pipel blanga jisus

[ada]

That's what the banner proclaims in pig english in the small, run-down church down the road where assorted down-and-outers and struggle-streeters congregate.

I've walked past the church often without taking much notice but it was the sound of the piano that made me stick my head inside the other day.

There it was - an old Bechstein grand piano. The reverend was playing a bluesy tune on it. It was a donation, he tells me, though it's badly in need of tuning.

The upshot is that the church can't afford to get the instrument tuned. It does need  tuning but it's not absolutely hopeless and regardless it has a lovely resonating sound and a nice feel, though the keys feel a bit loose.

So I'm thinking I'll put in some money to get it tuned. I figure it's win-win situation. It's a good deed for the church and my ulterior motive is that I get access to play on it. For someone who only has a digital at home, this is great opportunity.

What do you reckon?

[pianowolfi]

pipel blanga spaghetti monsta? Anyway the thought that ada will do a good deed for the church- mildly amusing do you know which year the Bechstein is from? Mine is from 1912.

[rc]

we had some spaghetti monstah last night...  It was an experiment that came out looking like a pot of worms.  Fairly edible.

[ada]

Anyway the thought that ada will do a good deed for the church- mildly amusing

I said I had ulterior motives 

Anyway it is a nice church, not a huge evangelical conglomerate.

(yes I have been seduced inside the house of god by a piano but do not fear I am not getting religious)

I do not know what year it is,  tell me all about Blechsteins - how do they rate as pianos? Are they good? They must be if wolfi plays one.

Is it worth investing in getting restored, in your view? Is this a good find?

[ahinton]

I said I had ulterior motives 

Yes, but you didn't say what they are!

Anyway it is a nice church, not a huge evangelical conglomerate.

Does that make a difference? And is not that church part of such a conglomerate?

yes I have been seduced inside the house of god

That's as good a place as any to be seduced...

by a piano but do not fear I am not getting religious

Ah, sorry - should have read abit more before answering; getting seduced into the house of God by a piano seems as good an excuse as any, so maybe I wasn't so far out in my previous remark.

I do not know what year it is

It's 2007 up over; not sure what it is down under...

tell me all about Blechsteins - how do they rate as pianos? Are they good? They must be if wolfi plays one.

Ah - more haste, less speed once again; you mean you don't know the year of the piano. Just check its number and you can find that out on the internet.

Is it worth investing in getting restored, in your view? Is this a good find?

Much depends on the amount of work that requires to be done and the cost of doing it; if the soundboard's still in near-perfect condition, it might be worth a go but, if it's not, it would probably not be.

Best,

Alistair

[pianowolfi]

I said I had ulterior motives 

Anyway it is a nice church, not a huge evangelical conglomerate.

(yes I have been seduced inside the house of god by a piano but do not fear I am not getting religious)

I do not know what year it is,  tell me all about Blechsteins - how do they rate as pianos? Are they good? They must be if wolfi plays one.

Is it worth investing in getting restored, in your view? Is this a good find?

Yeah accidentally (?) you wrote Blechstein instead of Bechstein and that's exactly what some people criticize about Bechstein pianos. They sound like tin (Blech) I don't agree because every instrument is different anyway. And Bechstein succeded very much in business with concert grands before they ran out of high-quality wood and other high-quality material in WW I. Steinway made the race because they had other sources that were not accessable for Bechstein.  And Bechstein could never establish like before.

Anyway I second what Alistair says about the soundboard. But there are a couple of other factors that need to be checked out before you take the risk of a restauration. Is the tension in the wood strong enough to give enough resonance? Is the bridge in good order, without cracks? Are the holes where the tuning pegs are in ok? It needs to be checked out by a piano technician first I think.

As for my Bechstein, I am pretty satisfied with it in the treble and middle regions. But the bass sounds definitely too dry. And this is, as I heard from a  piano technician, a weak point of older Bechstein's. I plan to buy another grand by perhaps next year or so. But okay, I love my instrument even if it has its weaknesses.

[thalbergmad]

Mine is from 1912.

Did you buy it new?

Thal

[pianowolfi]

Did you buy it new?

Thal

Yes in my previous life . Now it came back to me under very mysterious circumstances. roflmao 

[wishful thinker]

Ada,

Bechsteins are one of the better pianos, and restored, can be quite valuable https://thornhillpianos.co.uk/index.php/pianos/more/stunning_turn_of_the_century_bechstein_model_b_grand_piano/

However, Bechies are famous for having problems with the frame casting (down to shoddy German 19thC metalurgy) and are renowned for cracking.  A cracked frame can be (and are) repaired, but there is a risk of them breaking during restringing.

Try this discussion on another (UK) forum https://www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/viewtopic.php?t=3831 

[brewtality]

I don't see why you should pay to have someone else's piano restored 

why don't you just buy it from them if you really fancy it.

[ada]

I don't see why you should pay to have someone else's piano restored 

why don't you just buy it from them if you really fancy it.

Because wan bick bleck box you sing out goodfalla blanga the church ...  they is not about to sell it to anyone.

Plus I do not have room for a grand piano in mah humble abode. Nor can I be playing one at 4.30am;  mah only available practice time (hence the digi).

If I pay for restoration, I get a key blanga me to the church.

tks everyone for your helpful comments, I will be having it looked at.

[brewtality]

Because wan bick bleck box you sing out goodfalla blanga the church ...  they is not about to sell it to anyone.

Plus I do not have room for a grand piano in mah humble abode. Nor can I be playing one at 4.30am;  mah only available practice time (hence the digi).

If I pay for restoration, I get a key blanga me to the church.

tks everyone for your helpful comments, I will be having it looked at.

I would reply to this. But I don't know what you are talking about.  In any case, it's your money, do what you want with it.

[ada]

sry I was getting into the spirit of the church (fyi wan bick bleck box you sing out goodfalla is "piano" in vanuatu pidgeon. wan smol black box etc is violin).

What I meant was:

The piano belongs to the church, they don't want to sell it.

I can't fit a grand piano in my home and I can only play a digital cos I play very early in the morning and need to use head phones.

But if I pay for restoration then hopefully the church will give me a key so I can use the piano