A lucky little Baldwin question

[Paul McCloud]

Hi, Geoff:
    The console would indeed be the Acrosonic.   A drop action IS a spinet by definition.  
    Unfortunately, the new owners of the Baldwin company did not assume the liabilities of the former owners, and so the warrantee is not going to be honored.  Sorry!
    If I were you, I'd just try to reglue the hammer felt and see how they sound.  Maybe they'll be ok.  You can test the rest of the hammer felt by tugging on it to see if it's about to let go.  
    Replacing the hammers would be a bit of a job, but if the value of the piano warrants it, go ahead.  You know these Acro's are plentiful, and available cheap, so it's your call as to whether it is worth the time and expense of replacing the hammers.   A used Acro can be had for about as much as replacing the hammers will cost.  But, where can you get a new piano for $600. (or whatever the job would cost) ?  With new hammers, you'd practically have a new piano.  Oh, yeah, levelling keys, regulating, etc.  Hmmm....  How badly do you need the work?  
    
    Good luck
    Paul McCloud
    Technician for PianoSD.com, a new Baldwin dealer in San Diego


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Geoff Sykes 
To: Pianotech at Ptg. Org
Sent: 10/11/2007 11:00:07 PM 
Subject: A lucky little Baldwin question


An existing client, with a nice new Yamaha grand at home, teaches music at a local magnate school. He called to have me come look at what he described as a junky little Baldwin spinet his school, and his class specifically, had just received as a donation. Neither of us had any real expectations, and were both considering ways to get rid of it after my minimum charge service call to declare it dead. Surprise, surprise.

What I found was a Baldwin drop action console, model 2011C, serial number 1332014, dated 1983. Though it doesn't say so anywhere, this is obviously an Acrosonic. We were told by the person who donated the piano that it had never been played. Finding the pitch at 426, (-53c), I decided that it had also never been serviced. With one small exception, this piano is still in "new" condition. It needs regulation badly, but the pinblock is like new, as is are the bridges, and all other mechanical and acoustical aspects of the piano. All the dampers are like new, as are the bridal straps. Not a speck of rust, or dust for that matter. In fact I found all the original manufacturers warranty info still in it's little zip lock bag taped inside the lid. I did a pitch raise and then a tuning and pronounced the piano both playable and serviceable. And it sounded pretty decent too. 

BUT ---

That one small exception mentioned above is that in spite of the fact that the hammers look new, no grooves in them at all and they still retain that slight new hammer cup shape, the hammer felt is starting to separate from hammer wood on a couple of hammers. 

As I write this I now wish I had actually read the warranty card while I was there. Somewhere I seem to remember seeing 25 years, which would mean that I still have one year to cash in on it. 

Anyway, is this piano just pretending to be in as good a shape as I'm experiencing it? I'm wondering if replacing all the hammers is going to be worth it. 

Feedback and suggestions welcome. Please.

And another question. Is a drop action console still considered a spinet?

-- Geoff Sykes
-- Los Angeles
-- www.ivories52.com
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