Rebuilding an Antique Piano: Before and After

[@samgray49]

I actually found out that my middle schools piano that had been sitting in the corner of our Stem Room was built in 1864, the school got permission to restore it through fund raising, and sold it at private auction for a small fortune, they ended up having enough to kick the theater program back into action.

[@brighamspianoservice]

That is a fantastic story! Thanks for sharing.

[@deldridg]

Now 2024 and thank you. Last year I was gifted a Richard Lipp twin crown from around 1904. It has a gorgeous tone, from a wonderfully sonorous bass through a clear mid and relatively bright and clear upper register. She doesn't hold her tune as she once did, so I am thinking it is a wonderful candidate for a restoration, either by yours truly or a professional (or combination). I couldn't imagine our beauty going to landfill - she still has so much music to give. Cheers from Sydney - David

[@PiotrBarcz]

You have done an amazing job of that old beauty!

[@bamaslamma1003]

That is a great sounding piano. Tall uprights with long strings and big soundboard can rival many baby grands in terms of sound. If you don't have the room or budget for a grand, this one would be a great choice.

[@muzikluver5734]

My aunt says my old upright sounds better than most pianos at churches.

[@techguy9023]

A tremendous amount of work. A local restorer told me they would pickup an old upright on a trade but it would likely go straight to the landfill. They restore consoles, studios and grands. They have been in business about 70 years and will not touch an old upright. People can’t afford the labor.

[@tomlloyd9400]

I salute you for actualizing this early 20th century American upright. Its very labour intensive, to undertake, but the workmanship and wood grain will never be seen again.Tom Lloyd www.mrtuner.ca

[@brighamspianoservice]

Thank you Tom. I agree!

[@p.wesleyburrowsjr6576]

Beautiful , Thank you for sharing

[@richardsisk1770]

What a great job!

[@RiojaRoj]

Hi there from the UK. A really interesting video, and thanks very much for uploading it. I have an upright piano that for some reason has no makers name, except for Ross & Hamilton of London, which is one of many fictional names used during the the hay-day of piano making in Soho London. Apparently, these were mass produced and sold widely through furniture and piano shops in the early 20th century ( .. seems like i'm talking in biblical times now ). Through numerous photos and various No;s a piano museum and specialist here in UK has dated it around 1922. I've had it for nearly 40 years. Am I attached to it ?.... yes I guess I am. I don't play very well, its just life long obsession of mine. The reason for dropping you a note, is, my piano, though tuned now and again, is badly out of tune at the moment ( a half to maybe one tone flat ). I know from previous tunings the sound board has a couple of what look like joint separations, though to my ears at least if sounds fine... no buzzing or anything, in fact it has quite a nice tone. I was greatly Heartened by the fact that people like yourself and others cherish these amazing instruments and manage to bring them back to life. My tuning guy is due in a couple of days, I'd really like him to raise it back to full pitch but in the past others has said its too risky due to its age, which is a bit disappointing. Hopefully, my new guy will be able to do something with it, as otherwise its in amazing condition and could tell a tale or two if it could speak. Thanks again for an inspiring Vid, Roj

[@JohnSmith-he6ig]

Love that. Great sound. Great playing dude

[@Dr..Spyder]

That lic at the end was great I have 2 old piano. After looking at restoring them I just want to keep them.

[@grandcarriage1]

Your comments about the good years for piano building REALLY struck a chord for me (not pun intended). I was at a reclaim center (donations of usables that would otherwise go to the dump) and there was an intact (1920, it turns out) Holland Cabinet Grand Player piano. (Player sort of works, but will get fully restored), For giggles, I went to plink out a tune, expecting it to be terrible, and the touch and tone was so nice on it, expecially compared to the 1960-70's spinet next to it, I impluse bought it on the spot. It's getting a full restoration of instrument and player this upcoming year, and I can't wait (but until then, I practice on it about 3 hours a day...LOL)

[@dgbls23]

Nice to see a video that encourages this work. The keytop installation bothers me, but the rest looks great!

[@jonnscott4858]

just got an English 1902 upright for a dollar. Was going to make use of the wood but just watched a French film called Divertimento and now it's going to be restored. All because of a movie.

[@taskerman11]

Great work. I’m restoring a near identical one. What would you say your restoration cost was for this one (not including labour)?

[@komoru]

I also would like to know, and I'm sure others would too!

[@DavidBoycePiano]

Very nice! Looks like that piano has a true sostenuto mechanism - the polished rail at the front and the tabs protruding from the wippens. Quite rare to get sostenuto on an upright. Also it appears, from the circular saw or milling marks, that correctly, thickness has been removed from the natural keys to accommodate the greater thickness of modern white key covering materials.

