PlayerPianos.com

Welcome to PlayerPianos.com

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:55:00 +0000

PlayerPianos.com helps you find every resource for your player piano. It could be a Mason Hamlin, Steingraeber, Estonia, Schimmel, Schulze Pollmann or Bluthner piano. In our articles you can get a piano education about piano restoration and learn about proper piano tuning, effective maintenance procedures for your piano and how to value your piano.

Visit our new piano resource store by clicking here.

Sell your piano by clicking here.

It doesn't matter if it is a vintage Steinway piano, Mason Hamlin, Bluthner , Estonia, Baldwin, Bechstein, Bosendorfer, Wm. Knabe, Yamaha, Kawai - from Los Angeles & Orange County to New Jersey, New York, Miami, and Chicago.

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noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 06 May 2009 05:49:00 +0000

Are you looking to promote your business, service, or product as it relates to Pianos? For $30 you can buy a 200 word article on PlayerPianos.com blog. You can write about anything and have links to as many pages you want in the article. The web page will be super search engine friendly, so you will have good traffic for a long period of time.

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Pianos Available

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:16:00 +0000

Maker - Condition - Serial Number - Location - Consignment Dealer Contact

Yamaha Eterna ER 10 - non smoking clean home, very well cared for - 4-834-316 - Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Needs a consignment dealer

Haines and Co - in a house - no smoking as far as I know - 92845 - Cawker City Kansas - Needs a consignment dealer

Steinway - in my livingroom, always stored inside. Non smoking house - 70000 series - San Bernardino - Needsa a consignment dealer

Player Piano Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:59:00 +0000

How QRS Player Piano Rolls are made.

PIANO CONSTRUCTION AND SCALE DESIGN

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:54:00 +0000

By Kim Bunker

BACK POSTS AND FRAME CONSTRUCTION:
The strength of the piano structure is very important to help control tuning stability. Each string (about 230 strings in a piano) has up to 180 pounds of tension. This amounts to approximately 20 tons of tension or the combined weight of 9 (nine) full size automobiles when the piano is in tune. The tension must be supported by the back frame construction (a combination of the metal plate and back posts). The stronger the back frame, the longer the piano will stay in tune.

Full vertical cast plate Grand piano plate

THE METAL PLATE:

The plate should be what is know as "full cast plate made of gray iron and showing the name of the piano manufacturer cast therein. Finish should be either bronze or silver. The tension must be supported by the back frame construction (a combination of the metal plate and back posts). The stronger the back frame, the longer the piano will stay in tune. There are many fine European and American pianos that have no back posts at all. This is because they place an emphasis on the strength of an extra heavy I-Beam like plates. Both methods are excellent.

REMINDERS:

1. A piano is a stringed instrument.
2. Strings are pulled to high tension. At A-440 pitch per string the pressure is 140 lbs
3. The back posts and the cast iron plate work in concert to support the tremendous tension of the strings.
4. Reasons why it is necessary to have the strongest structure possible to support string tension:

* To prevent the back of the piano from warping and twisting.
* To enable the piano to stay reliably in tune between tunings.
* Without solidity in the structure the many parts of the piano could not function properly.

Vertical backpost construction

THE BACK POSTS:

1. Look at the back of the piano first, the back posts are easy to see on most instruments. Notice the following things about the back posts:

* Size of the post; not only width, but depth.
* Double, triple, posts - wood grain appearance
* Post extend to the top of the piano.
* Posts extends to the bottom in a tight tension and mortise construction. Feel with fingers.

MATERIAL USED IN BACK POSTS - SOLID SPRUCE:

* Because its the strongest wood for it's weight.
* Resists splitting and cracking.
* Spruce's lengthwise grains are straight,
close and dense which provides rigid support.
* Posts are bolted to cast iron plate.

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE:

As mentioned, few pianos will have metal backpost's, others, will have virtually no wood backpost's at all. Many high quality pianos have scale designs which provide plates that have rigid I - Beam like construction that extend to all four corners of the frame, which actually adds the strength of two or more backpost's. This is an expensive process known as a full perimeter plate. This is an acceptable method.

TUNING PINS AND PINBLOCK

1. The purpose of the pin block is to firmly hold the tuning pins in place where the strings are attached.

* Tuning pins vary in quality.
* Better grades of tuning pins have machine cut threads that are cold rolled. This process creates a reverse lock effect which helps greatly in tuning stability.
* Tuning pins should be "blued steel", an electronic method to prevent rust.
* Nickel-plated steel tuning pins are even better then blued pins.

2. The pinblock in many of the finest pianos in the world consists of several plies of hard rock maple. Alternate plies have grain running at ninety degrees to that of adjoining plies to assure even gripping of the pins, and to prevent splitting of the pin block.

* Material of pin block should be hard rock maple.
* Wood should be quarter sawn for strength.
* Pin block should be at least 2" thick.
* Number of plies not as important as type and construction

Vertical Piano Hammers;

THE HAMMERS:

THE QUALITY OF THE HAMMER:

This is another area where you can visibly see quality. Are the hammers nicely spaced? Are they all in line? Ask the salesperson about the hammer weight. Good pianos in a console size use about a ten to twelve pound hammer. Piano hammers are made of fine wool felt which is formed around a hard-maple hammer molding. First-grade piano hammers are made of two layers of felt; the outer layer is white, the inner usually purple, green or magenta.

The layers of felt are applied separately. The forming and gluing of the felt to the hammer is done with tremendous pressure applied by hammer presses. Many tons of pressure are applied from several angles, forming the shape of the hammers.

The result is one long piano hammer which is then cut into individual heads. Holes are bored at the proper angles on the underside of each head, into which the hammer shanks are later glued. Each set of hammers is then individually and painstakingly fitted to the piano. Some hammers are stapled, others have a T pin cotter key-like wire through the hammer to insure stability in the hammer. Many imported pianos have hammer weights of up to twenty two pounds on grand pianos.

One of the least understood and most controversial subjects in the world of pianos is hammer weight. The prospective buyer is told that one piano has twelve-pound hammers, while another has only nine or ten-pound hammers. A glance into the piano tells us that surely those hammers, even all eighty-eight of them, do not weigh from nine to twelve pounds.

The figure refers to the size of the felt sheets used in the making of the hammers. The felt in an individual hammer averages 109/l000ths of an ounce, depending on the weight of the sheet of felt from which it was made; and the difference between nine and twelve-pound hammers average 36/l000ths of an ounce per hammer.

The important thing to remember about hammers like all other parts of the piano, is that not only the quality of the materials, but how those materials are utilized in the building of the instrument determine the overall quality of the product. In the case of hammers, the proper shape and hardness are the key factors affecting proper tone regulation. That's why it is often said that while a good hammer can't make a poor piano sound good, a bad hammer can spoil the best piano.

Like the speaker of a radio, a piano's sounding board is a vibrating diaphragm. To work properly, the board must always be under tension. This is accomplished by having the center of the board arched, or crowned, with the strings pressing down on the board where they cross the bridges. The vibrations of the strings are thus transmitted through the bridges to the sounding board, where they are greatly amplified by the board and projected into the air to reach our ears.

The piano string acts as a tone generator. The sounding board's function is to truly reflect and amplify that tone. The sounding board is the most important single part in the piano because if the board is bad, you do not have a piano until there has been a major repair job. No real music can come out of a conventional piano except through the sounding board. So that it will vibrate freely, a sounding board is necessarily a very thin panel, usually from 3/16 to 3/8 of an inch thick. Ribs are added to stiffen the board and to help preserve the crown. The reason the ribs are shaped at the ends is to allow the board more flexibility around its perimeter. Until recent years, all piano sounding boards were made of solid lumber pieces glued edge to edge. Wood, however, has an irresistible tendency to absorb or lose moisture according to the humidity content of the surrounding air. Absorption of moisture causes the conventional sounding boards to expand, increasing the tension of the strings and, thus, raising the pitch. Conversely, the pitch is lowered when the board dries out. It has been a constant struggle to try to keep such sounding boards from splitting or from losing their all-important crown. To obtain perfect musical results, there must be good contact between each of the strings and the board. This perfect contact cannot be maintained if the board loses all, or even part, of its convex form (crown). Piano sounding boards are made of wood because no other known material amplifies musical tones so well.

We use the Finest Grade Solid Copper Wound Bass wire and the Treble wire as shown below is Mapes "Strike Gold" Stainless Swedish Steel wire;

THE STRINGS:

Every musical effect in a piano must originate in the strings. The soundboard, no matter how perfect, can only amplify the sound produced by the strings. Pianos have from 215 to 230 steel strings graduated in length and thickness to produce the 88 notes of a piano's scale design. The shortest string is about 2", the longest string may be 84" or longer.

The bass strings should be pure copper wound, not plated.

* Examine the spacing of the strings in
relation to other strings, spaced evenly
without touching another string.

* Depressing a key slowly, check damper
alignment. At the same time, check as
hammer strikes the strings.

Check to see if hammers strike all of the strings of all notes.

Inspect the strings for even spacing (not touching another string) and proper alignment with the dampers.

Listen to the piano - Is the tonal output powerful enough, at least impressive enough that you should expect from a "classic" piano, but
capable, nevertheless, of filling a room no larger than 15 square feet or of a volume not more than say, 2500 cubic feet ?

Is the tonal output reasonably mellow (very bright indicates hardened hammers from age or dry climatic conditions).

Is the tone even and with a fair singing quality ?

