Great video, thanks!. I love those old instruments, lots better than clinically perfect new ones. I hope, when in some time I am in the market for a grand, to be able to find a beauty like this. I don't need it to be a Steinway, but any vintage piano with a colourful character on it
The sound that some of these aged pianos can bring makes them highly sought after and rather costly. With the amount of work this needs, pins, strings, I'm not sure how much of the unique sound would remain, and that's assuming the action can be repaired, can avoid new hammers, etc. I do not know if the harp, sound board, and the case is enough to keep it from sounding new.
Here's a Steinway A from around 2011 ua-cam.com/video/l9OAGhzfoKA/v-deo.html. It's an instrument I particularly enjoy to tune and its harmonics are well controlled. There are other ways to tame the beast and one can get other harmonics to control the tonality.
@@unequally-tempered yes, this Steinway sounds very well, a modern strong instrument. For my tast the two years old tuning is still in a good shape, never change a winning team. I fall in love with the sound of the grand pianos from the 20s, 30s and even 40s. My favourites are Blüthner, Bechstein, Ibach, Feurich or also Förster, a Pleyel also would warm my heart. This old instruments, i guess are more difficult to tune, takes more time to do it really well. Often an average technician doesn't have the patience to finish the tuning, the result is an unsatisfying temperament. The technicians in the Roberts workshop are always work wonders with these ancient treasures.
When this is ready I'd like to tune this instrument for you. I maintain one of these, American, in the South of France and a Hamburg in London ua-cam.com/video/sb6pt3OvU_o/v-deo.html and a similar Model L near Abbey Road. I love the O and have discovered Steinway's secret approach to the 5th Harmonic. This instrument is _worth_ proper refurbishment with new strings. These instruments are so good that they shouldn't be left 2nd rate in any way. Perhaps before changing hammers, one might reshape them and see how reducing the weight of the existing ones might change the weight of the action. If the felt is good one loses nothing if one's contemplating changing them anyway.
It’s probably more down to the customers budget when it comes to restringing. I can imagine a full restringing costing a fair amount in parts alone. Totally agree though, would be great to see and hear it as it should be.
Thanks David for your useful comments as always. We'll take a look at the possibility of retaining the current hammers. Our technical team will no doubt have their own opinion too. Will try to make another video once the piano has been restored. Marcus
@@MadisonTen An instrument like this is top rate - and best kept that way. If customer's budget doesn't go to experiencing this instrument in top condition, they're the wrong customer. When well looked after these instruments are a joy to maintain. One comes to a Steinway with good strings and the pins move as they should and the strings move through their friction points controllably. One cannot afford the risk of an instrument like this breaking strings when brought up to 440 as they should be.
Dear Mr Roberts, There is some unpleasant distortion here, both when speaking and playing the instrument. Must have to do with the microphone's position. Such a shame, with all the work you put in realising these enlightening videos!
Correct, the Model L replaced the O in NY in 1924. It must be 1923 or older. Then in around 2004 NY resumed making the Model O and discontinued the L. The two models are virtually identical except that the L has a square tail and larger soundboard while the A has a rounded and smaller tail.
This is a beautiful piano. I like the sound.
Great video, thanks!. I love those old instruments, lots better than clinically perfect new ones. I hope, when in some time I am in the market for a grand, to be able to find a beauty like this. I don't need it to be a Steinway, but any vintage piano with a colourful character on it
The sound that some of these aged pianos can bring makes them highly sought after and rather costly. With the amount of work this needs, pins, strings, I'm not sure how much of the unique sound would remain, and that's assuming the action can be repaired, can avoid new hammers, etc. I do not know if the harp, sound board, and the case is enough to keep it from sounding new.
not a big fan of modern Steinway, but this old pre-piano has great sound, full of character, even in this condition.
Here's a Steinway A from around 2011 ua-cam.com/video/l9OAGhzfoKA/v-deo.html. It's an instrument I particularly enjoy to tune and its harmonics are well controlled. There are other ways to tame the beast and one can get other harmonics to control the tonality.
@@unequally-tempered yes, this Steinway sounds very well, a modern strong instrument. For my tast the two years old tuning is still in a good shape, never change a winning team.
I fall in love with the sound of the grand pianos from the 20s, 30s and even 40s.
My favourites are Blüthner, Bechstein, Ibach, Feurich or also Förster, a Pleyel also would warm my heart.
This old instruments, i guess are more difficult to tune, takes more time to do it really well. Often an average technician doesn't have the patience to finish the tuning, the result is an unsatisfying temperament. The technicians in the Roberts workshop are always work wonders with these ancient treasures.
This is a Hamburg Steinway.
When this is ready I'd like to tune this instrument for you. I maintain one of these, American, in the South of France and a Hamburg in London ua-cam.com/video/sb6pt3OvU_o/v-deo.html and a similar Model L near Abbey Road. I love the O and have discovered Steinway's secret approach to the 5th Harmonic. This instrument is _worth_ proper refurbishment with new strings. These instruments are so good that they shouldn't be left 2nd rate in any way. Perhaps before changing hammers, one might reshape them and see how reducing the weight of the existing ones might change the weight of the action. If the felt is good one loses nothing if one's contemplating changing them anyway.
It’s probably more down to the customers budget when it comes to restringing. I can imagine a full restringing costing a fair amount in parts alone. Totally agree though, would be great to see and hear it as it should be.
Thanks David for your useful comments as always. We'll take a look at the possibility of retaining the current hammers. Our technical team will no doubt have their own opinion too. Will try to make another video once the piano has been restored. Marcus
@@MadisonTen An instrument like this is top rate - and best kept that way. If customer's budget doesn't go to experiencing this instrument in top condition, they're the wrong customer. When well looked after these instruments are a joy to maintain. One comes to a Steinway with good strings and the pins move as they should and the strings move through their friction points controllably. One cannot afford the risk of an instrument like this breaking strings when brought up to 440 as they should be.
Dear Mr Roberts,
There is some unpleasant distortion here, both when speaking and playing the instrument. Must have to do with the microphone's position.
Such a shame, with all the work you put in realising these enlightening videos!
David, Is that standard or other tuning?
- Filing hammers will lighten action weigh to (once it's dried out, assuming no damp stiction)
Being made in 1925, if it was made in New York, it would be a Model L. This is a Model O.
Correct, the Model L replaced the O in NY in 1924. It must be 1923 or older. Then in around 2004 NY resumed making the Model O and discontinued the L. The two models are virtually identical except that the L has a square tail and larger soundboard while the A has a rounded and smaller tail.
Smaller soundboard on the O that is.
American Steinway tone > German Steinweg
Yes, gradually the Hamburg Steinway started to sound and fell much different to the New York one. Marcus