Rebuilding vs. Buying new uprights

[ryan sowers]

By "the whole thing" surely you don't mean NEW
soundboard,bridges,pinblock, action, and a nice finish
for under $7000? 

In my neighborhood a first class finish on an upright
can run $4000. I'm talking about meticulous work.
We've all seen "rebuilt" pianos with shimmed boards,
inexpensive finishes, new action parts, and the thing
is no fun to play.

--- "D.L. Bullock" <dlbullock@att.net> wrote:
> Way off.  We do the whole thing for about half that
> 
> D.L. Bullock    St. Louis
> www.thepianoworld.com 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ryan sowers [mailto:pianorye@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 8:24 PM
> To: Pianotech
> Subject: Rebuilding vs. Buying new uprights
> 
> 
>  I figure an upright should be able to be rebuilt
> for
> about $13,500
> 
> Action $4000
> Belly $6000
> Refinish $3500
> Am I way off here?
> 
> Here is what some new uprights list for (according
> to
> Larry Fine's latest suplement to The Piano Book:
> 
> Astin Weight U-500 50" Oiled Oak $13,380
> Baldwin 6000 Mahogany    $11,280
> Bechstein 52" Walnut     $34,040
> Bluthner 52" Walnut      $31,718
> Bosendorfer 52" Walnut   $43,978
> Boston  52" Ebony        $11,980
> Broadwood 50" Walnut     $12,510
> August Forster 49" Walnut $15,750
> Grotrian 52" Ebony        $27,200
> Haessler (Bluthner)52" ebony $23,254
> Hoffmann 52" Ebony           $12,480
> Kawai K-80 52" Ebony         $12,590
> Mason & Hamlin 50"           $17,012
> Petrof 53"                   $14,500
> Pleyel 51" Mahogany          $18,780
> Pramberger 52" rosewood      $9,990
> Sauter 51"                   $19,800
> Schimmel 52" Mahogany        $18,800
> Seiler 52" Walnut            $19,180
> Steinberg 52" Walnut         $13,050
> Steingraeber 54" Ebony       $31,780
> Steinway 52" Walnut          $26,600
> Yamaha U-5 52" Ebony         $12,590
> 
> The typical vintage upright is 56" tall, Steingraber
> is the only one to come close at 54". Many of the
> finer vintage uprights feature beautiful veneers and
> cabinet work that would cost a premium to build
> today.
> 
> 
> Also There are many people who can afford high
> quality
> pianos but find that grands just take up too much
> space. 
> 
> Over the next 20 years I think that good vintage
> uprights are going to become more and more
> collectable. There is only a finite number of them
> out
> there and they are dropping like flies. 
> 
> Ryan Sowers, RPT
> Puget Sound Chapter
> www.pianova.net
> 
> 
> 
> --- Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> > David Nereson wrote:
> > "I guess any chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled
> > by the glue you use when
> > it's re-assembled, but the surface on which the
> new
> > block is glued has to
> > remain relatively undamaged."
> > 
> > I like the chainsaw idea for the pinblock removal.
> I
> > used to trim trees
> > professionally - now why didn't I think of that?
> > However, you are correct
> > that it will leave a "chewed up" set of backposts
> > and spacers. That is one
> > of the fabulous qualities of West System type
> epoxy.
> > The more chewed up your
> > surface is, the better it adheres! So no worry
> about
> > that at all. In fact,
> > if your surface is smooth, it is recommended that
> > you rough it up with very
> > coarse sandpaper.
> > 
> > Terry Farrell
> > 
> > www.farrellpiano.com
> > 
> > > > Drilling a few hundred holes?  I'm curious
> about
> > this method.  Has it
> > been
> > > > described in the Journal?
> > >
> > >     Andre Bolduc demonstrated an L-shaped jig
> that
> > screwed or clamped to
> > the
> > > face of the old pinblock, I believe, then hung
> > down the top of the block
> > > (piano lying on its back).  The part that hangs
> > down has a guide for a big
> > > foot-long, half-inch (or so) diameter drill bit.
> 
> > You start at one end and
> > > drill holes the depth of the pinblock (actually,
> > height of the pinblock
> > when
> > > the piano is standing up in normal position) as
> > close together as you can.
> > > The drill stop or gauge or piece of masking tape
> > around the bit is set for
> > > that depth (actually height, that is, the
> > pinblock's vertical dimension
> > when
> > > piano is upright).  Divide the width of the
> piano
> > by the diameter of the
> > bit
> > > and that's approximately how many holes you have
> > to drill.  Now there are
> > > little bits of wood still between all the holes,
> > since you can't drill
> > holes
> > > precisely next to each other or the drill bit
> will
> > "find" or "seek" the
> > > adjacent hole and not go straight.  You've got
> all
> > these holes OOOOOOOO
> > but
> > > you have to remove the wood between the 'O' s --
> > the hour-glass shaped
> > > remaining walls between the holes.  I think he
> > used a bil ol' chisel and a
> > > mallet.  And I mean a 3-inch wide wide one and a
> > big mallet.
> > >     Once he chopped out the block, I think the
> > surface was smoothed with a
> > > router, then prepared for the new pinblock.
> > >     Yes, it was described in the Journal, but I
> > don't know which issue.
> > >     Terry Farrel's method of renting a big
> > circular saw, or maybe even
> > using
> > > a chain saw, seems easier.  A tech from our
> > chapter once demonstrated
> > > removing a Steinway grand pinblock using an
> > electric chain saw with a
> > > pre-set-up "track," or guide, attached to the
> > stretcher.  But that's where
> > > the block was doweled or glued to the stretcher.
> 
> > In an upright, for
> > > removing the sides or pinblock with a chain saw,
> > you'd need some way to
> > keep
> > > the blade exactly vertical, or horizontal,
> > depending on your set-up, so it
> > > wouldn't chew up the sides or the back assembly
> > too much.  I guess any
> > > chewed-up wood or gaps will be filled by the
> glue
> > you use when it's
> > > re-assembled, but the surface on which the new
> > block is glued has to
> > remain
> > > relatively undamaged.
> > > OR:
> > >     If you're rebuilding the whole piano,
> > including refinishing,
> > re-guilding
> > > the plate, new block, new board, new everything
> > else, then just leave the
> > > old assembly in the driveway or back yard for
> > several months, and after
> > it's
> > > been alternately rained on and baked in the sun
> > several times, it'll just
> > > knock apart with a small sledge hammer.    ;-)
> > >     --David Nereson, RPT
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> 
=== message truncated ===



		
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