<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000080 size=2>Two of the Rippens I = saw were sold for about 6000 dollars.</FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: "William J Morton" <</FONT><A href="mailto:wjmwjm@asisna.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>wjmwjm@asisna.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: "Pianotech" <</FONT><A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"><FONT face=Arial size=2>pianotech@ptg.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial = size=2>></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Tuesday, December 07, 2004 8:14 PM</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: Re: Rippen Grand comments?</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT = face=Arial size=2>> At 11:16 PM 12/6/2004 +0100, you wrote:<BR>> = >Hi,<BR>> ><BR>> >The museum where I work has just purchased one. I = heared it is made from<BR>> >silumin, an alloy based on  aluminium but = that is stronger than just<BR>> >aluminium. There are two parts, the case = and the keybed which is screwed on<BR>> >the case.<BR>> >It is = straight strung (strings running parallel) and that is a funny thing.<BR>> = >I know several pianists who only want to play on older pianos because = they<BR>> >have strings running parallel. Curious to see what they will think about<BR>> >this "verry modern" old style piano?<BR>> >What = looks strange is de fact that the rim (or frame?) is only about 18 cm.<BR>> = >thick and that the soundboard is flush with the underside of the frame.<BR>> >The one I worked on has a Renner action and has = probably been build in 1959.<BR>> >The sound is not so impressive. I would say a = little tiny but that is maybe<BR>> >because I had to file away deep = grooves from the hammers. (before it sounded<BR>> >to dull) The sustain is ok. = I suppose also that the fact there's no wooden<BR>> >rim around the = board makes the sound less rich?<BR>> >What is the colour of your = Rippen? The three I saw were all painted in a<BR>> >soft green colour.<BR>> = ><BR>> >Greetings,<BR>> >Pierre Gevaert<BR>> = >Museum of Instruments<BR>> >Brussels / Belgium<BR>> <BR>> Mine is a = biege color.  I have also seen pictures on the 'net somewhere<BR>> of = one that I described as "naked"---it was unpainted and just had the<BR>> = native metal color, sort of silver.  It looked a little gaudy to me.<BR>> = <BR>> I've recently had this one worked to re-regulate and improve the<BR>> = hammers, and it sounds pretty good now.   It has a Renner action,<BR>> as you said, so parts are still available.   = During the recent renovation<BR>> one tenor string (double) was found to be = broken and was replaced.<BR>> <BR>> The instrument came from a small = piano store near San Jose,<BR>> California, and was purchased new by me about 30 = years ago.  The<BR>> dealer seemed anxious to get rid of = it--apparently he had it on<BR>> his floor for some time.  I can't remember exactly, = but I believe<BR>> I paid about $2500 for it at the time.   Some = years later I saw<BR>> one at a very large piano warehouse-type store in = Los Angeles<BR>> with a price tag of $20,000, which I thought was a bit over<BR>> the top!<BR>> <BR>> Bill<BR>> <BR>> ---<BR>> = [Certified Virus free by ASISNA Mail Services.    = </FONT><A href="http://www.asisna.com"><FONT face=Arial size=2>www.asisna.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2> ]<BR>> = <BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> pianotech list = info: </FONT><A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives"><FONT = face=Arial size=2>https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</FONT></A><BR><FON= T face=Arial size=2>> <BR>> </FONT></BODY></HTML>