops.  I have
an old upright with the ketops 30 3/4" from the floor.  In order for my
arms to be in the proper position, my spin-up piano stool has to be at
21", and I'm a six-foot adult.  
     My customer's upright has its keytops at 32" from the floor, which
for an adult would require a bench at more like 22" -- for an adult.
But she has little kids.  And she wants to be able to put the sheet
music in the bench.  
    Now, you can get organ benches that are 22" high, but in only one
style and no choice of wood or upholstered top or leg style.  They hold
some music, but not much.  And they tend to be cheap, spindly, and a bit
unstable.  
    The adjustable ones don't hold music, nor do the spin-up stools.
All the other piano benches are too short, except for one made by GRK in
the style of the old upright benches, with the bracing underneath
between the legs.  It is 22", but also $230.  That's the only one I can
find between:  Schaff, Pianotek, Jansen, Poeschl, Steigerman, and
Europa.   And no, the local dealers don't have any used ones.  
    Anyone know of any other bench companies?  With all the old uprights
out there and kids taking lessons on them, with their piles of sheet
music, I'd think there'd still be some demand for high benches.
Otherwise they gotta sit on a phone book or something.  Yes, I could tip
it on its back and put shorter casters on (Maybe! -- if the bottom board
doesn't scrape the floor or anything) but what a hassle!
    -David Nereson, RPT