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Happens every year...

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Off Key - General Discussion
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  • ShiroKuroS Offline
    ShiroKuroS Offline
    ShiroKuro
    wrote on last edited by
    #17

    OMg @Steve-Miller i never heard that story! What a great story!!

    Not the same but it reminds me of the Piano Whisperer (who I bought my Petrof from) who cared more about being people and pianos together than he did about making a buck.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • S Steve Miller

      I started on an ancient Cabinet Grand. I couldn’t tell you the brand, not that it would have mattered. The poor thing was completely hammered, broken hammers and any number of other issues. Someone had “antiqued” it a grisly shade of orange and it didn’t matter. It was big, it was loud, and I could play it any time I wanted. Glorious! No more begging time on the neighbor’s pianos!

      I’d saved up $100 in paper route earnings and being as the piano cost only $50, I had $50 to get it tuned. The $50 tuner who I found in the Pennysaver (remember the Pennysaver?) took one look at it and almost walked out. He asked me how much I had to spend on it and I showed him - a shoebox filled with coin rolls, some loose bills and a jar of change.

      $50 - same as I paid for the piano. He must have liked my answer because he agreed to tune it and maybe fix a few things.

      That guy must have been some kind of saint because he spent pretty much the rest of the day messing with it. He let me watch and even help. What he taught me is a big reason why I love Landfill uprights to this day.

      wtgW Offline
      wtgW Offline
      wtg
      wrote on last edited by
      #18

      @Steve-Miller 👍

      When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

      1 Reply Last reply
      • K Offline
        K Offline
        kluurs
        wrote on last edited by
        #19

        Great story, Steve. Those old uprights had some character to them - even a kind of smell of old felt. It's a treasure that you found someone who cherished pianos and was willing to help you out. I don't think I've encountered too many orange pianos.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • C Offline
          C Offline
          CHAS
          wrote on last edited by CHAS
          #20

          Thought it would be a grand upright when I started this thread and it is!
          Have considered buying and old upright and having it restored, new action, etc. . The trouble with that is I thought of it after getting my Yamaha upright.
          From the Yamaha website, " It’s quite simply the grandest sounding upright available." 🙄

          “I’m at an age when remembering something right away is as good as an orgasm.”—Gloria Steinem to Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Wiser Than Me

          1 Reply Last reply
          • R Online
            R Online
            RealPlayer
            wrote on last edited by
            #21

            I had a big old upright as a young musician starting out in San Francisco. And a tuner who liked it (he’s still around, the notorious Ben Treuhaft).

            It wasn’t bad. I have not had the pleasure of hearing an old upright that is completely rebuilt. I wonder how good they can sound at their best.

            wtgW 1 Reply Last reply
            • R RealPlayer

              I had a big old upright as a young musician starting out in San Francisco. And a tuner who liked it (he’s still around, the notorious Ben Treuhaft).

              It wasn’t bad. I have not had the pleasure of hearing an old upright that is completely rebuilt. I wonder how good they can sound at their best.

              wtgW Offline
              wtgW Offline
              wtg
              wrote on last edited by wtg
              #22

              @RealPlayer said in Happens every year...:

              the notorious Ben Treuhaft

              I had to look him up. HIs website is hysterical.

              https://tunerben.com/

              When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

              1 Reply Last reply
              • S Offline
                S Offline
                Steve Miller
                wrote on last edited by
                #23

                I've only heard one rebuilt upright. It was in a small piano shop in the owner's office. Brand was "Beckwith", a Sears brand that might have been built by anyone.

                The sound was magnificent! Not the sort of subtle, nuanced sound you might get from a nice concert grand, but big and full and LOUD - partly because you're sitting right in front of it.

                It's the only time I've ever heard one that didn't have 100 year old strings.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • S Offline
                  S Offline
                  Steve Miller
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #24

                  I remember hearing about that guy.

                  Send a piana to Havana! 😀

                  R 1 Reply Last reply
                  • S Steve Miller

                    I remember hearing about that guy.

                    Send a piana to Havana! 😀

                    R Online
                    R Online
                    RealPlayer
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #25

                    @Steve-Miller said in Happens every year...:

                    Send a piana to Havana! 😀

                    Got the T-shirt!

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • RontunerR Offline
                      RontunerR Offline
                      Rontuner
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #26

                      Well, they cancelled the appointment...

                      I grew up with a couple of full uprights - kept one going (tiger striped Cable) through my oldest's lesson years through high school. He preferred that one to the old grand we had in the house for a while. There is a 1907 Fuehr & Stemmer full upright that I tune rebuilt by Farley's in Wisconsin, just a wonderful job!

                      ShiroKuroS 1 Reply Last reply
                      • RontunerR Rontuner

                        Well, they cancelled the appointment...

                        I grew up with a couple of full uprights - kept one going (tiger striped Cable) through my oldest's lesson years through high school. He preferred that one to the old grand we had in the house for a while. There is a 1907 Fuehr & Stemmer full upright that I tune rebuilt by Farley's in Wisconsin, just a wonderful job!

                        ShiroKuroS Offline
                        ShiroKuroS Offline
                        ShiroKuro
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #27

                        @Rontuner said in Happens every year...:

                        Well, they cancelled the appointment...

                        Good grief!

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • K Offline
                          K Offline
                          kluurs
                          wrote on last edited by kluurs
                          #28

                          Steve - they have your piano in Green - Free to good home.
                          image.png

                          wtgW S 2 Replies Last reply
                          • K kluurs

                            Steve - they have your piano in Green - Free to good home.
                            image.png

                            wtgW Offline
                            wtgW Offline
                            wtg
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #29

                            @kluurs

                            Condition

                            Used - Fair

                            Just needs a little tune up.

                            It's a job for @Rontuner ! 😀

                            When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • K kluurs

                              Steve - they have your piano in Green - Free to good home.
                              image.png

                              S Offline
                              S Offline
                              Steve Miller
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #30

                              @kluurs

                              I like the fact that they show a broom on the picture. My guess is that they use it to sweep up the pieces falling off if it! 😀

                              1 Reply Last reply
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