Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Undecided on restoring a piano.

Hi,

I have a small upright piano built in the 1920's. Hardman-Peck, I think it may be called a 'mini' piano. It's been in my family since then, but has been neglected over the years: cracked soundboard, keys would have to be replaced, cabinet also needs work.

I want to keep it because it's small, and when the keyboard is covered the top is a nice flat surface. Been in the family for MANY years. I always liked the sound of it.

I've had estimates around $6k to fix. Several of the people who inspected it say restore it because of the way it's built, others say push it to the curb.

I need more opinions - Thanks!

There were a few different flavors of the Minipiano. Some had a more-or-less conventional action mounted "behind" the plate with tuning pins coming out the front side under the keybed. Others were tuned from the front more or less normally and had a strangely articulated lifter scheme to activate an action underneath the keybed.

None of them were noteworthy in the musical performance department. Reasons for restoration would be entirely historical/sentimental. But they can be made to play. You will pay a premium for proper restoration because it falls squarely into the "bizarre approaches to piano building" category. Most technicians won't touch it with a 10' pole. Those who will are either fly-by-night or folk whose skills puts them in high demand.

Curb

It is very easy to sink a few thousand dollars into a piano that will, in the end, have a value of a few hundred dollars. You stress the heritage and family value of the instrument in your post. If it means that much to you, then go ahead. Just realize that money wise it is not a smart decision/investment. You could, for example, keep your minipiano as a keepsake and use the money to buy are real functioning piano that will play and sound quite beautiful.

I am currently doing restoration work on a friend's old family piano, a former player upright. The piano will not be worth what she is putting into it, but she loves every tooth mark on the case, and it will be a better piano than what she could buy new for the cost of the work. But it is a big old upright, and they had the advantage of size.

Ultimately the decision is yours. I think you should get some other estimates. You need to decide what work is worth doing. For instance, repairing soundboard cracks offers very little return for the money, unless they are buzzing, and even then, fixing the buzz may be all that is necessary. Replacing the pin block is out of the question. Even at that, hammers and strings cost, and you have to decide what you want to budget.

If you are doing this only because you want a piano to play , Its better to buy a new piano for this 6K , they will last more time and surely will be better, anyway if you desire is to play THAT piano , because there's a sentimental reason for keeping it , then restore it. I'm myself restoring an old 150$ upright piano, its very expensive, and I don't want to have a good-condition instrument, but I'm doing this for passion, so , if this piano have got some sentimental value, go for it. If not, I reccomend you to buy another piano.

You can go to any store and get a small cabinet with a nice flat surface for a lot less than 5K.

I have a client who has a mini piano on their house boat.

The pins were loose, and it needed a good action regulation. I doped the pins to tighten them, raised the pitch two notes, and adjusted the action, all for a few hundred dollars. (also a lot less than 5K)

Just another option to consider.

You could convert it to a desk. Or a TV cabinet? OR? some other useful piece of furniture. Or put a keyboard in place of the insides.

As a piece of furniture, the Hardman Mini true art deco.
As a piano it is a complete indulgence to form. But it is a very well made indulgence. They are no Grand Kinkade. As an heirloom you could have a much less well made piano that is nowhere near as interesting. You only have one chance to save a family piano, and if you like the piano even now, the chances are good that you will be happy with the results.

this assumes good work, of course.

I have one mouldering away in my dungeon if you need any parts. Bench too, and welcome.

I would not do anything without having heard even minimally pleasing tone from that piano, in its current condition.

I agree with this advice. Just keep in mind that, monetarily, you won't get out of it what you put into it. What you get out of it sentimentally can't be measured.

By far the best decision IMO for a piano that has sentimental value but will be musically poor even after restoration.