Stieff upright

[Farrell]

It is interesting that you mention tuning stability trouble with your Starr upright. When I was first trying to tune a piano, I worked on my Starr for a couple months. I was using my AccuTuner and I would set everything just so, but when I would go back a check it, everything was at least several cents off. I just figured it was me.

Then I finally tried to tune my new Steinway 1098. It took me five hours, but every note more-ro-less stayed right where I put it. I never tried the Starr again. I decided it was definately defective. Never did figure out what the problem was - but I did figure out how to solve it - junk it!

Terry Farrell
  
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan Kline" <sckline@attbi.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, May 24, 2002 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: Stieff upright


> At 07:36 AM 5/24/2002 -0400, Terry wrote:
> >All right now. We have crossed the line. Starr. No way. I service a number 
> >of these. I bought a 1912 Starr and learned (kinda) to tune on it. A lady 
> >wanted to buy it from me, but I refused (just did not want to be 
> >associated with junk-selling of that caliber). A few weeks ago I tore it 
> >apart so that I could cut up the soundboard and play with it. Whereas it 
> >is clearly not a cheaply made as some low-end PSOs of the 60s and 70s, it 
> >is not a heavily built piano. Pretty much square cut everywhere and 
> >minimal glue used. A couple whacks with a 2 x 4 and that rascal was in 497 
> >pieces.
> >
> >Nope, I recommend scratching "Starr" off any list of quality uprights! JMHO!
> 
> I struggled with one of these things for years, before the church gave up 
> on it and traded it in for a decent (serviceable) used Everett. Starr was 
> very disappointing. Looked like a good big old upright, but the treble was 
> very false and went out of tune within a day or two, over and over. I 
> fiddled with the bridge pins and wire to no avail. I finally told them to 
> stop wasting their money having me tune it (and touch it up, over and 
> over.) Not usual behavior for a big, not-bad-looking 1903 piano.
> 
> Maybe we should have an anti-list? The 10 most disappointing old big 
> upright brands? Kingsbury, Starr, Janssen? It would be misleading, since 
> most big old pianos aren't all that bad, unless they've been mistreated.
> 
> Susan 
> 
>