Is the action satisfactory, that is, does it give a fairly elastic response to your touch ?

THE PROPER WEIGHT FOR KEY DEPRESSION IS BETWEEN 2 AND THREE OUNCES IN GENERAL. SIMPLY TAKE A SCALE SUCH AS WEIGHT WATCHERS, OR THE POSTAGE SCALE AT THE POST OFFICE. GET A FEW WEIGHTS (FISHING TACKLE OK) AND FIND A SMALL WEIGHT THAT WEIGHS AROUND 2 1/2 TO 3 OUNCES.. PLACE THAT WEIGHT ON ANY PIANO KEYBOARD WHERE THE FINGERS PLAY AND THE KEY SHOULD DEPRESS. THIS IS AN ACCURATE, BUT SIMPLE WAY TO TEST FOR TOUCH, THE AVERAGE TOUCH IS AROUND 2 1/2 OUNCES.

Vertical action being assembled

THE ACTION:

Briefly stated, the way a piano action works is that the down pressure on a key is converted to a forward motion of the hammer towards the strings. The hammer travels five times as far and approximately four times as fast as the front end of the key does, the key travel being only about 3/8 of an inch at its front edge. This is accomplished through a remarkable system of levers and pivots which, for a quality piano, must be adjusted to the utmost accuracy, making the action so responsive to the player's touch on the keys that there is almost no limit to the musical effects obtainable. For a better, more natural leverage, piano keys slope slightly downward towards the back and become level when the key is depressed.

A piano action would be a fairly simple mechanism if, when you depressed a key, it just had to push the hammer against the string. But if it worked that way, there would not be much tone because the hammer would stay against the string and, acting as a muffler, would stop it from vibrating. Thus, it would not have had time to return to its starting position after you released it.

Consider the manufacturing problem created by the fact that thousands of the parts in a piano are moving parts, that many are very small and that on some of them a variation of a thousandth of an inch will affect their performance. Not only is the utmost precision required in making and assembling the parts, but they must operate quietly and resist friction, wear and loss of accuracy under long and strenuous use. The materials used today for the best piano actions are largely wood, felt, woolen bushing cloth and leather. Like all products of nature, these items are inclined to be unstable when exposed to varying climatic conditions, although this hazard is greatly reduced in the better pianos by use of the highest quality materials and by superior workmanship.

If metal could be used, it would simplify the manufacturing problems and substantially reduce the cost; however, metal (not being noiseless without frequent lubrication and adjustment) does not lend itself to the purpose and very little of it is employed. Many other materials, including all kinds of synthetics, have been tried, but, with few exceptions, have not proved success, imagine a hinge or bearing that would work smoothly and silently for fifty years or more without lubrication or constant adjustment. Every pivot in a piano action must do this and they do it because these moving parts are held in a circle of specially made material called bushing cloth. Action hinges or pivots are made by boring holes in wooden parts, lining the holes with this bushing cloth, then connecting the adjoining parts with German Silver center pins which will rotate in these cloth bearings indefinitely without attention unless exposed to the most abnormal climatic conditions. This cloth, among its many other properties, must be uniform in thickness to an unbelievable degree. The makers allow a tolerance of 2 one-thousandths of an inch, plus or minus, which is less than one-half the thickness of an ordinary business card and is an incredible measurement for such material. It requires a total of ninety-six different operations in the felt mill to produce the superior grades of this cloth used in actions.

To summarize the story about piano actions, good performance is not only a question of superior materials. but also involves skill, experience and the willingness of the piano manufacturer to spend the extra money to have these important hidden parts as accurate and dependable as it is possible to make them.

Soundboard & Bridge;

1. The soundboard consists of a sheet of wood;

* One thickness spruce (the term "solid" when referring to spruce soundboards is very often misleading today because some builders of pianos with laminated boards where all three layers are spruce, refer to soundboards as "solid" spruce meaning they are all spruce).
* Special taper. Starting from 6 to 9mm at the at edges (three eighths of an inch thick and beveled) as a resonator.

2. The soundboard is not flat as it appears. but has a crown held in place by a series of ribs. If the soundboard were flat or if it were to lose this crown, there would be very little volume or tone.

* The ribs are made of a lightweight wood such as sugar pine, are double notched and fitted into soundboard lining. * They are tapered to fit and correspond with the taper of the soundboard.

3. Bridges, made from maple, must be planed to exact thickness from end to end, so as to provide the proper down bearing of the strings upon the bridges, this is measured by the use of a "bearing gauge" (See Glossary of Piano Terms).

* Bridges are glued and further secured to the soundboard.
* To prevent vibrations bridges are secured with wood screws that have maple buttons under their heads.
* Bridges are double notched.
* Bass bridge cantilevered.

"THE SOUNDBOARD OF THE PIANO"

From an article by Dr. William Braid White,
Principal of the School of Pianoforte Technology, Chicago, Ill., reprinted from the Piano Trade Magazine, Chicago, Ill.

"IN THE PIANO the function of the soundboard is to take up and repeat the vibratory motions of the strings, and thus to set up in the air sound waves of vastly greater size and power than could be generated by the strings alone. The more faithfully the sound-board performs this function, the better soundboard it is. The layman will better understand this amplifying function of the soundboard if he will think of the relatively enormous area of the board when compared with the very small area of all the strings taken together. Hence, when the piano is played, the soundboard, repeating the vibratory motions of the strings, sets in vibration vastly more air than could the strings themselves.

The more than two hundred strings that constitute the tone-generating element of the piano are stretched, at high tensions, over wooden bridges, or supports, which are rigidly fastened to the surface of the soundboard. Thus, within a small fraction of a second any motions of the strings are transmitted through the bridges to the soundboard, which as it were, accepts them, and faithfully reproduces them over its entire surface. These tiny but intensely complex motions, originating at the strings, are transmitted to the large body of air surrounding the front and back surfaces of the soundboard, thereby setting up powerful sound waves which immediately register on the ear-drums of all within hearing.

So faithfully does the sound. board perform this difficult function, that no matter how many strings may be sounding at one time, their almost incredibly complex motions will always and un-failingly be taken up and reproduced. Thus, the soundboard of the piano acts just as does the parchment head of a drum or the thin steel diaphragm of the receiver element in a telephone. It should be remembered, however, that it is the strings, and not the soundboard, that originate, by their vibratory motions after they have been struck, the sound which the soundboard amplifies.

In order to obtain these very remarkable effects of amplification, the soundboard of the piano must be constructed with exquisite skill. Its length and breadth depend of course, upon the size of the instrument, while its thickness, with some variations between one end and the other, averages one-quarter inch. The pieces of spruce wood from which it is made are matched in such a way that the grain runs roughly parallel to the line of the great bridges upon which the strings rest.

FACTS LITTLE UNDERSTOOD

It is strange but true that these simple facts about the effect of the strings upon the sound board and about the soundboard's responses to the strings, are still very little understood. Thus there persists a common notion that a crack in the wood must in some way cause a deterioration of the tonal output. Actually, no such effect is to be expected. The erroneous idea that a crack in a soundboard reduces the tonal output is undoubtedly due to the equally erroneous theory that sound "vibrations" in some way travel transversely across the soundboard. But, as has been shown here, the movement of the board is that of the movement of the strings, up and down in the case of a grand, backward and forward in the case of a piano of vertical construction. The glued-up strips of thin spruce, reinforced by bridges and ribs, which constitute the soundboard, become in fact a single unit, so that the whole board vibrates with the playing of even one single note anywhere in the scale.

EFFECT OF CRACKS AND CHECKS

For this very reason a crack or check in a soundboard reduces the soundboard's ability to amplify the vibrations of the strings only to the extent to which the crack reduces the vibrating area of the board.

Soundboard areas vary with the size of various pianos, but consider for example a board with an area of 4,000 square inches, counting both surfaces. Now assume that there is a crack in this board 35 inches long and one eighth inch wide, which would be an enormous crack. That crack would have an area (counting both surfaces) of 8 3/4 inches, and so would reduce the air disturbing area of the board by less than of one per cent, all amount utterly negligible. Here we have considered the effect of an enormously big crack. A dozen ordinary cracks, even if they extended from end to end of the soundboard, might have about as much effect, certainly no more. So long, in fact, as the structure of the soundboard re-mains solid, with ribs and bridges adhering correctly to the surface of the soundboard, and with the entire periphery rigidly fastened into the frame of the piano, the question of cracks is utterly unimportant. "

Dr. William Braid White

THE EFFECT OF ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES IS OF GREATER IMPORTANCE

As a matter of fact, the tonal output of any piano, with no cracks in the soundboard at all, is subject to vastly greater change with every change in temperature and humidity. The alternate absorption and evaporation of moisture affects the soundboard, and therefore the tone of the piano, to a far greater degree than any crack or accumulation of cracks, yet few persons complain of this or even appear to notice it.

Wood is used for sounding boards because countless tests by several generations of piano builders and technicians using steel, aluminum and other materials proved that wood best reflects the tonal waves or vibrations transmitted by piano strings. Once this fact was accepted, it became a problem of how to make the wood "behave" so that the sounding board would approach being as durable as the rest of the piano instead of being one of its weakest parts.

BRIDGES:

The next step, and one of the most critical in the making of a fine piano, is the shaping of the treble and bass bridges. The bridges, of Northern hard maple, must be planed to exact thickness from end to end, so as to provide the proper down-bearing of the strings upon the bridges. It is this correct down-bearing which is so vital to the transfer of the string vibrations to the soundboard (resulting in pleasant piano tones).

