Hopkinson late 20s rebuilt/refurbished - good?

[polly]

Just joined. I'm a newish learner and wanted to buy a nicely-toned piano rather than firewood that will keep a moderate cost, and have the opportunity to buy a refurbished/rebuilt Hopkinson, serial number 78344 - which I think makes it late 1920s? I have to buy this tomorrow as the owner is moving house! I'd like any advice possible on whether this would be a safe investment. I'm no piano expert and would value advice! Images at:

http://imgur.com/a/Cpdzs

The piano is very clean inside, clearly with new felt on the dampers etc, and I'm not sure what other work. The case has clearly been refurbished (or would you say rebuilt?) - it looks smart and newish, with a matt finish, and very neat (I naively thought it was ~20-30 years old from the pic in the ad!). The owner tells me it was refurbished about 10 or so years ago.

It needs a tune but I checked (with my iPhone!) and it's at concert pitch. The only fault I can see is two slightly raised bumps in the veneer on one side of the case (I assume veneer was used even in the 20s?). I'm having it checked by a tuner tomorrow (right thing to do?) and have to make a decision tomorrow afternoon.

So my questions are:

• I read that Hopkinsons vary from only ok to good/very good models - is this model likely a better one?
  Would I be mad to pay £700?
  Is there anything else I can check as a non-expert?

[Barrie Heaton]

its not been rebuilt just titivated, the strings look original. The price is OK if the piano is OK and on pitch. Ask the seller when was it last tuned and is it on pitch. Ring the tuner if they know who tuned it last and ask the tuner about the piano

Hopkinson can indeed be very hit and miss you do need a tuner to look at the tuning pins and the floating bridge. Like Chappells the bridge can come unglued

Barrie

[mdw]

You need a tech to put a lever on the pins but the plank at the very bottom between the pins doesnt look too good to me. It could just be the photo but pay for a tech to check it over first.

[polly]

Thanks Barrie and mdw. I just had a local tuner check it out and he told me it was sound and reckoned a good buy. He tested pins etc. etc. Floating bridge good and frame? repaired but repaired well. He reckoned the strings had actually been replaced and it just needed £100 minor reconditioning.

Hope it's a sound buy! Post-buy jitters :)

[Barrie Heaton]

Thanks Barrie and mdw. I just had a local tuner check it out and he told me it was sound and reckoned a good buy. He tested pins etc. etc. Floating bridge good and frame? repaired but repaired well. He reckoned the strings had actually been replaced and it just needed £100 minor reconditioning.

Hope it's a sound buy! Post-buy jitters

Must have been some time when the string were changes looking at the photos but he was on site not me. They are nice piano so enjoy

Barrie,

[polly]

Thank you Barrie! I have it at home now, and I'm very pleased with the tone and very even feel compared to the lumpy lumps of wood I was considering spending £300-500 on. I know £700 isn't much compared to recommendations here but it's my learner piano, and the best I can say that after practising for 3 hours, I didn't want to stop.

Recommendations for new pianos? How long to wait for it to acclimatise before its first tune? And do I really pop an open container of water inside? Environment is a large victorian living room, open fire but sometimes central heating too - and draughty windows.

[Barrie Heaton]

3 - 4 week for the piano to settle before tuning, your tuner will advise on if the piano need water or something more complex

As to new, I would enjoy this of for a few years at lest till grade 6 but a lot depends how much your play and how hard + the environment its in


Have fun with your new piano
Barrie,