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Michael,
<p>I agree that some of those uprights were pretty marvelous in their day.
If you can make a living finding and rehabilitating good-quality 90-year-old
uprights that are in like-new condition except for one repair, go for it.
Would *any* of us suggest such pianos be treated with distain? But
how many other pianos are there like that?
<p>All the 90-year-old upright pianos I know would need massive amounts
of work to return them to their former glory. Do they deserve life?
Maybe. But there is the matter of basic economics. I would
like to know how many old uprights your shop has remanufactured.
Are you making a reasonable profit from this type of work? If there
is more demand than supply for renewed old uprights (nationwide, not just
in a small area), we should know about it.
<p>Otherwise, there's no point in saying someone should be doing this if
no one can afford to.
<p>Regards,
<br>Clyde Hollinger, RPT
<br>Lititz, PA, USA
<p>michael campi wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>
<div style='background-color:'>Well I guess that about says it. It would
appear that there is not a lot of love for uprights. My opinion, albeit
a lonely one, is that there were some marvelous instruments built and not
just by the major manufacturers and that with the capabilities and information
we have today they could be brought back to life. I believe they deserve
life that would make me, I guess, a pro-lifer. There are several items
that interest me about these pianos first and foremost are the cases, these
cannot be bought at any price in todays world second is an old car in the
shed story. In the middle '80s I came across an Anderson Bros.(I think
that was the name) upright that had been bought brand new in 1913 it was
put in a music room in a house in Marin County, about a year after it was
purchased the wooden bearing bar at the top of the bass section pulled
apart and the owners closed up the room the piano remained, unplayed, until
a grandaughter wantin! g to get rid of the thing sold it me in 1987. We
brought it into the shop and repaired the damage The hammers were unmarked
and the action was unworn the room from which the piano came had been an
inside room and so there were no signs that the instrument ahd suffered
through any drastic temperature and humidity changes and the thing sounded
absolutely amazing. Although I am sure(or mostly sure) Del will disagree
I believe that there is room for these pianos in the here and now and that
with new boards, blocks and action parts they can be the tonal and playable
equivalent of almost any new piano. Now that you can see the whites of
my eyes Fire At Will.Michael</div>
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