Bridges should be glued to the sounding board with hot hide glue and further secured with wood screws from the back. Such screws should have maple buttons under their heads. The bridges must be accurately notched, at both top and bottom in the case of treble bridges, for each individual note. This provides for the "stopping" of the string at a precise point in much the same way as a violinist "stops" his strings be fingering. Bass bridges are planed on both edges for the same reason. If you notice most bass bridges are mounted like a diving board this is called (Cantilever) the principle behind this type of mounting is to create a fuller sounding bass.

A time and money-saving way to do this important bridge notching is to notch the treble bridge on the top edge only. Half the work, half the cost and many piano buyers can't tell the difference unless they are able to distinguish subtle differences in piano tone.

Solid Brass Vertical Piano Pedals;

THE PEDALS:

Most piano manufacturers offer three pedals. On most vertical pianos the pedal to the right is a full sustain pedal and by depressing it, the piano tone will linger on or sustain the note. The left pedal is known as the "Una Corda", which softens or limits the power of the tone by moving the action forward and limiting the distance the hammers travel. On a grand piano it shifts the action slightly, enabling the hammer to strike fewer strings.

A third pedal in the middle varies from brand to brand. It may serve to sustain the bass notes only, or it may act as another form of soft. In some cases, it drops a piece of felt to provide a muffler, or practice pedal.

On a grand, it becomes a true "Sustenuto", that is, allowing the pianist to sustain many notes as long as the pedal is held. A good way to tell about the quality of a piano is to hold a pedal in your hand and get a feel for it. Twist it and push it, then go to a more expensive piano and compare. You'll see the difference in quality.

As a final point of clarification, many very fine pianos in the world only have two pedals, and for many years many American pianos including Steinway only used two pedals on many verticals. The center pedal on vertical pianos is an extra feature which can be a mute, a form of soft, or even a bass sustain. There is nothing wrong with having two pedals on a piano. For many years, that is all anyone had.

THE CABINET

The case is made of veneers like Walnut, Mahogany, Oak, Pine, Maple, etc., It has a core made up of cross sections of another yet cheaper form of wood, usually Poplar and now coming for the Asia is Particle or Chipboard and even Pulp (multiple ply Paper) which are totally acceptable by today's standard because they are for cosmetic appearance only and should not wear out..

Next, is the beauty of case design and finish. The standard cases are and made or finished in mahogany, walnut, ebony, rosewood, oak, fruitwood, pecan or pine. The two first named are the more popular. All are dependable if the piano is well made. The manufacturing process for pianos does not readily lend itself to automation, due to variations in the acoustical qualities in pieces of wood. These variations require skill in selecting the wood stock and conditioning it to specific moisture levels. Many of the other labor - intensive functions such as voicing, tuning and regulation require skills based on years of experience. For these reasons the piano is still handcrafted in many respects.

The prospective buyer of a piano who, relying upon his own judgment, attempts to select an instrument soon discovers that very many arguments may arise to perplex him in his choice. As a rule, and with rare exceptions, it is wise to buy of local dealers to whom you can, at any time, have access should there arise necessity for explanations or advice. In dealing with the local piano dealer, do not begrudge him a fair profit. The piano dealer is familiar with the instruments he carries, and if he is a man who is honest and reliable, you may depend upon what he tells you concerning them.

The buying of a used or restored piano can also be a very gratifying experience. 1. The price is usually much lower then a new one. 2. In most cases if the dealer or rebuilder offers a warranty on the used or restored piano. Make sure you ask them what type of warranty they'll offer, This way you'll be protected against any defects the piano might sustain. 3. you be able to have technician (Tuner) voice the piano to suit your needs. 4. With purchasing a Restoration Piano (Not completed yet) you'll have the choice of color that matches your home and individual taste! I classify this as Custom.

Having once decided upon your piano, do not permit yourself to be disturbed by the contradictory talk of any other person who may decry your choice or declare that you have not made a good bargain. In ninety-nine out of every hundred cases, discontent is the result of disappointment born of a competitor's defeat, and such attempted interference is unworthy of consideration.

Duo Art Player Piano

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 04:48:00 +0000

An exciting innovation in piano design and engineering has led to the creation of the Hardman DUO, the amazing new player-piano developed and manufactured exclusively by Hardman, Peck & Co. Unveiled in the Spring of 1957, the DUO is actually two pianos in one. At once an incomparable Hardman Console famed for acoustical richness is changed from manual to a player-piano, ready to play any of the hundreds of melodies on music rolls-everything from classics to rock 'n roll.

A flick of the lever and the dropping of a panel are all it takes to release the pedals and finger-tip controls of the new DUO. Expression is extremely sensitive to the individual touch. Rhythm and nuances are even attainable through subtle practice on the pedals themselves. But other expression devices enable you to have complete shading control over any melody played. A tempo gauge, calibrated to any extra wide sweep can be set or changed during play by a flick of the finger. Soft bass and soft treble buttons may be depressed independently or together for muting melody or bass chords. In addition a volume lever sustains tones like the manual sustaining foot pedal. When manual play is again desired, raising the panel and another flick of the lever places all controls completely away from view, and at once you again have a manual Console with standard toe pedals.

The DUO is an ideal family piano, one that every member can play even those who have never had a lesson. Lyrics are printed right on the music rolls, so everyone can sing along as well. This adds greatly to the fun of family gatherings and parties. The young student in the family will find he learns faster on the DUO. He can play it manually for practice lessons, and as a player-piano to observe the technique of more advanced arrangements.

One of the oldest and most respected of all player-piano names, DuoArt is the newest of all present-day player makes. DuoArt features such special refinements as automatic expression control, a device activated by music roll perforations, and which engages sustaining pedal; a sensitive volume control and a transposer bar to permit playing in any of five different keys.

Other expression devices include soft bass and treble buttons, which may be employed separately or together for muting melody or bass chords. In addition, a loud pedal lever may be used to sustain tones. Finally, tempo can be set or changed during play by a flick of the finger. DuoArt comes equipped with authentic foot pedals that enable adding rhythm, and subtle expression variatiors. An electric motor unit allow enjoying player-piano music without effort. DuoArt uses performance-proven Standard Pneumatic Action Co. player mechanism. As a regular manual console piano, DuoArt is perfect for beginners or the accomplished. When all player controls are hidden from sight, DuoArt is a fine direct blow console, with responsive action and rich tone. DuoArt is available in a choice of two styles.

Behr Bros & Co Pianos

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 23:38:00 +0000

Manufactured by a veteran organization which has been actively engaged in making pianos since the year 1851. Behr upright and grand pianos are distinguished far their beautiful tone, their handsome and distinctive designs, their exquisite craftsmanship and great durability. Behr player-pianos are famed for their exclusive and distinctive expression devices, which make possible the most artistic effects. Highest awards have been granted the well-known Behr Bros. instruments at leading worlds' fairs and centennial expositions, such as New Orleans, 1885; Melbourne. 1888, and Chicago. 1893.

Xavier Scharwenka. Moritz Moszkowski, S. B. Mills, Edottard Remenyi and a host of other world famous artists and composers. Etc., have unqualifiedly endorsed the instruments bearing the Behr Bros. & Co.

The Behr Reproducing Piano (licensed under Welte-Mignon patents) is a notable addition to. This artistic line, and is three complete and distinctive instruments in one A piano, a player-piano. A reproducing piano. The Behr Reproducing Piano actually reproduces or creates the world's greatest compositions, played by pianists of international fame. There are hundreds of artists' hand-played music rolls available for this remarkable instrument.

Bluthner

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:43:00 +0000

Piano making has a long tradition in the German province of Saxony, especially in Leipzig, where the citizens have always cared about musical culture. The St. Thomas choir has existed since the 12th century, the Gewandhaus orchestra was founded in the 17th century, as well as the Leipzig Opera, and Mendelssohn initiated a conservatory that soon became famous.

One of the best known piano makers of that time was Breitkopf & Hartel, still known today as a prominent music publisher. These were strong reasons for Julius Blüthner to start his piano making in Leipzig after having spent several years wandering from one piano maker to another to improve on his knowledge of the craft. In November 1853 he began with three men, and his instruments found immediate acclaim among the musical bourgeoisie.
Production grew quickly. Soon his premises had to be enlarged and in articles printed in newspapers and journals of these days Julius Blüthner talks with pride about new machines that were added to his production facilities or the fact that production was changed to steam-driven machinery.
Marketing in those days consisted of exhibiting instruments at fairs and exhibitions and to participate in competitions for highest quality. Blüthner's first fair was in Merseburg, a town in the neighborhood of Leipzig, but soon he participated in many foreign competitions, where his instruments won the highest praise.
It was also essential to furnish instruments to the royal courts and Blüthner took great pride in being appointed as official supplier to the royal court of many European countries, among which were the German Kaiser, Queen Victoria, the Russian Tsar, the Danish King, the Turkish Sultan and of course the King of Saxony.

