QUESTION ABOUT AN OLD PIANO

[Shawn Brock]

Good answer John!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Formsma" <formsma at gmail.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: QUESTION ABOUT AN OLD PIANO


> Marshall,
>
> I am recommending people not do anything with old uprights. I no
> longer tune them, having built up a database that at present allows me
> to work on other pianos.
>
> My experience with old uprights is that they require more work than
> tuning. That "more work" ends up being personally unsatisfying because
> there is so much more work that should be done before tuning, and the
> customer is unwillling or unable to pay (and I don't recommend any
> work except full restoration which never gets a taker). Things like
> adjusting 1/4" or more of lost motion, backchecks, etc. Not to mention
> hard hammers and deteriorated everything that make tuning difficult.
>
> John Formsma
>
> On 5/24/07, pianotune05 at comcast.net <pianotune05 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> Hi Everyone,
>> Someone e-mailed me who wants to sell an old piano.  It's a Baurer 
>> manufactured in Chicago.  I'm told that the piano is in pretty good shape 
>> with one key not working. I'd have to check it out to get an actual look 
>> at it.  I'm wondering first, does this person have a chance at selling 
>> this old piano. She thinks it's a 100 year old piano.  I asked her to 
>> provide the serial number, but she has not as of yet.  Are these pianos 
>> worth rebuilding? If so, is there anyone out there in my area, Chicago 
>> interested in an old piano for this type of project?   What can I do to 
>> help her sell the piano as in the role of a piano broker?  If its a 
>> hopeless case, what should I tell her.  Thanks.
>> Marshall
>> Villa Park, IL
>>
>