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Withindale

Yamahas and Kawais (or Reid Sohns and other Chinese instruments) are not the only pianos in the world. Our local dealer had a selection of those when I last visited but the piano I liked best was a lightly used Knight. The Yamahas and the Kawais were over £3,000 and the Knight about £1,800. I suppos...

Withindale

Yes, Joe, I thought that was the case. The best plan is to jump on Easyjet or Ruanair to Tallinn. Glen's article is interesting, particularly the Estonian piano builders harking back to the sound and design of older pianos.

BTW, no problem opening the link in my Chrome browser.

Withindale

Where are Estonia pianos available in the UK?

Withindale

I can recognise a clicky wrest pin but how do you do tell a recalitrant string that needs rubbing down to pitch? Or am I missing a point?

Withindale

Would it worth trying CA/Superglue treatment on one or two pins to see if that might do the trick (even if Pin-Tite or something has already been used)? BTW I had this post and the owner's bank balance in mind: http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/2356168/Searchpage/1/...

Withindale

Would it worth trying CA/Superglue treatment on one or two pins to see if that might do the trick (even if Pin-Tite or something has already been used)?

Withindale

Thanks for posting the pictures. It's impossible to tell but my impression is that things could be a lot worse.

Good luck with your assessment.

Withindale

Jules Time is money unless its your own and you have some to spare. Poor could mean everything is worn out and warped or, at the other extreme, in need of cleaning and adjustment. If it's the latter or somewhere in between you could have a go yourself. You mention pictures. If you post some here, es...

Withindale

If you are interested in a labour of love here is someone you could ask, Dr Dan Fahrlander:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q098PYwaZX0

Ian

Withindale

Have you checked your upper treble strings are clean and well seated and that the capo bar is in good shape? Rather than the strings themselves, it may be that all the things that (should) get done when replacing strings are the main reason for your problem. I found that paying attention to those de...

Withindale

According to his profile on Pianoworld, where there is a similar post, Mr Paul Jackson is a piano teacher and piano seller. He lives in Utah and owns a Schimmel and a Bosendorfer.

Withindale

Perhaps we should ask you, Confused Customer, what types of piano you are considering.

Withindale

Colin is spot on.

I have a 140 mm high piano in a room about 2m x 3m x 3m with a relatively small opening where some sound can escape. It's too loud only when you try to fill the Royal Albert Hall.

Withindale

Thank you, Colin.

Withindale

Thank you, Colin, that's very helpful. Would you put me in contact with your friend if I don't get any joy from Germany?

If I can find a (reasonably) matching boss we can look at re-tapping or an insert. Otherwise start from scratch.

Thanks again.

Withindale

Try furnishings first: carpets, upholstered chairs, floor to ceiling bookshelves and curtains, etc.

PS these have been mentioned - http://www.amazon.com/Owens-Corning-Rig ... B006FYEHM2.

Withindale

I am looking for a brass boss for an Ibach similar to, or a bit larger than, this one , 45 mm diameter. It would be very helpful to know the thread type that Ibach would have used in 1905. The external diameter of the threaded bolt coming up through the soundboard is about 7.85 mm. Would anyone be a...

Withindale

A compressor. I suspect you might get through quite a few cans but maybe a puff is all you need.

Withindale

Clean outs DO improve the resonance of strings, on a similar note,[pardon the pun] that's why percussionists polish cymbals! Never use any liquid cleaning agent/metal polish on your Bass strings, unless you want an expensive to replace set of 'Dead' strings! To prove the point last weekend, I direc...

Withindale

Hi Colin About making comparisons, one could compare notes on the same piano after a few weeks or months of use. Wipe the strings of a note or two. If their sound has improved it would make sense to bring up the rest. Polishing boots as you say. We were talking specifically about grand pianos where ...

Withindale

Hi Joe Actually I was thinking about taking a duster or Barrie's chammy leather to some of the steels of a Steinway on the sales floor, one that has been there a few months if there is one. The question was whether that would bring up the notes. But maybe Steinway polish the strings anyway! Restring...

Withindale

Hi Joe I composed a note last night which I don't appear to have been posted. As the idea came a respected technician who had wiped the strings of concert grands in London to good effect, I wondered if similar treatment might bring the best out of your Bluthner. Have your friends at Steinway noticed...

Withindale

Thanks Colin, have you noticed any notes livening up as a result of cleaning, especially higher harmonics? Do you have any tips on how to get a cloth behind the strings, including the ones behind overstrung bass strings? Also what sort brushes and gizmos would you suggest for getting dust away from ...

Withindale

There was a suggestion the other day in another forum that wiping the strings of a concert grand increases its volume. Hoots of derision followed, but I'm sure it's true. A few days confined to barracks with the family bug has just given me ample opportunity to bring up all the notes of an old Ibach...

Withindale

Hello Joe. Well done. Seems like a good deal all round.

As a shot in the dark, have the strings and the termination points of your old Bluthner been cleaned recently? Try it, if not!

Withindale

I suggest you look at the Abel piano parts catalogue and compare the actual bore length of your heads with new ones. The difference will be an estimate of the amount of filing on your heads.

Withindale

Yes, pad the hammer rail. 0.5 mm less key dip reduces hammer travel by about 2 mm.