Export was an early goal of Blüthner. Considering the fact that Germany and many other European counties were still young political structures, concentrated mainly on their home market, protected by customs barriers, it speaks for the foresight of Julius Blüthner to have created a distribution network spanning the whole world.
Many distributors are still flourishing, as for example the agency in Great Britain, founded in 1876 with which very strong ties still exist. Conforming with the wisdom that only thorough knowledge of the product assures excellence it was considered a necessity for the sons of Julius Blüthner to learn the trade from scratch. So one of his sons, Bruno Blüthner, was sent to the USA to work with Chickering to gather information about modern production techniques. His brother, Robert Blüthner, was to study jurisprudence, and Hans Blüthner worked with his father in the Leipzig factory. The first World War did only slight harm to Blüthner, as also did the great economic crisis in 1929.
In 1936 Blüthner scored tremendous public interest when the famous airship Hindenberg crossed the Atlantic for the first time with a Blüthner grand on board. For reasons of weight this instrument was made of aluminum, the outside covered with parchment and it served for the first broadcast of a piano recital from the air.
In 1932 Dr. Rudolf Blüthner-Haessler, the son-in-law, joined the firm and it was his difficult task to maneuver the firm through the turmoil of the Second World War.

In 1943 the factory was hit by an air raid and burned down and it was not until 1948 that production could be recommenced. However the limited possibilities under East Germany's socialistic system made it difficult to catch up with conditions on the world market. Sparse investments in production facilities and the utter lack of marketing made it difficult to line up with the rest of the world.

In 1972 the firm was finally nationalized but remained under the direction of Ingbert Blüthner, who succeeded his father in 1966. He served his years of apprenticeship in England and became a master piano maker in 1958. In 1990 the firm was given back to the family.
Today Ingbert Blüthner-Haessler manages the firm together with his two sons Christian and Knut. By their work they ensure that the tonal character of the instruments and the excellence of their hand-crafted manufacturing, numbers Blüthner instruments with the best on the market.

W. W. Kimball & Company

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:34:00 +0000

Established 1857. An old and distinguished house of international standing and reputation. Since its inception, the firm has been under the continuous ownership and control of the Kimball family. One of the world's quality manufacturers of pianos, grand pianos, consoles, consolettes, spinets and studio models.
The Kimball plant, occupies approximately 200,000 square feet of floor space. The building is equipped with modern machinery and appliances for an ideal mixture of fine craftsmanship and modern methods. In the manufacture of these instruments the best and most reliable materials are used and an exceptionally high class of labor is employed. Completion of the plant in May, 1956, revealed completely new dry kiln and lumber handling equipment, extensive conveyor systems, and the air-conditioned office facilities. The program included acquisition of the newest modern machinery, including many special machines developed by Kimball engineers and employees.

The Kimball line of grands includes several sizes Vertical type pianos included a special school and studio model. Artist Console, Consolete, and Spinet models were available in a wide range of modern and period designs. The Kimball Consolette has four exclusive Tone-Touch features: The Kimball Pipe-Organ Tone Chamber, produced through the combined skill of the Company's pipe organ and piano technicians; the Kimball Unilocked Scale; the Kimball patented Direct Blow Action; and the new Kimball Life-crowned Tone board, which will not split or crack open and permanently holds the crown developed through years of research and experiment. The Kimball technical staff draws all scales, designs' actions and cases and various other parts; thus insuring the precision and uniforra quality that are so important to the performance of a fine piano. The company even operates a completely equipped machine shop where have been built many ingenious special machines found only in this plant.

The Kimball instruments have won recognition at many of the world's expositions, among these the Chicago Columbian Exposition, 1893, gave the Kimball Co. "an award of superlative merit" for having attained the highest standard of excellence in its particular manufacture. The international Jury of Awards of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition at Seattle, 1909, conferred the highest award upon Kimball grands and uprights and pipe organs, stating, "Their upright and grand pianos typify the highest perfection in tone, scale, action and design, in American piano making." At the Trans-Mississippi Exposition at Omaha, Nebr., in 1898, Kimball pianos received the diploma and only gold medal awarded any piano. Highest awards from the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Francisco were announced in the summer of 1916, Grand piano medal. Hundreds of world famous musicians and singers have used Kimball pianos, 100th in public and for their private use, and have given them unqualified endorsements. The Kimball is heard on the concert stage today as it has been continuously for over half a century. Several thousand churches, schools, colleges and public institutions have purchased Kimball pianos. Among the colleges, universities and conservatories which have purchased Kimball pianos: Cosmopolitan School of Music, American Conservatory of Music, Chicago, Barry College, Miami, Fla., Birmingham Conservatory of Music, Ward Belmont College, Detroit Conservatory of Music, U. S. Military Academy (West Point), Stephens College, Christian College, Oregon State College, Universities of Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Delaware, Southern California, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Washington. Public schools in Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; Cleveland, Ohio; Providence, R. I.; St. Paul, Minnesota; Kansas City, Missouri; Washington, D. C.; Los Angeles, California; West Palm Beach, Florida; Wilmington, Delaware; Youngstown, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; and over a thousand other schools. Several thousand Kimball pianos are used in churches and in associated schools. A large number of radio stations, hotels and other public institutions have also purchased and are using Kimball pianos.

Kimball was the first to perfect a laminated spruce sounding board ... one of the most important piano improvements in generations . . . as described above; first to develop electronic gluing, which permits using waterproof glues in piano case construction; first to pioneer lacquer to supplant varnish, producing a perfect finish, a better product . . . for less money; first to perfect a keybed leveling device which eliminates wedges and shims, produces a perfect key level; first to pioneer the type of white and black keys now used by the entire industry; first to make a piano in genuine fruitwood; first to design authentic French Provincial and Early American pianos; first to develop a grand scale for a 5' size grand piano.

A.B. Chase

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:31:00 +0000

A. B. CHASE

We have a current Inventory, Finally. If you own one and want to sell it, please contact us by email or if you are looking for one let us help with your quest. Below is some information on this Fabulous Piano maker.

Established in 1885. This is an honored name in the annals of music in America, being closely associated with the love and development of music in the American home. A.B. Chase pianos have always been known for splendid workmanship. The A.B. Chase baby grand in fair condition is worth rebuilding at a considerable cost.

The A. B. Chase piano factory was established in 1875 and produces the highest grade pianos both in upright's and grand's. The A. B. Chase pianos are also equipped with the Cello Reproducing Medium. The policy of this factory' has long been that no material is too good a piano no skilled labor too expensive if it will improve the A. B. Chase piano.

All pianos manufactured from 1875 to 1930 were completely hand made from the finest materials available during that era. An A.B. Chase piano took as long as two years to complete. All A.B. Chase pianos are worthy of rebuilding. Pianos from the time 1875 to 1930 are exceptional. Mr. Chase and his associates developed the tri-bridge scale and incorporated it into their design making this Piano one of greatest toned pianos of its time.

The company sold this design in 1900 to such manufacturers as: STEINWAY, BALDWIN, MASON/HAMLIN AND SOHMER this design greatly improved their pianos.

This is why A. B. Chase in our opinion (OCP) was one of the greatest manufacturer of them all. Quality first and production second. If you have and A. B. Chase be very proud of your ownership. You have one of finest pianos ever made.

Collard & Collard

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:26:00 +0000

Collard & Collard
Circa 1854

Probably the most popular subject for inquiries I have received over the years is the firm whose history began way back in 1760 with Longman & Broderip, then the various Clementi names, (which at their peak squeezed “Clementi, Banger, Hyde, Collard & Davis” onto the name board!) then Collard & Collard, taken over by Chappell, and now with Kemble. Over 200,000 Collards were manufactured from 1760 through 1960 over 300 years of Pianoforte Manufacturing.

Sohmer & Company

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Pianos of this make are distinguished by their artistic character, and have for many years held their place among the best specimens of the piano-maker's art. They are manufactured in both grand and upright styles. Fine pianos in every respect, and the product of a house of highest responsibility.

Straube

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:01:00 +0000

Manufactured by the Straube Piano Company in its modern, complete factory at Hammond, Ind., 19 miles from Chicago. The Artronome Player Action which is installed only in Straube made pianos, was invented, developed and is now manufactured exclusively by the Straube Company in its own factory. The feature of this player action, which has attracted extraordinary attention, is its dependability the fact that it has reduced service calls to an absolute minimum. This dependability is the result of the many distinctive and exclusive features, both in design and construction, of the player action. Chief of these is the patented Pendulum Valve, by which troubles due to friction and corrosion in the valve mechanism are avoided. Straube Grands and Reproducing Grands are also made complete in the Straube factories.

CABLE-NELSON PIANO CO

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:00:00 +0000

Owned and controlled by the Everett Piano Company, South Haven, Michigan, (listed in this section). Cable-Nelson is the low-priced companion line to the Everett. Since 1905, over a quarter of a million Cable-Nelson pianos, bearing one of the most respected names in American piano manufacturing have been produced in the large Everett factory on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Historically, the story of the origin of Cable-Nelson begins in Chicago in 1903 when Fayette S. Cable, a distinguished leader in the piano industry at the turn of the century, purchased two well established Chicago piano companies: the Lakeside Piano Company and the Sweetland Piano Company. These were merged into the Fayette S. Cable Company.

Cable joined forces with H. P. Nelson in 1905 to form the Cable-Nelson Piano Company. Messrs. Cable and Nelson, widely planning for the future of the company, sought to locate it in a fine, smaller community where the tradition of building outstanding pianos could be generated among the local working force and the standards of quality and perfection in their concept of manufacture could be insured. After surveying numerous mid-western localities, they chose South Haven which had ideal industrial facilities. From the very inception of the Cable-Nelson Company, Fayette S. Cable set the course of the company's operation in the direction of producing exceptionally fine pianos made of carefully selected materials and crafted with superior workmanship. And, starting out in a new manufacturing plant designed and built for the express purpose of making pianos, Cable rapidly proved his theory that the musical public would quickly recognize the design, tone and durability of Cable-Nelson pianos.

