[pianotech] Amazing Victorian uprights....was alternate...

[wrlutzow]

Dale:

I can really relate to your dream/illusion about the great old pianos that were made around the turn of the century. Your dream has been my dream.

I love those old pieces of American history and have alway thought it would be nice to have a business called the Great American Piano Co. your know 'Buy a Piece of American History'...a well restored, quality piece of functional history.

I have been tuning/repairing/rebuilding for about 11 years now and every time I bring this subject up I get shot down by the old timers saying nobody wants to buy that stuff and it's not worth following up on the idea...but then that's what dreams are all about. I'm almost 70 years old and if I were a little younger I might give it a go...and that includes getting my RPT certification.

Marketing has a lot to do with financial success and I really think there's a market out there if it could be captured. Folks with money will buy if you can grab their attention.

Thanks for boosting my dream dreams.


Wayne Lutzow
Twelve Tone Piano Service
Lincoln/Wallace, CA
916-521-9035
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Dale Erwin 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 7:23 AM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Amazing Victorian uprights....was alternate...


  Hi Susan
    Having been in my shop on many occasions you know I love old uprights in a Victorian case, a  manufacturing time capsule  that will never be equaled. Virgin timbers, fierce competition and highly skilled American /immigrant craftsman from across Europe combined to make stellar instruments.  The entertainment center of the day.  A high symbol of class and musical cultural. When singing was considered way cool and done with abandon and great fun  aaaand playing the piano even more cool. A real status symbol
      I have this dream/illusion that someday folks around the country will realize how and gorgeous amazing these upright pianos are, These treasures built from the 1890 to about 1910 will never be built again....aaaand that many are worth restoring and will spend lots of money to restore and PLAY them.
   Hey , it's a dream, but it could happen and occasionally one of those  folks spend real money to do just that. We have one now. 
    Before he died Carl Meyer  RPTfrom San Jose gave me one of his treasures and he knew I would probably the only one that was nuts enough to restore it someday. A gorgeous Hardman Upright with an amazing Vic case.  Needs everything. Someday I will and someday I will exhibit it...in his honor!
   Regards



  Dale S. Erwin
  www.Erwinspiano.com
  Custom piano restoration
  Ronsen piano hammers-sales
  R & D  and tech support
  Sitka soundboard panels
  209-577-8397
  209-985-0990










    I realize that the Vose upright is just another old piano,
  I regularly tune an old Vose upright in good original condition (sometimes the Pacific Northwest's climate practically acts like putting something into a time capsule.) 

  I can't imagine anyone selling something like this for $15k, but if the facts were known to potential buyers, a Vose upright in a reasonable state of preservation ought to sell for a lot more than they probably do now. 

  Susan Kline
  = 

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