Withindale

I imagine Bechstein is similar to other pianos, i.e. 3 mm, less in treble but others will advise. What happens with a trial key when you reduce blow distance to 45 mm and then adjust the capstan and the let off button? Are there any spacers on the nose bolts or the action frame that push the hammer ...

Withindale

That is using an ETD which has to stretch from the theoretical to make it sound in tune the ear will do this on its own as I said we use the 1st and second to the correct pitch no reduction in tension ETDs need to use higher harmonics to give it a chance. I think you have answered the OPs question ...

Withindale

Thing is, this TuneLab program automatically selects to tune in the bass using upper partials, even going as high as the 6th, unless you tell it otherwise. Would I get a better sound - to my ears at least - if I configured it to use fundamentals as low as possible ? Not all the way down to A1, but ...

Withindale

Thanks for a timely reminder, David, I still need to go through the action on a bench. There is no jack adjustment on this action, other than the felt in the slot or a shim on the back of the jack. The rollers were replaced quite recently, but not entirely consistently. I shall have to see whether t...

Withindale

Colin Are you in the right thread? The OP and his wife are interested in the quality and longevity of current Chinese pianos. I mentioned a used Knight as an example for comparison. They are no longer in business thanks in part to competition from Asia. The best Knight years were 1960 - 85, I unders...

Withindale

Hello Kenny I hope someone else will advise you on Offenburg and other Chinese pianos because I really know nothing much about them. I know they have made great strides and good ones are, by definition, the best value for money today in terms of "bang per buck" (possibly not the best term for a pian...

Withindale

Maybe be best to take your time and play lots of instruments until you are sure you've found the best one for you. Some months ago our tuner suggested I visit our local dealer to compare the touch of modern instruments with my own. I tried most of the new and used pianos in the store including the C...

Withindale

FYI Here's a clip of John Paulson who has just bought Steinway talking about his plans for the company:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P95iirWX ... e=youtu.be

Withindale

If it's not black, I found that a little furniture reviver, some beeswax, and a lot of elbow grease can work wonders. Alternatively, all you need for a deep professional mirror finish is a wad of money.

Also see: http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthre ... cs/2132154

Withindale

This YouTube movie demonstrates the effect of the felt on a Kawai K-2, around 2:00 minutes.

Withindale

Could you lend it to someone who would enjoy it and look after it?

Withindale

Hello Rob

Brainstorming:

No felt
Play quietly
Sound proof the piano
Sound proof the piano room
Sound proof the ceiling space
Sound proof the bedroom
Move the piano
Ear plugs
...

in some combination.

Withindale

Another thought prompted by a brief visit to Challen in London yesterday. There was a rather good S4 close by the new CF4 and CF6 models. The S4 stood comparison with the CF4. I imagine your S6 would be comparable with the CF6, excellent sound and plenty of power, so I understand your dilemma. One t...

Withindale

Peter Two more idle thoughts. My wife came home with two large middle eastern floor cushions the other day which she put under the piano. I don't think it was for acoustic reasons but they certainly have an effect. They are easy enough to move. As I understand it an acoustic panel or drapes facing t...

Withindale

Peter Idly reading this thread, it strikes me you may be able to reduce the volume not only by voicing the hammers but also by some acoustic measures such as rugs, drapes and sound absorbing panels or, a good suggestion, tall book cases and music shelves. A bit of interior design might use them and ...

Withindale

Maybe. See Suffolk Pianos - http://www.secondhandpiano.co.uk/used-pianos.html. If in doubt play some more. Suffolk Pianos had a little used 1970s Knight (K10?) in pretty much original condition about a year ago for about £1750. I thought that was a good buy and I think I'd prefer one like that to a ...

Withindale

... "Does the double-action repetition (on some uprights) come close to replicating the action on a grand? Perhaps the action is just as good when compared against some grands?" About 20 years ago the Fandrichs produced a upright piano with a similar (i.e. sprung loaded as the Sauter R2) repetition...

Withindale

Thank you, NewAge. I had a few minutes to kill so I looked at what people had to say about the Sauter R2 on "another forum". The first comments are the advantages of grand actions in general: 1. Repetition: the action has extra parts, to allow you to repeat a note faster, and without releasing the k...

Withindale

Does the Sauter R2 have a similar aftertouch to a grand, the slight resistance before the key reaches the cushion? How far do you have to raise the key from the cushion to repeat; e.g. 2 mm (a little), 5 mm (half way)? How does it work? The Sauter model (link below) appears to have a spring resting ...

Withindale

1. with effective humidity and temperature control 24/7 maybe but what wouldn't 2. be more conducive for your students?

Withindale

You might find, as I once did on a 100 year old piano, that the hammer butts and flanges are dirty; in that case with some tarry stuff that I put down to coal fires. I was able to clean them up one by one out of the piano to good effect. Maybe some photos including closeups would help people to give...

Withindale

This George Russell at £575 is within your budget if still available http://www.caradine.co.uk/pianos_for_sale.asp . When I visited our local dealer the best bet was a Knight at £1750, far better value than all the others at higher and lower prices. I still preferred the upright I found on the inter...

Withindale

Unless you can verify the work has already been done or is not required, budget for several hundred pounds worth of work at the very least to service, repair and regulate any piano you see on ebay. Only a very small percentage are worth a look, although that will depend on what you want.

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