[CAUT] "this piano is dead" was Re: Tired wippens

[ed440 at mindspring.com]

Good heavens!  What is there to question?  Can you imagine what it would do for our profession if the universities of this country understood the annual value that a well-trained, well-paid and well-equiped staff piano rebuilder could add to their music departments?  Isn't this what we're working to get them to understand?  Wouldn't most of us be willing to work for one year for the cost of one new big name piano?
Ed Sutton


>-----Original Message-----
>From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
>A440A at aol.com
>Sent: Tuesday, November 14, 2006 8:35 PM
>To: caut at ptg.org
>Subject: Re: [CAUT] "this piano is dead" was Re: Tired wippens
>
>Wim writes:
>
><< I believe that there comes a time, especially with institutional 
>
>pianos, that you have to say "this piano has had it". In other words, 
>
>even though it might cost between $20 - 25K to totally rebuild these 
>
>pianos, (new everything, including keys), I don't think it will be as 
>
>good as a new one. At least that's my theory.  >>
>
>The Steinway Restoration Department loves this idea. They know how much
>they 
>can make off that old carcass and the whole sales pitch of "trade'em in
>on a 
>new one" is designed to support their profit. 
>   $10,000 for a complete action rebuild is everything needed to make
>the 
>instrument perform like a new one, shall I list them? 
>New back action, hammers, shanks, key-bushing, guide rail cloth,
>keyframe 
>cloth, whippens, damper felts, total pedal rebuild, keytops, new
>keyleads, (this 
>is a balanced action I am talking about), let-off buttons, maybe a new
>action 
>rail or two, back-checks, all punchings and the time to assemble and
>regulate. 
>$11,000 for the cost of a new soundboard and block/strings and cartage. 
>
>So, for less than half the price of a new one, what would be the
>difference?  
>     It could actually be cheaper than that.  No need to refinish a
>piano 
>that is going to live in a studio. And as far as a new soundboard, is it
>really 
>necessary for studio piano that will live with its lid down and covered
>up by 
>stacks of sheet music? Maybe just a block and strings if the bridges are
>good. 
>That would take another $6,000 off the price, so you might have $ 16,000
>in a 
>rebuilt M that will play just as well as what is coming out of New York
>right 
>now.   
>     What would serve the school best?  Three completely restored pianos
>or 
>one new one?   If they do decide to get rid of them, us rebuilders would
>love 
>to buy the old ones. 
>     I think it is totally false economy to trade in a Steinway rather
>than 
>rebuild it.  
>Regards, 
>
>
>Ed Foote RPT 
>http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
>www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
> 
>