Hello Stephane (I wonder how you put the accent on your first "e"?) No, Stephane, I didn't read that article. My first though is what constitutes an "older" Steinway? though I guess it means before 1870 or so.Mine is a Model "A" of Jan.1914 and the other is a Model "D" of 1890. I doubt (from the close scrutiny I have made of both) that I shall be lifting their frames since all is well on their soundboards. I propose to keep to as much of the original as possible therefore I'm not re-gilding the frames. A good clean up is what they need and new strings. Mine also needs new hammer assemblies so I am in touch with Andre (Wurzen) Oorebeek on that score:-) Did you know he also has touch felt and centre rail punchings also in Wurzen? I have a whole set from him but haven't yet had the time to install them. Thanks for the references in the PTJ's. Regards from the Night Sky in Sussex Michael ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stéphane Collin" <collin.s@skynet.be> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 1:30 PM Subject: Re: Old Steinways > Hello Michael. > > Did you read the interesting article of Bob Hohf about Bechstein pinblocks > ? It contains interesting comparison between the easy to repair block > (modern Steinway) and the one glued to the stretcher and housed in the > outer rim (Bechstein and older Steinway). Look at the atricles of PTJ > december 1996, february 1997 and march 1997. > > Best regards from the other side of the channel. > > Stéphane Collin. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michael Gamble" <michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk> > To: <A440A@aol.com>; <pianotech@ptg.org> > Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 12:47 PM > Subject: Re: Old Steinways > > >> Hello Ed and List >> I am contemplating re-stringing an S&S "D" Nr.63388. It was built in the >> Hamburg factory on January 18th. 1890 and shipped to the UK. There it was >> bought by the grandfather of my client as a 21st birthday present. "What >> would you like for your 21st birthday, my daughter? Choose anything! >> Money is no object!" reply "I want a Steinway Concert Grand Grandpapa" So >> that's why I have to contemplate re-stringing it. Believe it or not the >> hammers and rollers are in quite good shape! However, Ed., I was >> wondering where, in the annals of that S&S learning curve you mention, >> did my 1890 "D" fit? >> Shall I have troubles with the block and stretcher assembly? Question >> (considering the difference in piano nomenclature between the US and the >> UK) what part of the S&S is the "block and stretcher assembly"?(I'm glad >> I asked tht question:-) >> Regards from a beautifully sunny but windy day in the Sussex Downs >> Village >> Michael G.(UK) >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <A440A@aol.com> >> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> >> Sent: Sunday, May 22, 2005 6:04 PM >> Subject: Re: Old Steinways >> >> >>> Phil writes: >>> >>> << All this talk about old Steinways (pre-1875) are coming in very handy >>> >>> right now since I have a 7' 1865 in my shop as I type. >>> >>> What I find so fascinating about these instruments, or any instrument >>> >>> made before the Industrial Revolution is the fact that they were made >>> >>> before the Industrial Revolution. I'm sure we could all learn quite a >>> >>> bit by going back in time for a time for a look-see into how they did >>> it. >> >>> >>> Greetings, >>> Ah yes, we can learn a lot. Specifically, how not to make a piano. >>> That >>> is what the Steinways did between 1853 and around 1880. There are a lot >>> of >>> things in these pianos that the makers realized needed to be changed. >>> One of the most important things I have learned about these pianos is >>> how >>> weak the block and stretcher assembly is. I had the factory rebuild a >>> type 3 >>> piano from about 1870. Even after they had done all the work to spec. , >>> the >>> stretcher still bowed up terribly when the piano was under tension. It >>> isn't >>> very stable, tuning wise, either! >>> Dale Irwin writes of maybe addressing this with a Falconwood >>> stretcher, >>> but I would suggest finding some way of getting some steel in there. >>> Maybe a >>> heavy piece of angle iron that could be let into the stretch/block >>> before it is >>> installed? Somehow, more resistance needs to be found to the rotational >>> force >>> upon the pinblock when all the strings are pulling. >>> I don't think it always true that the older the better. I believe >>> that >>> the first pianos coming out of Steinway were designs in progress, and >>> the >>> really great pianos happened after they had finished their learning >>> curve. >>> Regards, >>> >>> >>> >>> Ed Foote RPT >>> http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html >>> www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html >>> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives >> >> > > >
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