looking to replace my upright...

[Stephen Airy]

Hi all.  Right now I have a 56" Ricca & Son upright, which has served me
well.  I got it from some friends that were storing it, but they were
moving and were going to take it to the dump.  Instead, I used it to help
learn piano tuning and repair.  It has served me well and has a halfway
decent tone, but I am almost ready to move on to another piano.  I'm not
quite sure yet exactly what I plan to do with the Ricca, but I have some
ideas.  I am thinking about getting another piano in a few months or so.

So...  I was wondering where I could get some information on pianos to
look for?  Basically, I would like to spend no more than $500 to $750,
although that figure could change over the course of a few months.  I do
not have space for a grand, but am a fairly advanced pianist.  (I'm a
technician also, but still learning some things.) :)  I basically would
like a very powerful, rich bass tone, with a fairly long sustain.  I also
would like a midrange that has a fair amount of bright, rich overtones
(but not harsh), and a bell-like upper treble section.  Because of the
lack of space, I regret to say that I would be forced to settle for an
upright.  Because of the tone I am looking for, I think that anything
less than 57" tall would be too small, unless someone can suggest a
smaller piano that has a good tone.  I would like a tone that is
definitely superior to the current piano I have.  Samples of what I have
now are at http://pianoplayer.hey.nu/HHMA_CD but I would like a more
powerful low bass, a richer midrange, and a better high treble (for
example, less false beats, more sustain, clearer tone).  I definitely
need at the bare minimum 88 keys, because my playing style calls for it. 
Also, some of you may get on my case for mentioning stringing scale, but
I've heard pianos that are similar to AND different from what I have. 
Basically, I can often hear the difference between wound strings and
plain strings in certain ranges, and I would like plain trichords down to
at least A#2.  Because of personal preference, I would also like to have
wrapped trichords down to F2 or lower, because I've heard pianos with
that that had a richer tone in that range, but that's not a strict
requirement.  Also, I would prefer NOT to have a hockey-stick end tenor
section of the long bridge, although I suppose I could settle for a
little bit of minor blending on the lowest couple notes.  An exeption to
the hockey-stick rule would be if I find a piano that has plain trichords
all the way down to F2, and has a few-note hockey-stick section, so long
as it doesn't extend above A2, A#2, or B2 or so, and is otherwise well
scaled.

What types and brands of uprights would you all recommend, based on what
I have said above?  Also, about cabinet style, I don't really care if I
get a plain cabinet or a fancy one, but I would prefer something that's
in reasonable shape, if possible.  Also, about the action and other
internal things on the upright, I don't mind having to do some minor
work, or even full regulation on the piano, but I would definitely prefer
not to have to make major replacements to parts for a while.  (i.e. I
want to be able to bring the piano into good performance condition with
what exists in the piano.)  As far as preferred brands, I don't really
have any preference/requirements, but brands that have a good reputation
would be preferable.
-- 
  Stephen Airy
  stephenairy@fastmail.fm