lets talk pianos

[Alex F]

Some of those old Chickering grands are legendary but the Chickering family essentially sold of their interest in the piano business in the 1920s. Chickerings continued to be made in Boston until roughly 1930 and then were made in the factories of American Aeolian, the piano "cyborg" (a la Conn-Selmer) which eventually snatched up brands such as Mason & Hamlin, Cable, and several others. Last I heard, Chickering is just a 'brand" ownded by Baldwin (Gibson). The pianos are made in China using desigsn bearing no relationship to old Chickering Boston designs.

Mason & Hamlin, after several corporate ownership changes, reorganizations, and re-engineerings, now make high quality pianos in Haverhill, MA. They have decided to focus on quality rather than quantity. If you buy a M&H grand, make sure your floor can handle it as they are far heavier than their Steinway comparisons.

As for me, I've got a Petrof P-III grand (6'3") made in the Czech Republic during Commie times. I bought it when they were just introducing them into the US. It's a great piano for the money, although today they are for more expensive than in the past. Petrof, after the fall of Communism, was re-privatised with ownership being returned to the Petrof family. The owners, with heavy investment from a US distrbutor (the same one that distribted Lidl tubas) decided to make the company the Eastern European Yamaha, opening up three piano factories in a short period a cranking out about 10K pianos per year. Unfortunately, this was at the time when the worldwide piano market hit the toilet. Last year, Petrof made only about 4,000 pianos, including 900 grands. There was also a major dispute between the Czech company and the US distributor, with litigation ensuing both in the US and in the EU. Petrof created its own US distribution company in Georgia (US) and the courts all ruled in favor of the Czech parent.

I've read that Petrof has re-tooled its cabinet factory in order to make kitchen furniture, cabinets, and shelving that will be sold through outlets such as IKEA. Petrof always got high marks for its woodwording so I guess this is one way to diversify.

Does that mean MW and Miraphone will be making lamps? Who knows.

[imperialbari]

This thread made me read about Bösendorfer again after maybe 40 years. But there was on great German brand more, which I don’t remember the name of. Neither Bechstein nor Steinweg. Somebody able to help me on that one?

It is interesting to read Bösendorfer tell that they buy the cast iron frame (but do the finishing themselves using 30 or 40 hours for that process on each frame). They also buy the repetition machine from a German maker. They consider all of the wood a resonance body, and that part of the making they do themselves.

Klaus

[Alex F]

Klaus,


I'm sure you are aware than "Steinweg" is the German form of "Steinway". When the Steinweg clan moved to the USA in the 1840s, the changed the name to Steinway. However, one brother stayed behind and, with Mr. Grotrian, started the piano company known as Grotrian Steinweg. Eventually, this brother also left Germany to join his family but pianos contined to be made under the Steinweg name.

To add to the confusion, Steinway & Sons set up a piano factory in Hamburganos under the S&S name.

In the early 1970s, Steinway &Sons sued Steinweg in the US. Pursuant to a cnsent decree resolving the matter, Steinweg was prohibited from selling pianos in the US undere the Steinweg anme and can only sell these pianos under the Grotrian name.They are, nonetheless, fine pianos equal in quality to Steinway products. A goood friend own a Grotrian (Steinweg) and I love to play here instrument. a Hamburg Steinway in the US now but you better have serious amounts of Money.

Bluthner is also a very fine German brand. There are not too many of them here in the US but they have an very clear but not thunderous sound.
Like many other German companies, bluthner now has subsidiary companies making pianos in places like PolandI believe they use the name vogel and betting.


*Sorry: either Tubenet or my computer is acting crazy. I'm going to post this so I don't lose it but will have to come back and clean it up. There is almost a five second delay in recording my keystrokes. and it's getting aggravating.)\





For many years, you could not legally purchase a European Steinway in the US. Haburg designs are slightly different from the New York modles and the pianos, while at a quality equal to their NY cousins, do sound somehwat different.