Historically, the story of the origin of Cable-Nelson begins in Chicago in 1903 when Fayette S. Cable, a distinguished leader in the piano industry at the turn of the century, purchased two well established Chicago piano companies: the Lakeside Piano Company and the Sweetland Piano Company. These were merged into the Fayette S. Cable Company.

Cable joined forces with H. P. Nelson in 1905 to form the Cable-Nelson Piano Company. Messrs. Cable and Nelson, widely planning for the future of the company, sought to locate it in a fine, smaller community where the tradition of building outstanding pianos could be generated among the local working force and the standards of quality and perfection in their concept of manufacture could be insured. After surveying numerous mid-western localities, they chose South Haven which had ideal industrial facilities. From the very inception of the Cable-Nelson Company, Fayette S. Cable set the course of the company's operation in the direction of producing exceptionally fine pianos made of carefully selected materials and crafted with superior workmanship. And, starting out in a new manufacturing plant designed and built for the express purpose of making pianos, Cable rapidly proved his theory that the musical public would quickly recognize the design, tone and durability of Cable-Nelson pianos.

For the next two decades, the company prospered and produced fine grand and upright pianos that became proud possessions in homes all over the nation. In 1926, the Cable-Nelson Piano Company merged its plant, facilities and piano making with one of the greatest names in the American music industry, the Everett Piano Company, founded in Boston in 1883. When the two companies joined forces, the principle of product dependability at low cost was preserved in the Cable-Nelson line of pianos. And, through all of its history, the Cable-Nelson has represented one of this country's highest grades of pianos designed and built to be sold at a modest price to bring an excellent musical instrument to American families. Cable-Nelson cases are designed by William H. Cliagman of Grand Rapids, one of America 5 most noted furniture designers. From his drawing board in the center of the greatest furniture producing area of the country, Cliagman works in close association with the production engineering specialists at the South Haven plant. His objective always is freshness of design, together with lasting good taste and dignity. The Cable-Nelson is available in a variety of contemporary styles and light-to-dark finishes.

Cable-Nelson was a name so well established that it was to become the first rank of the piano industry on the strength of the excellence of its product and the high standard of its business policy. There was a wide and constant growing demand on the part of the average piano buyer for a thoroughly high-grade and player-piano of real musical excellence. This demand to which the Cable-Nelson Piano Co. had addressed itself from the very beginning of its career, both to supply it and to foster it. Its motto is "A real piano and a fair price." The remarkable growth of the company bears witnesses to the soundness of its policy and its success in carrying it out. Its instruments were distinguished by their fine tone quality, excellent work of case design and finish. Cable-Nelson pianos embodied the characteristics of best standards in the art of player construction. A piano-player mechanism is most responsive and musically adequate, and the tone quality just right for the best player results. The Cable-Nelson factory is one of the most attractively located in the trade, and the wonderful efficiency of its organization and equipment is the cause of general comment. The high financial and commercial standing of the company and the reputation and experiences

1925 ORIENTAL CASE CHICKERING PARLOR GRAND WITH AMPICO REPRODUCER

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:55:00 +0000

The ordinary player-piano has only one basic function, that of striking the notes. The reproducing piano added the ability to recreate the touch of the Artist, the shadings, the nuances, of the original recording - all the expression characteristics, and making the difference between purely mechanical sounds and true artistry. The paper roll was obliged, therefore, to include extra perforations which carried the "_expression information" in coded form. These codes, which bear a resemblance to the language of modern computers, were either captured at the time of the initial recording or added later in an editing process. The reproducing piano was equipped with apparatus to "read" these _expression holes and to reconstruct the exact _expression of a piece while other holes played the notes. Today, when we hear the words "digitally enhanced," we think of a highly-sophisticated disc electronic sound system replete with elaborate and costly loudspeakers, a magnificent cabinetry tailored to fit properly into one's home and all backed up by extensive marketing and advertising by numerous manufacturers.

One wonders how anything could possibly sound finer. Yet to many, the true ultimate in "digital piano" occurred when the reproducing piano reigned supreme in its ability to re-create "live" the performances of great keyboard artists right in the home.

The American Piano Company introduced its device to the market and called it the Ampico. It was based on the designs of an eccentric mechanical genius, one Charles Fuller Stoddard. Stoddard, whose home was a maze of newfangled contraptions of his own design, spent the last few years of his life entertaining the world's greatest piano virtuosos who would record on his unique Ampico recording piano. Ampico reproducing systems were eventually installed in such fine pianos as the Mason & Hamlin, the Knabe, the Chickering, the Beale in Australia, and the Willis in Canada.

In the mid-twenties, the Ampico Corporation engaged a scientist, Dr. Clarence Hickman, to completely re-engineer the Ampico reproducing system and roll making process. His work resulted in the so-called "Model B" Ampico pianos which represented the highest possible standards of technology available at the time. Hickman developed the famous "spark chronograph" method of capturing _expression characteristics of individual pianists and today, the "Model B" Ampico pianos are in great demand by collectors, and at prices that go right through the roof, $100,000 to $200,000 in mint condition. Hickman recognized that the best way to measure _expression is in terms of the energy imparted directly to the piano strings by the piano's hammers. He devised a scheme by which the velocity, and hence the energy, of each hammer could be measured just prior to hitting the string. This information was then directed to a recording device and the coded _expression holes were adapted directly to the master production roll. Hickman was also a renowned expert on explosives, and he is responsible for the development of the tank-busting recoilless rifle, the "bazooka," which helped the United States secure victory in World War II. The bazooka is named after still another musical instrument, but that's another story.

The Ampico received the highest endorsement of artists and musical critics throughout the world and demonstrated its ability to reenact perfectly the artists playing in comparison concerts in which it demonstrated side by side with the actual playing of the living pianist, Godowsky, Rubinstein, Dobitaityi, firovitch, Ornstein, Levitzki, Moisciwitsch and many other great pianists have submitted their playing to this supreme test with triumphant results for the Ampico. In addition to playing the artists' record music rolls the Ampico may be operated with any standard 88-note music roll to which the operator imparts his own interpretation and the instrument may be played manually the same as any upright or grand. in using the artists' record music rolls the Ampico is operated with an electric motor which obviates the necessity of pumping or effort of any kind on the part of the operator. The Ampico may be had in the world-famous Chickering, Haines Bros., Marshall & Wendell, Franklin, Fischer and the celebrated Knabe pianos and for Canadian distribution also in the Willis pianos.

Pianola

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 18:52:00 +0000

Pianola, Division of Aeolian Corp. Memphis, Tenn., was the producer of the compact well known "Pianola" player-piano. As a manual spinet, the Pianola is a marvel of tonal engineering, as fine a piano as it is unique. The sound can be described as being "vibrantly alive." Sonorous, vividly clear and deep, its tonal quality is astonishing.

To beginners, as to everyone who wants to learn to play manually, the Pianola was a genuinely inspiring source. Teachers attest it actually speeds the learning process as students "pick-up" dexterity by closely observing professional arrangements.

The choice of music rolls is practically limited with new titles constantly being added-from favorites of yesteryear to the very newest hits and show tunes. Even the song word. have been incorporated, printed conveniently on the rolls, encouraging listeners and spectators to join in and sing along.

With the Pianola evolves a new trend in designing compactness. The Pianola measures a little over 3% feet in width, yet has a greater playing range than Mozart's pianoforte. But the compactness is just part of the Pianola history. Well evident Is a wholly new sense of design freedom and artistry.

The tapering lines are clean, unspoiled; the styling crisp and distinctly modern. And through the grace of warm, superbly finished woods and delicately drawn trim-work along the sides, the Pianola is compatible to almost every decor. The Pianola came with an electric motor for automatic play (with no distortion of tone) making It three fine pianos in one: manual, pedal-powered and electrically operated.

H. B. Tremaine was a business genius who brought about the commercial exploitation of the piano player on a big scale. Tremaine's father had built a successful small business making and cranked table-top-sized mechanical organs, a very popular item in homes in the late 1800's. He founded the "Aeolian Organ and Music Company" around 1888; the firm achieved considerable success with larger instruments and organs. His son took over in 1899 and immediately set about to apply his own business acumen to the company's affairs.

With the newly perfected "Pianola,' he launched an aggressive advertising campaign which was entirely new to the stodgy piano business. With four page color advertisements (almost unheard of in that day) published in the popular magazines, he literally stunned the piano industry with the message that here, indeed, was the answer to everyone's prayer for music in the home!

Tremaine and Pianola built an enormous business empire over the next thirty years. It wasn't long after the turn of the century that it was deemed desirable to "miniaturize" the clumsy Pianola and other similar, instruments so that they could be built directly inside the pianos. Within a few short years, the push up"players disappeared from the scene. By this time everyone got into the act, and every piano maker so manufactured a player of some sort.

This name is known the world over in connection with musical instruments, It is applied to some of the various products of the Aeolian Company of New York which instruments of renown included the Duo Art Pianola, Weber Pianola, Steck Pianola, Wheelock Pianola, Stuyvesant Pianola, Steinway Duo Art Pianola, Stroud Pianola the Aeolian Orchestrelle and the Aeolian Pipe Organ; it also controlled the Melodee Music Co., Inc., and the Universal Music Co.

