UK Piano Page Piano Forum

D.J.Smith

I had a 2001 Estonia 168. It was a decent piano, Renner action, I particularly liked to tone and dynamic range. On the downside, the cabinetry left something to be desired. I almost changed it for a new 190, but bought a Bluthner 6 instead. It proved to be no better than the equivalent Estonia. They...

D.J.Smith

Gill.

Length, Condition, Style ?

D.J.Smith

Pete,

You may be right about the mic, or the old strings, maybe soft hammers. Try plucking the string near the termination point. You may generate better partials that way. If the problem is a bad string, try adjacent strings to see if they are any better.

D.J.Smith

Pete.

The Tunelab trial version is full function - it just stops for two minutes now and then to encourage you to buy a licence. There is also a version for Laptop. That's free too. You can't get much cheaper than that.

D.J.Smith

Pete, you don't need to spend a fortune to get a very good ETD. If you have a PDA with a touch screen [mine cost me £50] you can download the free full trial version of Tunelab, which see. This will give you full stretch/over-pull/ET or lots of UT's, customised to your piano. I've found the results ...

D.J.Smith

Thanks Vernon.

D.J.Smith

Does anyone have direct experience of this Polish company? I think some UK firms use them for case work, but do their own actions. I'm interested in the quality of all the work they do.

D.J.Smith

manuscript. You ask which would be appropriate. A Bechstein Va would have had turned octagonal legs originally, so put on whatever fits and takes your fancy.

D.J.Smith

The Bluthner patent action certainly can be sorted. Parts are available and there are a handful of specialists well able of doing the work.

D.J.Smith

Agree about the variable quality on ebay, but there are good pianos on there. I've sold pianos from 6 to 20,000 via ebay so it can work. It's also cheap so well worth a try.

D.J.Smith

Ouch! Why the aggression Joe ? I didn't overlook your observation that the auction house 'might' waive their commission, or question your experience. I merely pointed out some of the downside of an auction, and the actual amount that vendor would have received without special terms. My experience is...

D.J.Smith

Not so good if that's the hammer price. Take off commission, VAT, transport and insurance, and the vendor is left with about £12000.

D.J.Smith

Think very hard before putting your piano to auction. The only advantage is you are almost certain of a sale, as long as it's without reserve. The disadvantages are many. You will receive bottom price and have 20% commission and VAT to pay. You will also have the cost of transport whether you sell o...

D.J.Smith

It sounded no different to me. Bechstein said " In our opinion, the intention for this special whippen was reaching the ideal friction line of hammer centre, knuckle/whippen and whippen centre". I assume any perceived advantage did not outweigh the additional cost, as it was superseded by ...

D.J.Smith

Update: Bechstein Germany have kindly sent me the info I needed, and added an approximate list connecting case numbers to serial numbers as a useful bonus. The action is now stripped down and being overhauled. Not too much needs doing, mostly cleaning, painting, and full regulation. It should be bac...

D.J.Smith

I have just acquired a c1880 Bechstein V grand fitted with a Schwander action I have not seen before. Not surprisingly, it needs regulating. Does anyone have the regulating specs/procedure for this action ?[attachment=0]P6011455.JPG[/attachment]

D.J.Smith

Thanks Colin.

I've already priced new ones. They would make the job uneconomic. I also want them to be authentic, so prefer genuine period Broadwood legs.

D.J.Smith

I am renovating a 1920 Broadwood Barless B and need a set of three square tapered legs to suit.

Can any one help? Perhaps one of the dealer or technician members has saved parts from a scrapper?

D.J.Smith

Have fun Withindale! I've just completed the same task on a 6 foot 6 Barless. Starting from scratch with key-frame bedding it took me 3 full days. I found key levelling and damper adjustment the most time-consuming. The piano is transformed, well worth the effort. No doubt yours will be too, so go t...

D.J.Smith

Otto. VAT would only be charged on the commission, and as the dealer is in business would be a deductable input. The piano cost him £18000. If sold at £27000 incl VAT he would nett £25,500, giving a gross profit of £7500, a return of 41% profit on cost. Feel free to correct my figures - it's been a ...

D.J.Smith

Interesting!

Please post pictures of the action, if poss.

Thanks

D.J.Smith

I suggest you go to the Tunelab website. The full function trial program is free. The manuals are comprehensive. The best bit - the progam produces a very good tuning. As long as you are able to use a tuning lever, of course.

D.J.Smith

A useful guide to residuals is the sale this week of a 2008 Steingraeber-Phoenix 168 at Conway Hall. It went for £15000 plus commision/vat. What looks remarkably like the same piano is already on offer at a dealer, asking £33000. I wish I had that level of margin! Edit. Perhaps the dealer reads this...

D.J.Smith

The Kawai is very short. the Ibach would be a better musical instrument IF it is in good condition. It all depends on what was done to 'recondition' it, and how well that work was done.

