---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Stephen, I do a program entitled "The Early Steinway" which covers the Steinway grand from 1859 to 1880. This represents the final transitional period to the modern piano, and Steinway's journey provides a good example of how a manufacturer successfully made the transition to what most people now think of as a piano. I am also interested in any information that can be gleaned from a completely original Style 1 to 6 Steinway, especially the results of an analysis of original treble string material. (I haven't yet discovered - if someone here has, please share - what Steinway used for treble wire; the lengths are too short for modern wire, even at a higher pitch Steinway played with during this period. I believe it is important in understanding the 1860's/1870's "sound world" to have a Steinway grand from the period which has orginal strings, so that a period instrument might be available for historical and period performance study. Ed's right to comment about structural issues; the pinblocks have a tendency to separate and/or warp, and the treble rim joint doesn't do so well either. But I know of more than one of these pianos which has been remanufactured successfully and is holding up fine, including one I rebuilt which is sustaining 3/4 degree of downbearing in the mid/high treble area. I am trying to prepare this program for publication (if PTJ is interested), but it is presently a Powerpoint presentation, and it's been slow go, so far, lots of pictures, little text. It's a real fun subject, though, I wish I had more time to write tonight, but there are too many issues to raise right now (since I'm currently crash'preparing tomorrow's CAUT classes at the CA State Conference in Sacramento). A brief rundown of a few of the issues: Short treble stringing scale, should be rescaled or Pure Sound wire should be used (consult with the folks at Pure Sound) Experimentation with pitch (Steinway was building some pianos at up to A-457) 3/4 plate/pinblock problems, might be fine and you can plug and reuse pinblock, but might also be a disaster and you should open up the case (it's a "mortised" pinblock) and install a new pinblock; 1st generation duplexing is extremely funky and should be abandoned; action geometry - key ratio may be upwards of 64%, and hammers are very light; even "lights" might be too heavy. Of course, the typical problems of early modern Steinways you'll find here, too, such as damper set screws that cannot be tightened. But none of these actions will have verdigris (unless rebuilt with parts from the verdigris period), which is why a very clean original example might make an excellent, fully functioning near-museum restoration. It is important to determine the "originality" of the instrument, since you may want to preserve, if it's worth preserving. That's a big subject, others may want to take it up in this context..... I could send you the current version of my "Early Steinway Grand" presentation if you would like. And/or you could ask the folks at MARC if they'd invite me to give the class there in March (nothing like a brazen effort to get invited to MARC, huh!) Sincerely, Bill Shull and also to In a message dated 2/10/2005 6:10:49 PM Pacific Standard Time, shsnyder@sover.net writes: Dear Friends, I have a customer with a Steinway Style II grand. This was in production for a couple of years between 1872 and 1873 before the introduction of the Steinway B. I hope some of you are familiar with this piano. This piano appears to be in original condition , but is in need of restoration/ preservation. I'm looking for feedback on whether it would be best to restore the piano -new soundboard, pinblock,bridge caps action parts.etc. or preserve the the piano using as many of the original components as possible? I realize there will be no clear cut answer, but given the historic/antique nature of the instrument your thoughts will be appreciated. Regards, Steve Stephen Snyder Registered Piano Technician 342 Scotts Lake Road Salem, NY 12865 518-854-3888 e-mail: shsnyder@sover.net ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/caut.php/attachments/07/77/e8/a8/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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