Costs for Repairs, Reconditioning and Rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:00:00 +0000

Facts about Repairs, Reconditioning & Rebuilding
By Kim Bunker

There is no understanding among technicians as to what constitutes a reconditioning as opposed to a rebuilding. Reconditioning is a less thorough process using a minimum of new parts, and working largely with original parts, whereas rebuilding involves using whatever new parts are necessary to make the piano function at its maximum potential. However, the dividing line between these two procedures is not clearly defined. In some instances reconditioning can involve using several new parts; seldom does a rebuilding include using all new parts

A reconditioning is called for when a piano has been allowed to go for several years without regular piano service (tuning and annual maintenance.) There is still enough hammer left to file, and the piano is tunable. The piano is thoroughly cleaned; the action tightened, freed of lost motion, and regulated; the hammers reshaped, fitted to the strings and voiced; the pedals and dampers are adjusted; and whatever else is necessary is done to restore the piano to its best playing condition. The action centers may be so worn that they need to be re-pinned or even re-bushed. If the existing parts are not too worn, and if the work is done thoroughly the piano may give several years of satisfactory service before needing major attention again.

Rebuilding can refer to most any operation, ranging from just adding new hammers to replacing almost everything but the original piano shell. It can include restringing and new tuning pins, a new pinblock, a new soundboard or repairing the old one, new hammers, new hammer shanks, new whippen's, new white key coverings (IVORIANS), new black keys, new key buttons, keys re-bushed, new back checks, all action felt replaced, new damper felt, pedal assembly overhauled, plate, soundboard, the entire piano refinished, hardware re-plated, and whatever else may be necessary to make the piano look, sound, and perform like a new instrument.

Just how much should be replaced in a rebuilding is the difficult question. Should a minimum of replacements be made using as many of the original parts as possible, or should everything be replaced so that it is practically a new piano, or should it be something between these two extremes? The cost, the condition of the existing parts, and the quality of the new parts available will all be important factors in the decision. Generally, the more thorough the rebuilding the greater the cost, and the longer one can expect trouble-free performance. There will be parts that must be replaced, and other parts whose replacement will be optional. If the parts are in good condition and seem to have many years of wear left it would seem advisable not to replace them. It is important when comparing estimates to also compare the amount of work needed, including the number and quality of parts being replaced.

Pianos are precision engineered musical instruments consisting of as many as 9,000 parts. There are no shortcuts to rebuilding a piano properly. No matter how regularly and expertly a piano is serviced there will come a time when it can no longer function satisfactorily without major repairs. It is necessary to recondition or rebuild when there is no more felt left on the hammers to file and voice, or the tuning pins are so loose that the piano can no longer be tuned.

Probably more important than what is to be done in a rebuilding is who is to do the rebuilding. Just as in the other phase of piano technology there is a vast difference in the knowledge and workmanship of those who do rebuilding. It can not be assumed that a re-builder can execute each operation in a rebuilding process as skillfully as it was originally done in the factory where the worker does one operation over and over again day after day. It is generally considered that a good re-builder can at best restore the piano to 90% of its original quality, although one or two re-builders do have the reputation of doing work superior to that done in the factory.

Experience is an important factor in rebuilding. It is highly unlikely that a regular technician who only rebuilds one or two pianos a year will have the same expertise as one whose main work is rebuilding. It does not necessarily follow that one who is a fine tuner, very conscientious and highly trustworthy, is also a good re-builder. The results of a rebuilding are somewhat unpredictable, and often there is little recourse if it does not turn out satisfactory. Sometimes the only solution to a poor rebuilding is to do the complete job over again which can prove very costly. It is important to know your re-builder, and to know the quality of work he does. References are always and excellent way of checking out there work. also there reputation in the community Possibly by checking with The Better Business Burial

When a piano is completely rebuilt it may look, sound, and feel like a new piano, and can be expected to give many years of quality performance if properly serviced. A discussion of the various phases of rebuilding is designed to give help in coping with the many decisions necessary regarding rebuilding.

Action Reconditioning
Set hammer rest rail
Lost motion regulation
Level and dip keys and change needed under key felt
Back check regulation
Regulate let-off
Tighten pedal screws
Lube pedal rods
Re felt pedals
Clean case
Touch up damper regulation
Check for clicks, bobbles, broken parts and fix them Various tasks
Clean tuning pins, strings
Vacuum inside & back side of piano
Blow out action with compressed air
Clean keys Glue down loose ivories
Replace missing ivory with matching vintage ivory
If the keyboard has more than 15 ivories missing we recommend to replace the Old keytops with Ivorian (Simulated Ivory) made of Teflon and is very durable.
Replace all rubber bumpers
Replace name board felt with Royal George Felt (Chemically treated to eliminate infiltration of moths and their eggs from destroying the felt) also its Cedar scented.

A More Complete Restoration includes all of the above according to the needs of the individual piano:

Action Reconditioning

Manually check all flanges and re pin loose ones
Replace back check buckskin leather
Teflon hammer butts
Replace damper head felt

In addition

Re bush keys
Clean key pins
Full de rust of bass strings
Seat strings
Epoxy minor bass bridge cracks & high treble cracks
Repair minor soundboard cracks
Major case cleaning and detailing
Remove and clean all hardware
Replace all pedal trapping felt and leather
Reactivate glue joints Lubricate damper lift rod

Restringing

Loose tuning pins are usually the first sign that restringing should be considered, although in some cases the tone may seriously degenerate before loose pins occur. Strings begin to lose their elasticity and best tone quality after about twenty five years or so, although the deterioration can be so gradual that the tone is acceptable for several more years. Only when the piano is restrung is one made aware of the difference between the new and the old strings.

Only on rare occasions will one re pin with oversized pins without restringing work, since under normal conditions pins stay tight for longer than twenty years. It may be possible and advisable to delay restringing a few years by driving the pins slightly further into the pin block, but generally when the pins are loose it is time to restring. The PTG (Piano Technicians Guild) now is making recommendations to the tuners in the field to apply cyanoacrylate glue (Krazy Glue) to the pin block to help tighten the loose Pins.

When restringing there is always the decision as to whether to use the old pin block or install a new one. There are five tuning pin sizes ranging from #2 to #6, OTT that the old block can be used with over-sized pins if it can be determined that it is sound. If a chemical pin tightened has been used, or if there is any doubt about the condition of the present block, it is advisable to install a new one. However, the successful installation of a new pin block requires much skill and experience on the part of the re-builder. The fit must be exact, and the holes drilled evenly at just the right angle 7 degrees to insure an even, tight pin throughout.

The use of a chemical to tighten loose pins by swelling the wood in the pin block is often successful, but somewhat controversial. Its use may be acceptable on an inexpensive piano to give it a few more years of life when the quality of the instrument hardly justifies the cost of restringing, but to use it on a quality piano is questionable. Chemicals can so destroy the wood fibers around the tuning pins that it is necessary to replace the pin block. Since the strings have lost much of their life by the time the tuning pins become loose, it hardly seems advisable to risk ruining the pin block just to use the dead strings for a few more years. New strings will improve the tone of the piano immensely nearly by 85%

Some may feel that frequent tunings may lead to premature loosening of the pins. This could be true if a poor tuning technique is used which bends the pins or involves several large up and down motions for tuning each pin. But it is not a significant factor when a correct tuning hammer technique is used that involves one or two tiny movements for tuning each pin. A piano used in concert work may be tuned more times in one year than the ordinary piano tuned regularly would be tuned in fifty years, yet without showing significant change in the tightness of the pins. In addition to poor tuning hammer technique the other factor that leads to premature loose tuning pins is repeated drastic humidity changes from season to season.

Full Action Rebuild and Restringing.
New hammers
Or new hammers and shanks with reconditioned butts (Possibly on new hammer flanges)
Or new hammers, shanks and butts
If brass butt flanges are present remove the rail and anneal the rail and replace all brass butt
Replace hammer springs plates
Replace hammer rail felt
Replace hammer springs rail felt Rework Whippen's

There are various variations on this theme
Clean and graphite jacks
Replace jack springs
Re pin all whippen and sticker flanges
Perhaps replace flanges
Reactivate glue on jack saddles or re glue saddles

Dampers

Replace damper lever felt
Remove and re felt damper lever felt
Replace damper springs
Re pin damper flanges or replace flanges
Restring
Rework bridges
Perchance replace bass bridge
Restring
Regulation
Change key pins or buff
Detail of spacing and timing.

Piano Restoration Price List:
Below is a general price list for piano restoration.
These prices are based on instruments in average, un-restored condition,
and are subject to change depending on the degree of deterioration of your instrument.

These are regional estimates only. Consult with your rebuilder.

