[pianotech] Rebuildable S&S B

[paul bruesch]

Hello Dale,

I'm still going around and around with my client (John) and Bob Friedman.
Bob has made what I feel is an extremely generous offer, based on John's
hard-core attitude and complete utter lack of understanding what a "good"
piano is. (Hint: it ain't this one!)

So now, after much ado with me in the middle, John called just now and
claims he's contacted Faust-Harrison Pianos in NYC. He claims that FHP has
made an offer 20% higher than Bob's.

I have never heard of FHP. Have you? Do you have an opinion of them? I
stand to make some cash if I channel it through Bob, and nothing if John
sells it directly to FHP.

Thanks! (If you haven't heard of them, I plan to post a similar query to
pianotech.)

Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN



On Fri, Jan 4, 2013 at 12:28 AM, Dale Erwin <erwinspiano at aol.com> wrote:

> Hi Paul
>  The value is really determined by what the cost of a total restoration
> would be. A 1929 B rode hard and put away wet, as you put it, is most
> likely going to need
> everything including a new key set. So if the restoration cost are for
> example 35K to 40 K the question remains.....what can it be sold for after
> work?
> Many shops across the country are finding it difficult to recoup 50K for
> even the most fastidiously restored Bs. In my opinion that's a tragedy but
> it is what it is.
>  In my opinion the piano presently is perhaps worth 7 to 12 K depending on
> condition.
>  Bob Friedmans is a stand up guy with his finger on the pulse nationwide.
> Call him
>
> *Dale Erwin R.P.T.
> Erwin's Piano Restoration Inc.
> ** Mason & Hamlin/Steinway/U.S. pianos
> www.Erwinspiano.com
> Phone: 209-577-8397
> *
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: paul bruesch <paul at bruesch.net>
> To: Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
> Sent: Thu, Jan 3, 2013 7:12 pm
> Subject: [pianotech] Rebuildable S&S B
>
>  I have a customer with a 1929 S&S (NY) B. It's been in a supper club for
> many years, been rode hard and put up wet. Customer says the action is from
> another B which was in even worse condition. This action is verdigris'd,
> although I did very successfully use the brake parts cleaner trick on it.
>
>  Customer has a second S&S B from 1968. It has also been in the supper
> club for years, but it is in overall much better condition.
>
>  He called me recently to ask if I thought he could sell one or the other
> of them. I suspect he's having cash flow issues, but I didn't ask. I
> suggested he should sell the 1929 model - because then he'd still have a
> piano in the place! He wanted me to suggest an asking price. I declined,
> but mentioned something I'd read here a few years back about a rebuilding
> carcass going for ca $1000 per foot. I don't recall if that was before or
> during the plantetary economic slump... does that rule of thumb still
> apply? Or is it regional, like a better-playing instrument?
>
>  Thanks!
> Paul Bruesch
> Stillwater, MN
>
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