Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Steinway Rebuild Costs Question

Recently I saw a post where a member had found a 1977 Steinway "L" model for sale on EBAY for $14,700 US dollars.

Some had commented on 1977 as being a bad quality year for production standards for Steinway. (I agree along with anything else made in the USA in the 70s)

I was wondering if that piano was returned to Steinway for a complete rebuild and overhaul........What would the approximate cost be? Would Steinway just gut the case and redo everything including the Soundboard and action?

What would a private rebuilder charge for the same? I am asking ball park figures for a piano to be brought up to 2012 Steinway sprcs. Thanks!

Greetings,
I don't think you can find a more expensive way to replace the action and the soundboard in a Steinway than to send it to the factory. Their finishing is hard to beat, but priced incredibly high. I think their prices are set as they are to discourage the customer who owns one, wants a 'genuine Steinway', and is considering rebuilding vs trading in. The way the numbers have been presented in the past, they make the argument that it is "so expensive to rebuild, you will be better off trading that one in on a new one..."

I used to send pianos up there for new soundboards, and initially was pleased with the quality, but not anymore. I was told that a lot of the older factory guys were moved to the restoration dept. back in the 1980's rather than adapt to new production arrangements, I am not sure that is the case now, since I have been told that restoration jobs are run through the production line.

I submit that you will have superior Steinway if you have it rebuilt by either a well-regarded "boutique" rebuilder who has the small crew keeping their hands on the piano, (who should have examples of their work for you to try), or one of the well-established larger facilities. Rich has Cunningham piano enjoying a very strong reputation among very picky artists, Sam Bennet in Atlanta, same thing, as well as John Johansen in North Carolina and Acousticraft in Connecticut. New York has numerous old-line restoration outlets, you should be able to check their credentials, as well as their instruments.

Currently, a complete job of belly, action, and finish runs in the neighborhood of $29,000 down here in the south. If you have a worn out hulk from the twenties with intact plate and veneer, this is definitely the way to go. If it is a 1970's model, I would not move so fast, as those pianos often had uncorrectable problems, such as, agraffes so crooked that the piano is doomed to never have a good voicing. Scale problems, plate problems, actions that would embarrass anyone with pride in their work, and poor overall general obedience to the scale stick.

A 1977 L would maybe worth $ 6,000 to me, if it had any potential.
Regards,

If you want to gut the piano, it would cost somewhere around $30,000-$40,000; this, of course, depends on who is hired to do the work. It makes more financial sense to buy one from the Golden Age period for maybe $10,000 less.

What do you consider the golden age?

I was just curious because someone had posted the EBAY link and they must have bought the piano. I was wondering what their reasoning was for that. The piano was in NYC along with some other Steinways.

Pre-Depression.... (the 1930s one, not the current one).

Goodness, I need to raise my prices.

Hi Rafterman,

You asked a question; "Would Steinway just gut the case and redo everything including the Soundboard and action?" in reference to a rebuild from the Steinway plant. That is exactly what they would do. That is exactly what a total rebuild is, and it makes more sense when you remove the word "just." It isn't the easy, quick way by any means, it is the best way. It is how all of the master re-builders proceed, whether at Steinway, or in their own shops. Newer instruments can often do with refurbishment, but that is a different approach altogether. With a total rebuild, you have, for all practical purposes, a new piano, which if done at the highest level, will compete with anything ever produced by the original maker.

It is best to stay away from the word "restore." That usually indicates using period parts, not new stock, and can't really equal a great rebuilding. This is an area where semantics can really cause confusion.

There are some great re-builders scattered around. Some have already been mentioned, some have not. Before having a piano rebuilt, the choice of the master builder is extremely important. It might very well be more important than the name on the fallboard.

Generally, and only very generally, we are talking in the $30K+ range, and worth every penny. The style of the cabinet can really push up the price. However, when starting with a "core" instrument, the value of the rebuilt instrument would equal or exceed the price of the equivalent new instrument. I don't know the current Steinway prices, however, they historically have run about 30-40% higher than a private rebuild.