[@maggiereese1053]

I have my sister-in-law's grandmother's Adam Schaff Cabinet Grand, made in 1908. Been playing it since I was a child. Wish I lived close enough to have you redo it. The strings are rusty and the tuner said he was afraid to stress them by tuning them. He advised me to throw it away and buy a new piano! Not gonna happen, I still play it even if it is a bit out of tune. Ragtime sounds sooo good on it!

[@mattmccarty72]

Beautiful !

[@marioluizestevamgoncalves5828]

I live in Brazil and have a Baldwin piano so alike this one in this post...

[@MrSpectre4]

I have a Kimball piano and have restored the cabinet portion of this piano. It's 54 inches tall and built in 1905. I have the ability to fix all of its problems, however I do not know where to get the parts, strings, hammers dampers etc. can you make or give me some idea where I can get those parts?

[@brighamlarsonpianos7698]

We get our parts from Schaff.

[@MrSpectre4]

Mr. Larson, thank you very much.

[@brighamspianoservice]

I would try Schaff Piano Supply. We get a lot of parts for rebuilding there.

[@l.r.designstudioslauriesul8993]

I just picked up an old 1918 Schultz- I was just told it was untunable - we have been looking into if it was possible to rebuild - and if we could afford it

[@voxpathfinder15r]

Is an old Curtis piano worth rebuilding?

[@jinimurray4090]

Wow ! You basically have rebuilt the whole piano!!! I brought an old cast iron overstrung upright grand piano from England. It’s a LONDON CHAPEL (am I nuts?!?? LOL) PLEASE CAN YOU ADVISE? Thanks (I’m In SE ARIZONA) But it needs help Is there a way to re-do ?

[@brighamspianoservice]

Great question! For more information about restoring your piano please email us at [e-mail]

[@jinimurray4090]

@@brighamspianoservice thanks 😃👍🏼

[@SherlockJo]

What is the cost for repairing that piano?

[@michelprimeau4531]

That one blasted.

[@steedm1093]

How much would it cost to restore a piano like this? I have a 1900 Hackley Upright. All original mechanisms. Dont know if it was stringed but its had pin treatment done and has age wear such as some cracks in the soundboard, some non serious cracks in a bridge. Tuned down to a A435, bushings are also worn out. Hammer felt has be redone past 20-30 years. I may also add, when I went to have it tuned, the tuner opened the top to pull the panel off and he stopped mid sentance as if he saw a ghost and simply replied "Dad tuned this piano." (He was in his late 70s) And he has tuned it four times over the past 40 years. If I do have it ever restored the condition is they cant remove the signatures of all who have tuned it, its a story of the piano itself.

[@brighamspianoservice]

Hi Sam! Brigham would love to talk with you about this amazing piano. Please call us at [phone], thanks!

[@marcuslefebvre8595]

How much did it all cost ?

[@hugeshows]

That first piano has a Wessel Nickel & Gross action with lost motion compensation. I have a very high opinion of that action, what do you think about it? I find it makes use of the soft pedal intoxicatingly facile.

[@RyanJonesy100]

How much does it cost to rebuild these piano major question

[@lmkrk6179]

What kind of piano is this? It looks just like the one we are going to restore!

[@jinimurray4090]

What about an old treadle piano with bellows ?

[@muzikluver5734]

Beautiful. O have similar beautiful one for sake 150.00 good condition.

[@dustingorzynski2932]

To determining the height of the piano, do we measure from the floor to the very top of the piano? I wish to understand the sound quality with respect to height.

[@bamaslamma1003]

Generally, the bigger the piano, the better the sound. Sizes of upright: 36" spinet, 41 to 45" console, 45 to 48" studio, 48+" full size. A full size upright has the same string length and soundboard area as a 5' baby grand.

[@movingonentertainment3809]

We have a piano that's very similar. We're curious of the approxiamate cost of this particular restoration... most positive we'd need the same amount of work.

[@movingonentertainment3809]

Sorry just saw your response below

[@youssefarab5942]

Hi it was great

[@ExpressGuitarTutorials]

Any chance you can tell me what the switch on the left of the piano keyboard does or what it is called?

[@ghsgtnayhmd4792]

How much did this cost to restore?

[@brighamspianoservice]

At that time, in 2014, restoration ranged from 5K-10K.

[@SherlockJo]

My piano lives in Burbank, CA, how do I get it to you?!

[@brighamspianoservice]

Most of the time, we use a transport company if we have pianos that come from out of state. Give us a call if you are serious about having your piano restored! 801-701-0113

[@jacksonfl]

This is the very axe that George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree. The head has been replaced twice, the handle thrice.