Rebuiling uprights

[Erwinspiano@aol.com]

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Terrys  post on bridge capping sparked this post. 
    Although our usual rebuild is some form of grand piano this year I've had 
a small run of people willing to rebuild solid post Victorian uprights. No 
boards but full sets of bridge caps, strings, key&action work & hand rubbed 
lacquer refinishing of the cases. These piano are well preserved Calif. pianos 
with boards still offering musical potential & of course the never to be seen 
again Victorian beauty.
  These pianos are by brand name,Schaaf bros. 1903, Mason& Hamlin 1908. 
Baldwin 1885,(one of the first) & A Steinway k 1911. This is really weird. We don't 
usually do more than one per year. My question, is this a trend anyone else 
is seeing? 
   My criteria for agreeing to take on these projects is that the boards must 
still sing & not seriously cracked up & that basically a very good musical & 
aesthetic outcome can be assured. If the piano is a train wreck I don't take 
the job & I tell them the truth. Nothing marginal. been there done that & it's 
no fun.
  It's true (at least in Ca) that perhaps one in twenty uprights is worth 
doing in the musical sense but none except the Steinway is worth doing in the 
financial value sense. Make cents? Any way, despite my disclaimer statements to 
the client (prior to rebuilding) as to its Monetary worth after rebuilding, 
which is that it wouldn't probably retail for half what they had in it they still 
choose to do it. The reasons are: Family piano, we liked the old look and 
sound. It sound better than the new pianos. The case is gorgeous. They'll never 
make these again etc.
  That's it. I guess there's folks with money & a different sat of priorities 
out there willing to do this. Oh yeah I love these  Pianos man.

Dale Erwin
Erwins Piano Restorations
4721 Parker Rd, Modesto, Ca. 95357
erwinspiano@aol.com

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