1970's ROGERS pianos

jfisheresq · Post by **jfisheresq** » 05 Oct 2008, 15:33

Does anyone have any info on retailers who were selling pianos by Rogers during the 60's/70's. I am trying desperately to find a piano from this era made by Rogers, they appear to have been very popular as 'school pianos'. It's a long shot, but I thought long-established retailers may hold records of sales, especialy to schools, from which i might be able to hunt one down!

Many thanks,

Jason

Post by **Bill Kibby** » 05 Oct 2008, 18:04

I would be fascinated to know why a Rogers, and why this particular era? The earlier Rogers pianos were much better instruments on the whole. As for schools, I have never seen one in all the school pianos I have tuned! Danemann had that market fairly well sewn up.

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 06 Oct 2008, 15:36

Yeah, Danemann were the school pianos of choice until Knight nicked their thunder in the early '80s. Shame because no Knight was a patch on a 118cm Danemann. A few local authorities flirted with Barratt & Robinson too.

Rogers of the era you are interested in were built by Bentley in Stroud, Glos, but were far better pianos in all respects.

jfisheresq · Post by **jfisheresq** » 08 Oct 2008, 13:46

Thanks for your responses! Why Rogers? I'd always dismissed 'modern' uprights, always prefering older pianos. I was at school in the 90's and we had a modern Rogers upright which I always thought was rather ugly. It was recently disposed of, and by chance I was doing some accompanying in another local school where they had an identical instrument - and was very pleasantly surprised by the piano. The tone, for such a small thing was very good, and the touch was not what I expected from looking at the case! So it has become a mild obsession to track one down! I'm also after a piano that's going to be more stable tuning wise in changing temperatures than an old upright...I'm assuming these would have laminated pin-blocks/wrest planks.... It's true, Rogers don't spring to mind as school pianos, perhaps it's a local thing! I would say they were made with schools in mind though, the particular model I refer to is in light oak, and has a full-length music desk wich is formed out of the folding section of the lid - if that makes any sense!

PianoGuy · Post by **PianoGuy** » 08 Oct 2008, 21:30

jfisheresq wrote: It's true, Rogers don't spring to mind as school pianos, perhaps it's a local thing! I would say they were made with schools in mind though, the particular model I refer to is in light oak, and has a full-length music desk wich is formed out of the folding section of the lid - if that makes any sense!

That style of case is actually the School Model.

Rogers of this type are rock solid stable when it comes to tuning. Excellent but unassuming pianos which you can find dirt cheap!

jfisheresq · Post by **jfisheresq** » 09 Oct 2008, 10:51

so they were actually marketed as 'School Models'?? I don't suppose anyone has any old literature from the company?

It's nice to know I'm not entirely alone in my high opinion of them. I wonder what it was that made them better pianos - some of our practice rooms at college were equipped with similar looking things which weren't worth practising on. So, my search continues - if anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!