This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment From: Bdshull@aol.com [mailto:Bdshull@aol.com]=20 Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2006 3:47 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org; caut@ptg.org Subject: Early Steinway Grand research help =20 Hi, All, =20 I'm posting to both the pianotech and caut lists. I'm not a pianotech listee anymore, so would appreciate pianotech listees to respond privately. CAUT listees may respond either on or offlist, use your own judgment! =20 I am conducting research on the early Steinway grand, 1856-1883. (These pianos nearly all had jointed rims, most had agraffes to the top.) I also give a program on the subject - the history/design segment will be given in Rochester (hope you'll be there!). The reason I'm posting to these lists is to seek your help with this ongoing project. I have already learned that my fellow technicians are the most important resource for this project! =20 I list four areas below where this project could use your help. You might suggest others. =20 1. Documentation of early Steinways 2. Discovery of special or unusually important Steinways 3. Sound documentation of early Steinways 4. Collection of original parts or pianos =20 1. Documentation of early Steinways. =20 I am gathering data on as many important examples of early Steinway grands as possible. This includes=20 =20 photo documentation (as many pictures of as much of the piano and its components as possible). =20 =20 stringing scale: at least samples of all C's, plus beginning and ends of breaks; prefereably entire string lengths. Most of these pianos have tilting agraffes to the top. It's important to get an accurate speaking length reading from the actual termination, not the top/front of the tilted agraffe. =20 Action documentation. I use the table Pianotek sells, using standard Stanwood techniques which come with the table, to obtain key ratios, wippen weights and hammer weights. I photograph everything (including the weighed parts). =20 =20 Original string scale notations are important. =20 Any piano which appears to have original components is very important. Bass strings should be partly iron wound, and tuning pins should be 2/0 or smaller. =20 =20 I would like to do all this myself, but can't do it all. =20 =20 2. Discovery of special Steinways =20 Certain early Steinways are important. For example, according to Roy Kehl, the incredibly knowledgable Steinway piano historian, seven prototypes of the "iron grand" of 1869 were built, but he knows of no extant iron grand. These were probably sold in the northeast and some may still exist. One of you might have even seen this piano and wondered what it was! Finding and documenting an iron grand would be a very important event. =20 Any fully or partly original piano from the period is important. =20 =20 Unusual actions are important. the 1860 Steinway Patent Action, the 1871 Theodore Steinway Action, and - ANY original action, with original parts and hammers. =20 Centennial Grands (8'9", 1875-1883) are high on the list. It is my hope to find one in original condition, and also one which has been so responsibly rebuilt that it accurately reflects what this incredible design should sound like.=20 =20 3. Sound documentation of early Steinways. =20 I have begun to record early Steinways. I hope to eventually develop a recording protocol which is consistent. Unfortunately all I can do now is to set up my hi-fi stereo analog camcorder. It is much better than nothing, but has drawbacks - sound compression, for example. But I've gotten important recordings, for example, an amazing-sounding 1860 flat strung 8'3" with the Steinway Patent Action. I dream of finding a well-rebuilt, or fine original Centennial grand to record. And a properly restored 8'5" or 8'6" from the early 1870s would be a good example of what Anton Rubenstein toured with, on his famous whirlwind visit to America using a Steinway. =20 4. Collection of discarded original parts or pianos. =20 =20 I have observed that many rebuilders and shops modernize, modify, and simply toss many parts. Original action parts and components, original sostenuto components (from the sheathed, belly-mounted original rod, hangers and monkey hardware, to the pedal trapwork). Original soundboards (if board was replaced). Even original piano wire is useful in ascertaining wire content. =20 =20 Oh.....any seemingly useless piano might be useful too. Some of these pianos are now junked or waiting for....something....their rims or pinblocks/stretchers are so deteriorated that rebuilding is often unfeasible. Or rebuilding is simply so cost-prohibitive that the piano just sits. I'm interested in these pianos too.... =20 Again, this study is NOT a study of the modern Steinway grands, the letter model pianos we are familiar with. ALL wing grands built before 1879, and certain grands built until 1883 (especially 8'9" Centennials), qualify for this project. =20 I have a page on my website you may also check out:=20 =20 http://www.shullpiano.com/html/early_steinway_grand_research_.html =20 I welcome all suggestions too! =20 Thanks for your help. I can be reached at my cell, (951) 544-0121, or by email, bdshull@aol.com=20 =20 Regards, =20 =20 Bill Shull, RPT, M.Mus. Shull Piano Inc 590 E Industrial Rd 2 San Bernardino, CA 92408 =20 (909) 796-4226 bdshull@aol.com =20 =20 =20 ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/92/25/88/76/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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