D.J.Smith

rxd:

My comment re bodgers/professionals was directed at the UK trade. I get the impression you agree ?

D.J.Smith

mdw : You're right about bodgers and professionals. Unfortunately it is very difficult for a customer to determine one from the other, until it's too late. The cheapest deal could still be the best. A high price is no guarantee of quality or value. The piano trade seems to be a haven for the unscrup...

D.J.Smith

I think Article 2 explains what is meant by 'conformity' . 'Conformity' clearly includes faults, as well as other aspects of a purchase/supply contract. Your example of a cracked frame is certainly a major fault, covered by the Directive. Obtaining redress from an unco-operative seller in compliance...

D.J.Smith

Ian.

The Directive is quite clear ; the seller is responsible for all faults.

D.J.Smith

Fallada. There is such a massive difference in price between the UK and the EU that it makes sense to buy there. Warranty support should not be a problem if you buy from a reputable source who would have UK support in place already. As for set-up and prep., you could afford to pay your own tech., an...

D.J.Smith

I read the 1999 Directive a long time ago. I'm not a lawyer, but it seems to me to place the onus for warranty on the supplier, not the manufacturer's representative. This means a supplier in, say, Italy or Germany who supplys a customer in the UK, is responsible for warranty, not the UK-based distr...

D.J.Smith

Tell that to Kawai Barrie. Kawai UK refuse point blank to honour their warranty on digitals bought elsewhere in the EU. They even refuse to supply info to UK techs appointed by EU suppliers to address warranty issues. No doubt this company policy also applies to acoustics too. I would never by anoth...

D.J.Smith

Sussex. Your customer was unlucky. My chinese hammer is substantial, with a solid rosewood handle, works very well. Even the best tips don't fit if they are the wrong size for the particular pin, whether from China or F&N. Perhaps all he needed was the correct size tip ? Mind you, if he didn't r...

D.J.Smith

Being hard-up is no excuse for not buying the correct tools. A perfectly servicable set of regulating/tuning tools can be bought direct from China on the internet for about £200. I know they are not the best quality [ I have a set ], but they do the job.

D.J.Smith

Gordon Bennett. You'd think he would at least get the correct tools. Novel technique too, bending pins instead of turning them.

D.J.Smith

Withindale gives good advice. I would go further ; a technician's input is also necessary prior to purchase from a dealer. Of the four dealers of which I have direct experience, I can only recommend one. Competent technicians are very thin on the ground. [ Most tuners are not techs]. If Withindales ...

D.J.Smith

Prices seem to be whatever the dealer thinks he can achieve. I was offered a new, current production 168 in black for under £14k last year.

D.J.Smith

Those figures don't make sense ???

D.J.Smith

Joseph.

Where do you get the 24K from ? Which model ?

BTW, I had a 168, which was a very nice instrument. I would have bought another [190] if I had not found my Bluthner. Even then the choice was decided by the toss of a coin.

D.J.Smith

Hansell.
The dealer is telling you the truth. Of course, this does not give any indication as to the quality of the pianos they produce today. You must make your own judgment about that.

D.J.Smith

The prices [less 40% discount] are all listed on the Hurstwood website.

D.J.Smith

Thanks for the explanation.

Turning the pins to compensate for worn out bushes must be a cheap short-term fix that would only accelerate wear of what's left of the bushing ? I doubt that's what perfectionist M.Erard intended ?

D.J.Smith

Barry.

Small query : what do you mean "bat" ?

D.J.Smith

You were very fortunate to find a tuner who is also a competent technician. They are very few and far between. The price is low too. I paid rather more than that, pro rata, earlier this year. Perhaps you are prettier than me.

D.J.Smith

Polyester is a sprayed-on finish, cut and polished.Many people would call it paint.

D.J.Smith

I hope the removal of the chimney breasts was properly done, with adequate support put in for the chimney stack which remains. This work probably required building reg approval too. I suggest you check with your local planning department. If the work wasn't correctly done you could have a problem wi...

D.J.Smith

Are you sure your hygrometer is accurate? So low an Rh would be unpleasant to live in.

D.J.Smith

Crispin.

I would be interested to know whether your ddamp chaser controls the humidity at the declared RH or not. Mine didn't.

D.J.Smith

The regulations make no distinction between a tradesman or anyone else. It is the type of work which dictates whether the person is required to be suitably qualified.

However, a tradesman's liability insurance may only cover what he is qualified to do, which is a seperate matter.

D.J.Smith

There is nothing in UK law that prevents anyone cutting off a moulded plug and fitting another one. The only proviso is that it is done properly.

There is a great deal of misinformation put about re the new Part P building regs, and what may still be done by an unregistered person.

D.J.Smith

There is no need to drill a hole through the case.

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