Brinsmead upright #11666

[springermaniac]

I have just been given a dusty smelly old Brinsmead upright, I took the front top panel off and on my left it has 5 numbers punched in the backboard kinda freaky as the numbers are 11666. What the heck hope Satan didn't own this thing kinda smells like he could have. This piano is fairly plain but its real wood and seems well made and in pretty good condition.

I'm worried that it would cost me much more to tune it up and make it serviceable than it is worth, I don't think this piano has been used or tuned up in many many years probably 60 years. It belonged to an old lady who gave it to her daughter who is now 60, never used it and thru a friend who was looking for a home for it, since I had room I am now the proud owner of this ancient relic.

It is interesting and I would love to know how old it is, some history on it and if I should try to get it working. The keys are nice and straight a few of the smaller hammers are liking to stick up in the air and it has some impressive cob webs inside it. Is this thing a heath hazzard also comes to mind would love to get some feedback, thankyou!

[Bill Kibby]

Nobody anywhere can tell you anything about the value or condition without tuning it, and inspecting it on the spot.

Photos would give us more idea what sort of thing we are talking about.

Assuming that this is John Brinsmead, the number suggests that it was made around 1868, this is different to the published dates of Brinsmead numbers, because they are wrong!

I am guessing that this is going to be a cottage piano, so have a look at the following link...
http://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forum ... f=2&t=8718

It is fair to add that if this date is correct, most run-of-the-mill antique pianos have very little value here in Britain, they rarely fetch as much as ninety pounds unrestored, indeed some struggle to make twenty pounds, and I am offered several each year for nothing, to save them from destruction.

As for the smell, does it have a stool? That is often the source of the smells.

[Colin Nicholson]

I was a little confused by the title of this post "Hopkinson" - then describing a Brinsmead.... were the 2 names used together Bill?

[Bill Kibby]

No, sorry Colin, it's all my fault. The post didn't have a proper heading, I typed it, but I was obviously dealing with a Hopkinson in my brain at the time! I can't even blame it on alcohol. The heading is corrected, and the furniture ad has been removed!

I just wish the forum's software wouldn't link my references to cottage pianos with estate agents' ads!

[vernon]

I'm still pondering whether the the pong is caused by the stool? Stools can be rather noisome at times.

Seems a likely source to me.
You could have a cryptic crapper about.

[WellTempered]

Smelly stools can truly be a problem especially with an older piano. There is such a close connection between the infrastructure of the piano and the stool. For example if the piano has been tuned to a well-tempered scale (older)but the owner happens to prefer a more "even-tempered" (newer) diet then the disparity between the two can lead to the person becoming aware of a rather unpleasant smell. If however the two are in harmony then it is like the old adage "your own s%it dont smell - hope this helps x

[Bill Kibby]

There have been many occasions when bad music has affected my digestive system, and Gill Green has already pointed out the parallels between colons and Colonettes. Many years ago, I accompanied a gorgeous young singer who was dressed up to the nines, and smelling of potatoes. She worked for a greengrocer, I learned a lot from that experience, and when pressed, friends pointed out that I sometimes smelled of old pianos. I suspect that the reason for this is that people tend to place the stools under one of the smelliest parts of their body, but this is only theory. Whatever the explanation, it made me want to carry my own impervious stool around, but it is not easy to do. The worst thing is that after anyone sits on an old stool for a while, as it warms up, the smell comes out, and people have a tendency to tell me that that their previous tuner smelt. I have experienced this when people play piano in restaurants as well, so my advice is always to avoid upholstered stools, especially in catering areas.

Whenever I take in another rescue piano, I always place a nice-smelling block inside, and shut it in there indefinitely. An alternative is to spray the metal parts with WD40 and, again, shut it up. Remember though that any kind of liquid can turn dust into mud.

[vernon]

Bill raises the spectre of upholstered stools. This is a concept that I can't quite grasp as I am increasingly slow on the uptake.
I can fully comprehend adjustable stools, black stools even,walnut stools (?),noisy stools and even loose stools but rising smelly wooden stools conjures up a scenario in a nice lady's front room too horrific to contemplate.
Can we pull the plug on thissubject.