A "core" piano is one that requires a total rebuild. It may be perfectly playable, but is really past its prime. The generally accepted price, for a core from "the golden era," is ~$6K. Here the prices can go up considerably with ornate/exotic cabinetry, but the value of the "guts" is all about the same. I am referring to a standard straight leg piano in ebony or one of the standard veneers.

General usage and reference of the term "golden age" is from the dawn of the 20th. Century to about 1930. The "Great Crash" took a big toll on the great companies. The effect can still be felt in terms of quality of the pianos in the periods following. We may very well be going into a new golden age, however, as the finest pianos are no longer competing nationally, but internationally as well.

Of course this can be argued, but the usual candidates for this type of rebuild include:

Steinway & Sons - NY and Hamburg
Mason & Hamlin
Baldwin
Chickering
Knabe

Plan to be without the piano for a year. Yes, it could take less time, but that is what can be expected. It is a very involved process, proceeding in a strict progression, which must not be rushed.

In 2005-06, I had our family 1920 Steinway-M rebuilt (SSN 204506). I was worried that it would not sound like the piano I grew up playing. I needn't have worried. Its individual voice was still there, but the overall difference was monumental. I thought that if the soundboard was replaced the sound would change. What I didn't understand was how carefully a true artist/craftsman will listen to the original, and then work to recreate the original voice throughout the entire process. It is art and not craft.

Now, I am considering a total rebuild of my 1927 S&S-M. It will return to the same shop without question. This time around I have no concerns at all.

I hope this will be helpful to you, and to others, when thinking about proceeding with a rebuilding of a great piano.

Generally, I agree with what Marty wrote. Well-crafted response!

A lot of technicians do

Marty,

In general, a great post. You are "spot on" with most of what you said.

I will add though that some of the most beautiful pianos I have ever seen were built in the 1930's. The Depression decimated most every piano company, true. But those left had a pool of tremendous craftspeople to choose from - and they needed work.

My two cents,

Hi Rich,

I agree with you completely. I was merely trying to define the general use of the term "golden age." Great pianos can come from all time periods, even the 1970's. Stranger things have happened, ya know!

I would have to see one to believe it. I consider the golden age of Steinways to be from serial number 60,000 to 300,000. I am basing this on the ones I have taken apart and put back together. The late 1880 uprights are among the best ever done, (according to professional responses I get from two that I rebuilt.) One of them is now the main keyboard in a major Americana artist's studio, the other is in the home of an internationally known pop star. These are exceptional instruments and as one owner said, "After playing this one, all those other upright pianos sound like, well, uprights.." So, I include them in the "Age".
By 1990, the grands were pretty well developed, and it seems like until WW II killed so many of the craftspeople, the pianos were made with well executed alignment, everywhere. After the war, the pianos exhibit a gradual descent into mediocre construction and assembly.
Even so, it is a rare Steinway grand older than 70 years that still has an evenly responsive soundboard. Their boards are non-durable, just like hammers and keybushing, regardless of what age they come from.
Regards,

Hi Ed,

I think you meant 1890.

No, one was an 1888 and the other an 1889, according to the dates on the various action parts and serial number.
Regards,

Completely rebuilt L's at the biggest NYC rebuilder (other than Steinway) are priced in the 50-55K range. However, NYC prices may be higher than many other parts of the US.

I know from customers that you are in the right ball park PL. It makes sense.

I must say though, I have really enjoyed being located in Philadelphia. The cost of doing business here is a fraction of what it is in New York, we are close enough to draw extra help from an expert pool there when needed temporarily, and when we take on a permanent craftsman from there he could literally take a pay cut and live much better here.

...except you can't get a decent egg cream in Philly.

And ya can't get a decent cheese steak in NYC!

Scrapple, anyone?

Unfortunately, we excel in Lutefisk.

Hi Rafterman,

You may want to check out A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano: http://www.usedsteinwaypiano.com This was just recently published to help answer questions like the one you had.

Hope you find it helpful.