Old Packard upright

[Gordon Holley]

Hello Susan and List.  I was asked by a neighbor with 4 children, one 
girl 9 years old that had been taking piano lessons, to look at their 
old piano that wasn't playing right and needed some work.  It turned 
out to be a Packard, 1912, with many ailements.  Hammers needed to be 
filed, a couple broken shanks, a few keys not playable but did have 
the hammers and shanks, many, many bridal straps gone or broken, and 
most key top front edges were chipped with a few key tops completely 
gone.  The case wasn't that bad, it varied from 25 cents flat to 5 
cents sharp.  No new strings or replacement parts that I could find.
Did not check the sound board for cracks.  Father asked what it would 
take to get it into playing condition as the little girl stood there 
listening to the conversation.  She said she had stopped taking 
lessons some time back and that was understandable.  I've know the 
family for some 10 years and they just seem to squeek by, now with a 
son graduating from high school wanting to go to college.  He plays 
the drums and the other kids seem to have a little musical talent 
also.  The father and I talked quietly, while mother and the children 
stood around. As I verbally walked through the estimated costs to 
rework what was apparent without "digging" further, I reached the 
$500 mark and the father said "well times are a little strained right 
now so I believe we'll wait until later".  Boy, the look of 
disappointment on the little girls face was enough to really tug on 
the ole heart.  He said to wrap up our conversation, "well, if and 
when we every move from here, we'll just leave the piano with the 
house".  This is the second time that I've visited a home with an old 
upright that the owner just didn't have the money to "do it right".  
With grandfathers like me with 7 grown children and 14 grandchildren, 
who many are very musically gifted (taking after grampa) there are 
times I wished I had a trust fund I could dip into and help some of 
these "Old Upright Families".  Have a great holiday weekend.  Best 
regards, Gordon Holley, Goshen, Indiana.

On 22 May 2002 at 12:42, Susan Kline wrote:

> At 08:54 AM 5/22/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> 
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>
> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> >Sent: May 22, 2002 8:43 AM
> >Subject: Re: Stieff upright
> >
> >
> > > I would be interested in a top ten/twenty list of uprights for
> > > rebuilding...solid well built pianos.  Beyond the obvious:  Steinway,
> >Mason
> > > & Hamlin, Baldwin (other obvious ones?)...
> > >
> > > David I.
> >
> >
> >You can start the list with Bush & Lane...
> >
> >Del
> 
> (I did -- I bought a 1906 B&L, probably weighs 750 pounds. Large backposts 
> veneered on three sides with birdseye maple. I took a mirror and a 
> flashlight and looked at the fourth side: clear one-piece maple. The music 
> desk assembly weighs 38 pounds. Holds the house down in a gale.)
> 
> Some of my other upright favorites are Packard, early Ivers & Pond, AB 
> Chase, Vose, and early Hardman; and from Canada, Nordheimer, early 
> Heintzman, and Bell. Besides the obvious. Some of the old Chickerings were 
> serious machines, though they sometimes have non-standard parts. Victor, 
> but that's just another name for Bush & Lane.
> 
> Susan
>