robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (05/15/84)
References: Steinway uprights of any old age in good (or even moderate condition) are usaully wonderful. Also look for MAson-Hamlin uprights. To evaluate the condition of an old upright, you need the advice of an experienced piano-worker. Some have copper and leather parts that are just waiting to break on you, and require as much as 12 minutes of labor per key to fix. Some of these old pianos should never be played above Mezzo forte, but are still worth owning for their beautiful sound. - Toby Robison (not Robinson!) allegra!eosp1!robison decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison princeton!eosp1!robison
anderson@uwvax.ARPA (05/30/84)
<> In connection with Emily Brooks' article: actually I think all uprights have removable top and front panels. It's kind of fun to take them off and watch the action. On my Yamaha U1, the sound is overwhelmingly loud and harsh if you do this. In fact, to obtain the sound I want, I have a heavy quilt draped behind the piano (most of the sound comes out there), and I have the top opened slightly (Yamaha has a little brace that lets you open the top about an inch). The resulting sound is very rich, but with a clarity that is lost if the top is completely closed. Yamaha uses the middle pedal for a 'practice pedal' which lowers a piece of thick felt between the hammers and the strings. The resulting sound is extremely soft, like an unamplified electric piano, and would definitely not disturb the neighbors (fortunately, my apt. is curiously soundproof and I routinely play well into the small hours without death threats). At some point I will post an article about "adjustments to a piano action that anyone can do". Is anyone else into whippets, capstans, etc.? Cheers- David Anderson (wisc-rsch!anderson)