Complete upright piano rebuilding, including refinishing & restringing
*Please note that some very rare and unique antique upright pianos may deserve and require higher restoration costs
$2,900.00 - $9,500.00

Upright piano refinishing only (Closed Pore 21 coat finish) Satin or Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer finish which is impervious to Alcohol & Water. This finish will not fade or crack when exposed to sunlight.
$2,500.00 - 4,650.00

Upright player piano rebuilding, including refinishing & restringing
$7,450.00 - 10,500.00

Square grand piano restoration, including refinishing & restringing
$6,500.00 - 10,000.00

Parlor organ restoration: Recovering bellows, re-leathering pallet values, replacing all pallet springs, cleaning and voicing all reeds and including a complete refinish of the case.
$1,650.00 - 3,625.00

Baby grand piano restoration, including refinishing, restringing, & restoring original soundboard
$6,500.00 - 8,500.00

Large grand piano restoration, including refinishing, restringing, & restoring original soundboard
$6,675.00 - 13,750.00

Large grand piano restoration, including refinishing, restringing, & installing a NEW soundboard (We do not recommend this process) Most all soundboards can be re-crowned and shimmed. REMEMBER THIS: (THE HEART OF THE PIANO IS THE SOUNDBOARD)
$12,000.00 -15,000.00

Baby grand and large grand piano (refinishing only)
$3,350.00 - 7,500.00

Computerized player mechanism installation. Upright and Grand pianos (only) Our recommended system is the Pianomation. The reason is; 1. The Warranty its the best available in the business and most of all 2. Their reliability is unsurpassed...
$5,495.00 - 7,855.00

Computerized player mechanism installation (square grand pianos only) The only effective player we recommend for this piano is the NEW Retro fit PianocorderCD This system plays softer than the other digital systems and has and excellent 355 hour CD library...
$3,795.00 - 6,100.00

Consignment Partner

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:02:00 +0000

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Peerless

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Some Peerless History

from THE MUSIC TRADES - November 6, 1914

BANJORCHESTRA, THE NEWEST FOR TANGO TEAS AND MOVIES

Connorized Music Co. Produce Wonderful Instrument to Replace Dance Palace Orchestras Invention of James O'Connor......

The Banjorchestra is the product of the Connorized Music Co. and is the brain child of James O'Connor, the president of this concern. The case design on the first instrument shown, and which is pictured herewith, is by Arthur Conrow, Mr. Connor's able assistant. The Banjorchestra is a composite instrument of the banjo, piano, snare drum, bass drum, triangle, tambourine and castanets.

The Banjorchestra is 6 feet 9 inches high, 3 feet 5 inches wide and 2 feet 7 inches deep. The first example shown is finished in Mission oak, and this style of finish will prevail unless otherwise specified.

On Monday of this week THE MUSIC TRADES representative was given a demonstration by James O'Connor and Arthur Conrow in the Connorized Music Co.'s factory, at East One Hundred and Forty-fourth street and Austin Place. The demonstration was arranged so as to give such dramatic value as was necessary in order to gain absolutely uninfluenced by visualization, and when THE MUSIC TRADES representative stepped from the elevator to the spacious roll-cutting and experimental rooms of the Connorized company's plant the instrument was in operation. The effect was absolutely bewildering in that heretofore in all his rounds of musical instrument factories (and it may be mentioned, tango parties) a more perfect dance orchestra had not been heard by him. Mr. O'Connor caused ten selections to be played, ranging from the lightest operettas to the heaviest orchestra music, and in every requirement exacted the instrument excelled itself.

The Banjorchestra will prove a handsome addition to the equipments of halls, assembly places and other locations where tangoing is indulged in and orchestra music is required, and a demonstration justifies the prediction that in the Banjorchestra the Connorized Music Co., or, more particularly, James O'Connor and Arthur Conrow, have created a "winner."

Where are they now?

With such a prediction for a bright future, what happened to the Banjorchestra? There are two original Banjorchestras known to exist, or at least remnants of. A complete extant example is yet to be found.

Two companies advertised their own style Banjorchestra, the Connorized Music Company and the Engelhard Piano Company. The Connorized Music Company was established in 1900 from a split of the American Automusic Company, the main manufacturer and sales agent of the "Encore" Automatic Banjo and sole producer of music rolls for it. The Connorized Music Company built the first Banjorchestra in 1914, as stated in the Music Trades article. A later advertisement from a 1915 Music Trade Review features three views of a differently styled mahogany cabinet. The Connorized Music Company was a music roll manufacturer and is not known to have ever manufactured pianos. It is suspected that O'Connor never went into production of the Banjorchestra. The manufacturing rights were given or sold to the Engelhard Piano Company.

The Engelhard Piano Company produced a variety of automatic musical instruments from about 1890 to the late 1920's under various names, Peerless being the best known. The two extant Banjorchestras were made by Engelhard. The most complete was discovered by Rick Crandall, an Encore Automatic Banjo enthusiast, at the California theme park, Knott's Berry Farm. D.C. Ramey Piano Company has restored this historic find. The instrument was serving as a "puppet show" nickelodeon. The banjo and traps had been removed and replaced with dancing puppets. The front soundboard remained where the banjo and traps were mounted and the placement of the banjo and traps could be seen by the shadows left by sun bleaching. The piano and banjo valve chests were left intact.

Although it is known what components comprised a Banjorchestra, since no original rolls or even a tracker bar have been found it is not known how the music was arranged, or how it actually sounded. Perhaps the major stumbling block for the Banjorchestra was the banjo head. Unlike the synthetic-skin heads that are used today, animal-skin heads are very sensitive to humidity, shrinking or expanding with the slightest change. This shrinking and expanding not only affects the tuning of a banjo, but it also affects the picker mechanism. The pickers will pick the strings lighter as the head expands, to the point where they might miss the string altogether. The earlier "Encore" Automatic Banjo constantly had problems like this. A lone banjo going a little flat is one thing, but if it is combined with a stable piano, the skin head banjo will rarely be in tune with the piano and the result could be a little hard to enjoy. Perhaps that is why not a single Banjorchestra has survived intact.

The New Banjo-Orchestra

Some 80 years later, the concept of a Banjorchestra was picked up by the D.C. Ramey Piano Company. Using the two ads, the extant machines and a combined 50 years' experience in pneumatic restoration, Dave Ramey and son, David, Jr., created a unique version of the Banjorchestra. Since it is more of a re-creation than a reproduction, it was named the Ramey Banjo-Orchestra. It is being produced in limited numbers, the first of which was unveiled to rave reviews at the 1994 Musical Box Society International Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas.

The Ramey Banjo-Orchestra has the outward appearance of the late model Connorized Banjorchestra. The cabinet was in fact custom built from the pictures in the 1915 Connorized ad. The cabinet was redesigned with a three-glass-paneled front that can be readily opened to access the banjo and traps as well as offer the option of listening to it with the front opened or closed. Decorative corner filigrees were added to allow the music to penetrate the front with the doors closed and to tie, aesthetically, this new instrument with its ancestor the "Encore" Automatic Banjo. As with the original Banjorchestras, the piano of the Ramey Banjo-Orchestra swings out for easy access and servicing.

The tracker bar of the new Banjo-Orchestra has 100 holes, which by means of a little multiplexing, allows full accompaniment to the banjo. This means that the piano can play the full range of its scale and is able to carry the melody with full treble capability. In contrast, it is believed that the Engelhard Banjorchestra piano could only play accompaniment. By multiplexing certain tracker bar holes, there are effectively enough holes to individually control each trap work device, as well as control the expression of the piano and traps separately from the banjo.

New "Old" Music

The music rolls for the Ramey Banjo-Orchestra, of course, have to be specially arranged. Art Reblitz, noted music-roll arranger, helped create a scale specifically for this new instrument. Original "Encore" Banjo rolls were used as a base for arranging some of the new music. Mr. Reblitz also adapted European orchestrion arrangements for the Banjo-Orchestra's 10-tune music rolls. These historic orchestrion arrangements were inspired by 78 r.p.m phonograph records of American dance band arrangements, played by some of the best 1920's jazz bands, and represents music that would have been available for the original Banjorchestra. This transcribing and adapting allows the Ramey Banjo-Orchestra to play some of the finest music ever arranged for automatic musical instruments.

Unlike most American coin pianos, the music rolls for the Banjo-Orchestra are arranged to be played exclusively by this instrument. The music roll layout perfectly fits the instrument, rather than having to accommodate several models, each being different in its musical capabilities. This singularity of use means that the music arranger does not have to compromise his composition in any way, as to make sure it sounds reasonably good on a differently equipped instrument. The end result is a quality of music unlike anything normally heard from a coin piano.

The obscure Banjorchestra has been re-born 80 years after its inception due to the remarkable interest, enthusiasm, and talents of Dave Ramey, Sr.. Perhaps, someday, a restored complete original Banjorchestra can be seen, heard, and enjoyed next to the instrument it inspired, the Ramey Banjo-Orchestra.

Removing Old Ivory Keys

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:50:00 +0000

Replacing & Gluing Ivory Key Tops Tail and Front Ivory wafers
By Kim Bunker

Replacing ivory keys is easy! First of all if you need to have a source of obtaining original ivory tops and tails. Usually you get these from a piano rebuilder like us or someone who replaces keytops for piano dealers.

Ivory color varies in shades. I've noticed in the 28 years of matching Ivory's that there are around 9 different shades of white and 3 levels of quality. 1. AAA, 2. A1 and 3. Bone Ivory.

In choosing the number of keys you wish to replace, think in terms of quality opposed to number of replacements. If some of the ivory wafer's are still on the key's and badly yellowed or cracked, remove them. Be very careful in the removing process sometimes its good to have and steam Iron on hand and moist cloth. Take the moist cloth and place it on the key and wafer to be removed then put the iron on top of the cloth over the ivory and count to 20 (approximant 20 seconds) and lift the old ivory wafer at the front edge with a flat putty knife. It should come off relatively easy.

Now write down the keys being replaced for example: 2-C's, 2-D's, 2-E's, 4-F's, 1-G, 3-A's and 2-B's; the total number of keys to replace in this simulation is 16. Below is and example of the keyboard to help you discover what keytops are missing.

