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Recently Asked Questions (RAQs)
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Please also see the FAQs page.
Contents:
Grand Piano - selection and budget.
Grand - Moving - The procedure for moving / storing a grand piano
Gold Medal - Found in a piano.
Piano Tuning - How to learn
Old Monnington and Weston - To burn, or not to burn?
Nicolas Erard - Value?
Broadwood Grand - Value
Bluthner Grand - 1929, Value?
Hallet Davis and Company - Old piano value.
Kranich and Bach - Old piano value.
Graham Piano - Old piano value.
Werner Piano - Who were they?
Nicholas Erard
Q I'm trying to sell a piano.
It's an upright made by Nicolas Erard 1865.
Would you happen to know if it's worth anything, or if you know anybody who could help me.
I appreciate any help you can give me.
Thanks.
Jill Bellerby.
A Hello Jill
It's difficult to value a piano without seeing it, but from my experience of pianos of this age,
unless it has had very extensive renovation it won't be worth very much at all because pianos
are valued on their functionality (and tone !) more than form and they don't last well beyond 80 - 90
years without work.
Learning Piano Tuning
Q I am looking for some information on how to tune pianos.
Is there an exam you need to sit, or special courses to do. I have played the piano for 15 years,
and was interested in learning how to tune my own piano. Could you please supply me with any
information you may have.
AThere are a number of ways of
learning to become a piano tuner.
You could do an apprenticeship with a piano shop or there are
a couple of colleges that do courses. Hereford college and one (who's name I forget) in London.
I would suggest that you contact the Pianoforte Tuners Association.
Here is the web address: http://www.pianotuner.org.uk/
Broadwood Grand Value
Q Our church has an old Broadwood grand with some wear
and tear but in good working order and at concert pitch. A dealer has offered £800 for it
which even allowing for repolishing etc seems too little. What do you think?
A Take the money and run, run very fast !!!
Seriously, these old Broadwoods are very difficult to sell, there's thousands
of them around, they're usually not very good (even in GWO) and the market's dead
at the moment. £800 is a good offer.
Grand Piano Selection
Q What make / model
/ size grand piano would you suggest for me? I've recently begun to play again after quitting for
many years. I play only for my own enjoyment, not performance interest. I'm looking for
a moderately-priced grand piano that looks good as a piece of furniture, with good sound but
need not be concert quality. My home is new with classic/traditional decor. I would most
likely look for a new or modern piano.
A What is your budget?
If you have £5,000 to spend then you could get a nice little Young Chang 150 cm
Grand OR a Niemeyer 150 cm grand, then spend a few hundred pounds getting a GOOD technician to
regulate it REALLY well, this would make a nice small piano. Alternatively,
if you wanted something larger, a secondhand Yamahe C3 is an Excellent buy, pay
£6000 to £9000 and again get a tech to regulate it for you, alternatively
you could get a Petrof (also Weinbach) for this price, these are excellent pianos too!
Bluthner Grand Value
QCould you put an approximate value on a
1929 baby grand Bluthner - needs tuning and cleaning , but wood case is excellent ?
Thank you.
A
As always, it's very difficult to value a piano without seeing it but, here goes...
Assuming average domestic wear an tear this piano will need a partial action
rebuild and also regulation at least. Probably worth about £1500 - £2500 privately.
Hallet and Davis
Q Hallet, Davis & Company.
I have an upright piano by the maker above. The only other information I have is that it was made in 1850.
What do you think this piano is worth.
Josette.
AHello Josette,if this piano really is made in 1850 then
it's worth nothing as a piano because it will be completely worn out... It may however have some
intrinsic value as a piece of furniture.
Kranich and Bach
QMy neighbour is selling the following piano
for $2k and I don't knowif it's worth it or not - I know very little about pianos and would be thrilled to get your opinion!
It's an 1885 Kranich & Bach - NewYork - 6 feet - cracked soundboard - recent rewiring on one sideonly.
Made of rosewood - has been painted and needs bothrefinishing and tuning.
Any ideas?? Thank you!
A Hi,
$2k sounds a bit steep unless it's got an absolutely fabulous tone
and excellent action. Rosewood is good, paint is bad - it's verydifficult to remove,
'specially if it gets into the grain of the wood.What colour is it, hang on, let me guess, White?
I'd pay $500 ! maybe without seeing it Probably best to get a local tech check it out for
you to get a better valuation.
Graham Piano
QWe have an upright "Graham" piano,
I presume it is a "bread and butter" standard piano. We have no specialist knowledge
and wish to sell the piano privately. There is next to no damage to the case. many Thanks.
AIt is indeed a Bread and Butter Piano !
If it's a straight strung piano, about 200 - 400 GBP if it's an overstrung about 300 - 700 GBP
depending on tone, action, what someone is willing to pay!
Grand Piano Moving
QWhat is the procedure for moving a grand piano???
Can I store it onit's side or does it need to be reassembled?
Thanks. Reggie
ATake the Lyre off (Pedals!)
Take the lid off (You'll need to remove the hinge pins and / or unscrewthe hinges)
Take one of the front legs off, drop the piano down ontothat corner kind of diagonally.
Put the piano onto - either a piano shoe - or directly onto a piano trolley - it will be on it's side at this point.
Remove the other two legs - make a note of which one is which!
Move the piano on the shoe and or trolley - it's as easy as an uprightassuming it's not more than about six feet long.
Refitting is the reversal of removal...
Put back leg on, one front leg on, drop to diagonal, take the weight on one
corner whilst the second front leg is being put on, put the lyre backon. Put the lid back on.
Storing on its side is no problem.
Burn the Monnington?
QI am contacting you on behalf of my brother-in-law,
who is a builder. While doing a house clearance he found an upright pianomade by Monnington &
Weston and dated 1858. He is all for burningit with the rest of the furniture.
Could you please advise me if it would be worth his while saving itand having it valued.
A rapid response would be appreciated as he is a very impatient manand the chances of it not going into the
bonfire tomorrow are pretty slim.
Thank you. Norah
AEr, sorry for the delay in reply, but
It should probably be burned...
Seriously a piano this old has no real value and is no good to anyone- except in very rare
circumstances such as if it had historic valuelike used to belong to the queen or something.
Werner Upright
Q Re: Werner Piano.
I have been searching forever to try to find any kind ofinformation on my piano,
but I've had very little success. Perhapsthis Werner is a no-name company?? A man who came to
tune the pianoalso told me that the keys were made of ivory, but I'm not sure if this is true.
If you could help me out in any way, i would greatlyappreciate it.thank you for your time!sincerely,
Linda Enomoto
AHi Linda,
According to the Pierce Piano Atlas the company was formed in Chicago in 1902.
Gold Medals
Q
The piano I have is an upright - I have had it for some time.the thing that makes it
interesting to me, other than the age,is that inside, on a gold background, with black
lettering across the top where the hammers and strings are,
the words say "medal and diploma awarded centennial exposition 1876"
this piano seems to have been presented by the "Albrecht & Co.of Philadelphia", as a special award for the centennial.
Other markings are a number "a--14589" and above that the statement that the company was established in 1860.
could you possible tell me anything about this piano, and also, if this would increase
its value beyond the "another old piano label". At any rate,
it does play, but of course needs repair.
Thanking you in advance for any information you might be able to forward.
David Hucks
A Hi
According to the Pierce Piano Atlas, this was one of the earliestpiano made in America
company formed in 1789. Other than that,Medal and Diploma type things were
very popular in the late 1800's Ithink it was after the Great Exhibition in Britain
of 1851 companieswanted to show off their technology at exhibitions and liked to get awards !