Can you help identify age of Eavestaff 181524

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daniellambrou
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Can you help identify age of Eavestaff 181524

Post by daniellambrou »

Hello lovely piano community.

I wonder if you can help me identify any details of this piano I am buying on Ebay (a risk I know). I'm a novice in all things Piano, but this looks like a well looked after piano, one elderly owner from new, and from a trusted private seller.

It's an Eavestaff 181524 (photos attached)
s-l1601.jpg
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302137433769? ... Tags=bu=bu

Here are some things I'm trying to find out and would be great if this community can help

- What year was it made (and who was the manufacturer)
- Confirm its definitely NOT a mini piano which I understand impossible to tune
- Could it be up-ended if it needs to be during the move (to go round a corner)
- Roughly how much does it weigh
- Is there any point getting it tuned before moving (I was advised it would probably get upset during the move and better to get done

Thankyou - any advice welcome.

Daniel
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Bill Kibby
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Re: Can you help identify age of Eavestaff 181524

Post by Bill Kibby »

The majority of pianos cannot be reliably dated by their serial numbers, as explained at
http://www.pianohistory.info/numbers.html
but there are some dates of modern Eavestaff pianos near the bottom of that page, including
1961 - Eavestaff #180,000 & #180,500
1963 - Eavestaff #181,700 & #182,900

However, I would have thought it looked more like an imported seventies piano, after 1975 rather than 1962. If you want to search inside the piano for clues, have a look at
http://www.pianohistory.info/datemarks.html

There is useful general information about Eavestaff pianos near the bottom of the page at
http://www.pianohistory.info/edwardian.html
and it explains that the name "Minipiano" was used on several different models, they are not all troublesome. Yours appears to be a typical ordinary small upright piano of the seventies.

Nobody anywhere can guess the value or condition of a piano without inspecting it on the spot, and checking whether it will hold in tune, so your local tuner is the best person to ask about that. We can't say whether there is any benefit in tuning it before it is moved, if it is badly neglected, then it will need several tunings, but it is true that shaking it about on a van will tend to upset the tuning.

I can't tell you the weight, it normally takes 2 people to move a piano like this, because they are dangerously back-heavy. Up-ending is common enough for getting around corners, but a good trolley helps.
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Colin Nicholson
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Re: Can you help identify age of Eavestaff 181524

Post by Colin Nicholson »

This is not a mini Eavestaff, and is a standard console upright, so a standard tuning is fine.

I would suggest you contact a piano removal company to move it (not a general furniture removal).
Weight will be around 180 kilos. Yes, quite heavy if DIY lifting with no castors, but with a removal company, weight is not an issue with 2 guys.
There are no castors, so the piano should be lifted straight onto piano trolley wheels, then up-ended if needed (on the wheels) around tight corners. Up-ending pianos is not always necessary if access is OK, and the piano is properly situated on trolley wheels to prevent any cabinet damage, which would be a shame as it looks OK.

The old 1930s style mini Eavestaff are not impossible to tune if in good condition, but require more work in tuning preparation. (Browse my website to see about Eavestaff problems).

Looks a nice and tidy piano from the outside, but it depends on tuning pin torque and stability condition of mechanism etc - which can only be detected after an on-site inspection, by paying a piano tuner to check it over first. Always a risk buying blind! You have a good head start by it looking good, but nobody knows how well it plays.

The correct procedure is as follows:-

1. Contact the seller and ask their permission if OK to have it inspected. Don't have it tuned yet.
If yes, proceed - if no, be wary or look for another piano.

2. Contact an independent piano tuner/ technician in the seller's local area to carry out an inspection.
Pre-payment will be required, probably by internet banking, so ask their fees/ travel expenses.
The tuner will tune part of the piano, and inspect the structural areas - takes about an hour.

3. After the inspection, wait for the report - and if OK, proceed.
4. Pay the seller for the piano, then contact a piano removal team.

5. Piano has successfully been inspected, good to go...... enjoy!
6. After about 10 days, allow piano to settle in new room, then arrange for a piano tuner to come out.

Colin
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daniellambrou
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Re: Can you help identify age of Eavestaff 181524

Post by daniellambrou »

Bill and Colin - I can't thank you both enough for your swift and comprehensive response to my post, the information is most helpful and I'm pleased to know it's not a Mini Piano and a standard upright. I also looked at the links for additional info about Eavestaff history - I saw two different sources for the serial number one saying 1962 and one saying after 1983 (which is when I think Eavestaff was sold off to a Chinese company). Either way it's a relatively modern upright which is what I wanted.

I agree the piano looks decent from the outside, the sellers are happy for it to be viewed by me and/or a piano tuner, and have offered to get it tuned before the move. I've booked a piano mover (I was going to do it myself with a mate with a van and some piano wheels but for £100 it's a wash on cost).

I'll also allow for a couple of weeks to settle before I book it for tuning - good tip!

Thanks again, Daniel
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