Keyboard Sample below with the notes in proper order

The reason that writing down which keys need to be replaced and how many to replace is so important is that most all ivories are beveled at the back of the ivory wafer. For example, all C keys are beveled on the back right side, all E keys are beveled on the back left side, and so on.

Once you have selected the correct keys for replacement, prepare the base of the key (the wood part) for gluing of the wafer. Scrape it with a single-edge razor blade or your putty knife, pulling towards you lightly until the top is level.

Then get the liquid paper Ivory color when it dries it is porous like ivory. The next step is to get some Krazy Glue. Draw an "S" on the base of the key on top that has the liquid paper and or cleaned gauze wafer It will stick, and then carefully slide the proper keytop wafer on until it reaches the ivory tail.

Quickly wipe off the excess glue and hold down the ivory wafer firmly for 20-30 seconds. If you wish to make it level with the tail you can sand the top with 320 grit tri-mite paper until both are level. Then using Brasso polish the key to your desired luster.

The one disadvantage of using hide glue (water-based) is that ivory is a porous material and will warp if you do not have a perfectly flat piece of metal or wood clamped to it during the long drying time, usually about 30 minuets.

The process I'm telling you about takes about one minute per key, if you have all the materials usually found in the office desk! It is clean and looks like it was done by a pro.

Thanks for now and happy keytopping!

Mr. Kim J. Bunker

Antique Player Piano types

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:08:00 +0000

Split stack control These instruments (the vast majority of all player pianos) have the pneumatic player mechanism divided into two approximately equal halves. The operator can lower the volume of either half of the keyboard independently of the other in order to create musical effects.

Theme control These instruments have peripheral pneumatic hardware systems fitted which, when used in conjunction with special music rolls, are able to highlight those notes in the score which are intended to be accented away from those whose volume it is desired to subdue. Basic theme pianos subdue all notes and release full power to only those notes which are align with special music roll "theme" perforations. More subtle systems (such as Hupfeld's "Solodant" and Aeolian's "Themodist") have a graduated theme control where the background subdued level and the foreground melody level are both controllable. The nature of the mechanism is such that where a chord occurs notes to be they have to be advanced slightly away from their neighbors in order for the mechanism to identify them.

Isolated theme The hardware of these pianos is able to pick out the melody notes away from their background accompaniment within the entire range of the keyboard without the necessity for breaking up chords i.e. a software workaround. Manufacturers of these systems were the UK "Dalian" and "Kastonome" and the US "Solo Carola".

Steinway Welte-Mignon reproducing piano (1919)Reproducing Pianos These are fully automated versions of the player piano requiring no human manual control in order to produce the illusion of a live musical performance. This is achieved by the utilization of music rolls where tempo mapping is fully incorporated into the music rolls i.e. the note lengths of a live performance have been captured. This obviates any need for manual tempo lever manipulation. The volume dynamics are created by peripheral pneumatic expression accessories under control from system-specific music roll coding. This obviates the need for human manipulation of the manual dynamic control levers. Typically an electric motor provides power to remove the human operator from the necessity to provide motive power by treadling. Most reproducing pianos are capable of manual over-ride operation and many are constructed for dual functionality both as regular player pianos and also as reproducing pianos. Numerous companies made these utilizing different technology. The first successful instrument was called the "Mignon" launched by Welte in 1904.

A coin-operated Link piano Orchestrion.Orchestrions and Nickelodeons These are automated instruments typically intended from use in a coin-operated commercial setting rather than any domestic one. Various manufacturers made numerous ranges of instruments featuring different combinations of pianos, organ pipework, percussion and other fittings. They were eventually superseded by the juke box following the introduction of effective electrical sound amplification

Brand Name Pianos

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:03:00 +0000

Here are a few names from a historical perspective:

AEOLIAN
BRADBURY
CABLE
CABLE, HOBART
CABLE-NELSON
CALISIA
CALL PIANOS
CAMILLERI
CHICKERING, JONAS
CHICKERING & SONS
CLASSIC PLAYER
CONOVER
CONOVER-CABLE
CURRIER
DAEWOO
DAYTRON
DIAPAISON
DIETMANN
DUO/ART PLAYER
ENTERTAINER
EVERETT
FALCONE PIANO
FAZER
FISCHER J&C
GRAND PIANO CO.
HALLET & DAVIS

HOHNER
HORUGEL
IVERS & POND
JASPER-AMERICAN
KEYBOARD SPECIALTIES
KIMBALL
KNABE
KNIGHT
KOHLER & CAMPBELL
KOLON
KRAKAUER
KRANICH & BACH
LEGNICIA
LINDHOLM
LOWERY
MAEARI
MARANTZ
McCORD
MELODIGRAND
MELODIPRO
MILLER, HENRY F.
NEUPERT
NIENDORF
PFEIFFER
PIANOCORDER
PIANOLA
POOLE
RIPPEN
ROENISH
SCHAFER & SONS
SCHEIDMAYER
SHERLOCK MANNING
SHERMAN CLAY
SCHUMANN
SOJIN
SOHMER
STECK, GEORGE
STEGLER
STING III
TADASHI
TOKAI
TOYO
UNIVERSAL PLAYER
VOSE & SONS
WINTER & CO
ZIMMERMANN

Aeolian -American pianos

A B Chase Gabler Musette
Aeolian Haines & Co. Normandie
Armstrong Haines Bros. Pease
Bent, George P. W.P. Haines Pianette
Bradbury Hallet & Davis Pianola
Brewster Hardman Poole
D.S. Buchanan Heller & Company Primatone
Cable Holmer & Sons Restonic
Cable, Fayette S. Holmes & Co. Rudolph
Carola Huntington Schneider,
Chickering Ivers & Pond Schiller
Conover - Cable Kingsbury George Steck
Cook, J.B. Knabe Sterling
Crown Kranich & Bach Sting
Duo - Art Laffargue Stratford
Elbridge Lindeman Stroud
Ellsworth Marshall & Wendell Stuyvesant
Emerson Mason & Hamlin Vose & Sons
Euphona Mehlin & Sons R. W. Waude,
J & C. Fischer Melodigrand Weber
Foster - Armstrong Mendelssohn Wheelock

Digital Player Piano

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:01:00 +0000

One problem not currently sweeping the nation is what to do with unwanted pianos. Since the instruments are beautiful and denote class, they're a popular lifestyle accessory, so to speak, among people with excess money and/or space. The thing is, pianos don't play themselves... unless you pick up something like what PianoDisc offers.

If you lack the time or inclination to learn how to play your piano (and don't give me this nonsense about "no musical talent" -- anyone can learn to play an instrument), perhaps one of PianoDisc's iQ iPod docks will fit the bill. Drop in an iPod, press play, and observe as motors inside your piano attempt to play an approximation of the song being played by your iPod, rendering Muzak versions of all your favorites. Basically, that expensive, expressive instrument in your living room becomes a strange sort of iPod speaker... talk about wasted potential (though I admit that the iQ would make a decent party trick).

Since this product is for people who own pianos but don't know how to play them, it's hardly surprising that its demographic contains a fair share of the famous. The PianoDisc website hints at the barely-concealed identities of a few celebrity PianoDisc owners:

Affordable Player Piano

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:59:00 +0000

There are many resources for finding an affordable player piano:

- Rebuilding or restoration company
- Piano auction or antique auction
- Craigslist or eBay
- Estate Sale

Player Piano Roll Reproductions

noreply@blogger.com (llance) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:09:00 +0000

By Kim Bunker

In the late 1800's, early devices called "push-ups" or Vorsettzer were invented which, when rolled into place in front of most any piano, would "play" the piano by means of a row of felt-covered fingers hanging out its back side. The device was vacuum operated and depended upon rolls of paper punched with holes to provide the music.

In the early 1900's, the vacuum operated mechanism was sufficiently miniaturized to be shoehorned into the case of upright pianos with deepened cases. These early version for the most part, with full 88 note scale for human playing, "played" only 65 of the 88 notes. About 1912, the full scale 88 note player mechanism emerged as a general industry standard.

In the mid 1910, a few player pianos emerged, most in grand form, capable of reproducing the expression and intent of the original recording artist. Many of the legend masters of the piano recorded for this instrument. At the time, it was simply a normal business transaction. However, these early recording have had the effect of preserving for all time the artistry of these unique people.

In all cases, these pianos depended upon the presence of paper music rolls punched with holes. These rolls were the records of the day, later replaced by disks, later replaced by wire recordings, later replaced by disks in variety of evolutionary formats, later replaced by tape recordings in a variety of evolutionary formats, and eventually replaced by CD's and DVD's in today's market.

Only the paper music rolls make it possible today to hear a real piano played by the legendary masters. All other subsequent recordings were fundamentally simulations of the real performance. Unfortunately, the real player piano is still dependent upon the original paper music rolls. While the piano itself can be repeatedly restored into perpetuity, the original rolls cannot be restored. Time is their fatal enemy. All of the original paper music rolls will eventually become un-useable as they deteriorate over time as the picture examples (see the example in the picture).

One format that is at least going to survive for as long as we can predict is the midi-format. Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, is an industry-standard electronic communications protocol that defines each musical note or event in an electronic musical instrument or show device such as a synthesizer, precisely and concisely, allowing electronic musical instruments, computers and other show equipment to exchange data in real time. MIDI does not transmit audio—it simply transmits real time digital data providing information such as the type and intensity of the musical notes and technical cues played during a performance.

Not only makes this technique it possible to reproduce the piano roll recordings by the old masters, it also makes it possible to listen the old masters with perfect sound quality!