Weber with 4 string unisons

[jason kanter]

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RE: Weber with 4 string unisonsPlease take some pictures and keep a =
visual journal of the work you do on this piano. If it is truly =
Paderewski's piano, what a find, and restoring it - what a story... with =
Wurzen felt ...=20
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Phillip Ford=20
  To: Pianotech=20
  Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 5:51 PM
  Subject: RE: Weber with 4 string unisons


  Interesting.  There's another one of these on the West Coast, as it's =
on its side in my shop in San Francisco, although I was told that it had =
been in a church in Michigan for much of its life.  The piano is a =
basket case (literally - it came to me in boxes - maybe it's a 'box =
case').  I think it was already worn out, but then the church burned =
down, which didn't do anything to improve the condition of the piano, =
needless to say.  Funny you should mention Paderewski, as the story I =
was told was that this was 'Paderewski's piano', whatever that means.  =
I'm not sure how you would go about proving such a thing.  I suppose =
it's like having a piece of the true cross.  I gave some credence to the =
story since it had four string unisons in the top two sections, which I =
had assumed was unique, but now I see is not.  Another feature of this =
piano - it's obviously set up for travelling.  The frame is cut away in =
a particular fashion and there are metal brackets nested in it to which =
the legs and lyre are attached when the piano is on its side.  Another =
reason I gave at least a little credence to the Paderewski story.  One =
of those rebuilding projects for when I have some spare time (which =
means it will probably be inherited by another technician).  I'd love to =
see this one in good shape.  I'm sure it will be no problem ordering =
some new 4 string agraffes from one of the supply houses.  Maybe some =
day....


  Phil Ford


    Dave.
    I took care of one of these for years.  There were only a few made.  =
At one time there was a fellow trying to find all of them in the country =
and it turned out the majority were here on the West Coast.  Paderewski =
used them when he was feuding with Steinway and often the program would =
even mention the use of the Weber. =20

    ...  I'd love to see one in good shape.

    Hope this helps,
    jeannie

    Jeannie Grassi, RPT
    Associate Editor, Piano Technicians Journal=20


      Old Weber fans,

      Today I happened upon an old Weber 9 foot concert grand that was =
not in the greatest shape, though in its time, it must have been REALLY =
magnificent.  The strings were pretty rusted, though at pitch, and =
tunable(despite having been installed more sloppily than I've ever =
seen). I didn't get to tune the whole thing, just looked it over a bit.

      The interesting feature is the four string unisons above the =
treble/tenor strut.  I wish the piano was in good shape so I could =
really evaluate what musical effect this would create.  Has anyone on =
this list come across one of these in decent condition?  Tuning them =
must be a bit of a challenge.  The strings of each note are so close =
together, that they seem quite difficult to get a mute between.


      Just another of life's interesting pianos.


      Dave Stahl


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