[ken k]

I have probably the smallest piano I have ever seen, a very small apartment spinet model by Abard. It is a full 88 keys but only about 40" tall and the keyboard just sticks out of the body with no legs on the front. I will take a picture and post this weekend. Unique but not necessarily in a good way! I am not a real pianist and would never play in public but this instrument serves me well in my arranging and theory projects.

We actually got the instrument for free when my inlaws purchased their neighbor's summer house at Cedar Lake in Denville NJ. It had belonged to William (?) Herman who was choir director at Wellesley College in MA back in the 60's - 70's and also had many editions of choral pieces published. He used to keep a light bulb lit iniside the piano all winter while the house sat empty and cold.

ken k

[andrew the tuba player]

Yeah, i also have a few small spinets. one is a Kimble that is actually a really good little piano with a nice sound. The other is ironically another Starck. I got it free from a local music store. The guy was planing on fixing it up but had never gotten around to it. I am fixing it up now. The legs had been literally torn off of the front so i had to build new mounting braces. Now i just have to tune it. I was going to give it to my band director, but she just bought a piano so, ironically (once again) i am giving it to the piano player at my church that gave me my upright. It's a nice playing piano. It doesn't quite have the sound of the other two, but the feel is nice and it will require much less maintenance than my upright.
One of my favorite pianos i found hiding up in the second story of a church (which i have no idea how it got there because the stairs are just wide enough for one person and it could easily swallow my upright). There's a little church we help out and one day the preacher asked me if i wanted to see a piano. So of course i said yes. Up in the second story there is an old player upright. It is massive. I can barely get my arms around the main cabinet. It doesnt have the player mechanisms so it is all hollow which gives it a really unique and full sound. Although, that is hampered by the hammers. They are literally falling apart inside. It is definitely old. I don't remember what brand though. If we go back i will see. It's an amazing instrument, but i think it maybe past it's time.
And thanks for the info on the scroll work. So how exactly does that work?

[ken k]

finally got around to taking pix of my cute little 3/4 sized Abard spinet piano



ken k

[andrew the tuba player]

Wow. It's 3/4. I've never seen a 3/4 piano. that's cool. bet it's easier to move

[MaryAnn]

When I was about 12, my parents decided to invest in a good piano. So off we went to the Steinway store, where I played a bunch of pianos (I remember all this) and decided that a particular one had wonderful action. I have no idea how I knew this! But they bought that piano, a six-footer signed by the Steinways (pre-merger with whoever it was that bought Steinway. I think this was in 1961 that the piano was bought.)

Well, all the kids took piano lessons; I went with violin in the end. My youngest brother went back as an adult and seriously studied piano, becoming quite competent. He ended up with the piano, which was fitting since he was the one who played. He has since been told that it is an outstanding example, especially in terms of the action. (!)

I had a Kawai console for a few years, but even with my unprofessional technique I could play faster than it could, and I sold it and bought an electronic one for the very few times I play one any more. I'll sell it too eventually as it is basically useless.

Memories.

MA

[andrew the tuba player]

I've gotten to play a few steinways. Never a brand new one. but they have always had a great feel to them. My Stark would probably feel pretty good to, but it needs to be tightened and have a few levers replaced.

[sloan]

I would take a photo of my tiny Baldwin spinet - but that would involve cleaning off all the junk on top of it. It's definitely SMALLER than the one just posted.

[Steve Marcus]

I've gotten to play a few steinways. Never a brand new one. but they have always had a great feel to them.

This is an open invitation to all TubeNetters to visit my showroom and enjoy the new and used Steinways and other pianos any time that I am there to greet you. You do not have to be in the market for a piano! Just call me before you arrive. Optional: Our Recital Hall has nice acoustics for your tuba(s) to compliment the 9-foot Steinway Concert Grand on the stage...

Steve Marcus
STEINWAY OF CHICAGO
1205A Butterfield Road (Route 56)
Downers Grove, IL 60515 (near I-88 and I-355)
(630) 512-8830
smarcus@steinwaychicago.com" target="_blank

[andrew the tuba player]

If only i lived in chicago.