Old Boyd upright

[PhilDunford]

I'm looking for some advice about my old Boyd upright.

It is basicaly sound, but has two problems:
1) Some of the small leather straps (sorry don't know the proper name) at the
bottom of the action are broken. Does not seem to affect the playing, but
obviously not right.

2) More seriously I suspect, some of the strings around the center of the range,
will not hold their tuning. There appears to be a small crack in the wrest
plank, which I suspect if the cause.

Now I'm very fond of this piano, it's the instrument I learnt on and it's been
in the family many years. I like the tone and the touch. However, I'm well
aware that it's no valuable antique & I'm wondering if restoration (particularly
if the wrest plank needs replacing) would be worth while.

Any advice appreciated.

Will try and append some pictures, but not quite sure how to do it on this
board.


http://btg.ac/piano/img_7643.JPG

http://btg.ac/piano/img_7644.JPG

http://btg.ac/piano/img_7645.JPG

http://btg.ac/piano/img_7646.JPG

[Barrie Heaton]

Now I'm very fond of this piano, it's the instrument I learnt on and it's been
in the family many years. I like the tone and the touch. However, I'm well
aware that it's no valuable antique & I'm wondering if restoration (particularly
if the wrest plank needs replacing) would be worth while.

the tuning pins are pulling down its a pin bridge piano, its not worth it Time to get a new one.

For what it would cast to bring up to scratch it would be cheaper to buy a new one

Barrie,

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

As Barrie says (and as you rightly suspected) there is your problem.

Some thoughts off the top of my head:

1. The piano is straight strung which seriously harms it's value, even after a full restoration. This one fact alone makes it not worth restoring unless the piano has huge sentimental value. Either way, you'd never ever see a financial return on that money spent.

2. The piano has 85 keys instead of the standard 88. This has never bothered me as a pianists but it does negatively affect the value. So again, I'd say this piano is not a good candidate for restoration unless it's purely for sentimental reasons

3. If you are attached to the piano but you realise it isn't worth restoring, you might consider asking someone to convert it into a digital piano by ripping out the old innards and fitting a brand new digital piano inside it. You could play either through speakers or through headphones. Not a bad option. I'm slightly worried that a full sized 88 key electric piano may be too wide to fit in due to your piano being quite small and having only 85 keys.

4. Some other folk on here think that converting old pianos like this into drinks cabinets is a good idea. I've never really seen the appeal as not many people have the space for one and they risk looking a bit tacky... and a bit dirty for holding drinks.

[PhilDunford]

Thanks for the advice guys - was afraid this would be the case

[MarkGoodwinPianos]

Keep us posted, it will be interesting to see what decisions you make.

[PhilDunford]

OK - to ask the impossible question what would a rebuild cost - ballpark...

It's not a question of moneytary value of the end product.

If it's not fixable, then I think the old girl gets a decent burial! Can't bear to think of filling her with electronics or cocktails!

[Gill the Piano]

Temporary fix for the loose pins would be an injection (or 2...or 3...) of Pintite fluid around the dodgy pins. But that's a stopgap - literally - and may not work if the pins are very loose. To fix it good and proper it would need a new wrest plank and a restring, at LEAST £1K -£1500, I would say (Londonish prices). The action is working, so you could have the action rebuilt at a later date. (The tapes (little strap things) can be done by any tuner - I charge a quid each on an overdamper if it's done as part of a tuning. Cheaper to get the lot done, really. And as you say, it's working all right at the mo.) Think of it as getting the engine done later on a car rebuild, but getting the chassis sorted first!