Is Bigger Better?

[Farrell]

> What kind of budget is available for this project?

$15,000 to $20,000

> What kind of music will be played predominantly?

Classical.

What other "lesser" or less costly salvage pianos do you recommend? Knabe?
Baldwin R/L? Do you have a nice list of salvage pianos that are great for
rebuilding into excellent pianos (all bellywork would of course, incorporate
your design change suggestions)?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Delwin D Fandrich" <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2001 10:51 AM
Subject: Re: Is Bigger Better?


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: May 21, 2001 4:53 AM
> Subject: Is Bigger Better?
>
>
> > I am trying to provide some piano purchase guidance to my son's piano
> > teacher. She wishes to find an old salvage grand of high quality for
> > complete rebuilding (she wants a piano that is as good as or better than
> > new, but does not cost as much) - ideally, a Steinway, Mason & Hamlin,
> > Bechstein, etc. She is looking for the piano of her dreams - one that
she
> > will play for the rest of her life - or there abouts. Now I know (or
think
> I
> > know) that in general, within a particular piano quality/type range,
> bigger
> > is better....
>
> > ... So there is the question. I don't play piano, so I don't have very
> good
> > direct input/thoughts on the subject. Is bigger necessarily better
> (similar
> > pianos otherwise), i.e. is a M&H BB a lot nicer piano than a model A for
a
> > home studio use? She is a good player and continuing to take lessons -
her
> > desire is to obtain a piano that sounds good and has an action, etc.
that
> > will not limit her (and her student's) playing development.
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> This question brings up several more questions:
>
> What kind of budget is available for this project?  Within certain limits
> the musical and performance results do not at all depend on the name found
> on the fallboard of the piano. It will generally be less costly to start
> with a less costly piano and put the money into the work. If the
> rebuilder/remanufacturer is knowledgeable about some of the basics of how
> certain piano design features affect the tone performance of the piano
> he/she will be able to produce good results from just about any starting
> hulk.
>
> What kind of music will be played predominantly?  Again, within certain
> limits size does not have all that much affect on the performance of the
> piano through the range of music most commonly played. Remember, the
88-note
> keyboard compass did not become 'standard' until relatively late in the
19th
> century. The low bass of relatively short pianos can be made to sound
quite
> acceptable in pianos of the length your friend is considering if certain
> changes are made to the original design.
>
> Again, within certain limits the name on the front has nothing to do with
> action performance. Let's face it -- most rebuilders today are going to
use
> Renner action components to replace whatever was there to begin with. (Or
> something made to the same basic configuration and geometry.) Who cares
what
> name was in there to begin with? Ditto the damper tray and damper
assembly.
>
> The more I study small piano design -- and I include pianos considerably
> smaller than those you're talking about here -- the more convinced I
become
> that they really can be made musically acceptable if we understand their
> limitations and are willing to break the traditional mold as we approach
> them whether as rebuilders, as designers or as manufacturers.
>
> Regards,
>
> Del
>
>
>