Geo. Steck upright

[gordon stelter]

I saw one of these in someone's basement for $50.
Rosewood. Probably still available.
     Thump

--- Delwin D Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Melis" <pianotunings@juno.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: November 03, 2003 11:23 AM
> Subject: Geo. Steck upright
> 
> 
> > Hello!
> >
> > As a first-time poster, new tuner, and total
> novice in the art and
> > science of piano technology, I have been dutifully
> taking in all the
> > wisdom, advice, and experience that the many
> regular contributors to this
> > list have to offer.  Thank you for all that I have
> learned and all that I
> > will learn.
> >
> > This last weekend I tuned a full-size Geo. Steck
> upright, vintage
> > 1910-15, if the piano tech who last worked on it
> is correct.  (I did not
> > make a note of the serial number, regrettably. 
> From what the owner said,
> > the piano tech who dated it based his/her age
> estimate on the fact that
> > the bass strings are wound with what appears to be
> steel rather than
> > copper.)
> 
> Probably pure iron, as was quite popular at the
> time, and well into the
> 1920s.
> 
> 
> >
> > In any case, many of the pins were very loose, and
> as I'm
> > tuning it I'm seeing that the pinblock is riddled
> with cracks, which of
> > course helps to explains the looseness.  It took
> two hours to get it as
> > good as I could, and not until I got home and was
> thinking about it did I
> > realize -- duh! -- that I have never before seen a
> piano where the
> > pinblock was exposed and not covered by the plate.
>  How interesting!
> >
> > Does anyone know whether this is how the piano was
> actually designed?
> > And if so, do you have any idea why?  I would love
> to know more.
> 
> Yes, this is how the piano was designed. In fact,
> you should be able to
> pull the strings off the piano and remove the
> pinblock without going any
> further into the structure by simply unbolting it.
> Of course, while you
> have the block out you may want to turn the piano
> around and pull the
> soundboard assembly out of the back of the
> instrument, again by simply
> unbolting it. It should be bolted separately to that
> beautiful plate. And,
> if memory serves you should not have to disturb the
> casework at all during
> this process. Well, except for the front top and
> bottom boards. And maybe
> the pedal board.
> 
> What you have here is a potential jewel. A friend
> (and former apprentice -- 
> Steve Ganz) called me several years ago to describe
> one of these and ask
> what could be done with it. I helped him out with
> some design services and
> he did the rebuilding work in his shop (Portland,
> Oregon). The results were
> astounding -- he also had a freshly rebuilt Steinway
> K (same height) in his
> shop. There was no comparison. This is not a piano
> you want to condemn to
> the demolition derby.
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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