Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum In Praise of the Mason & Hamlin BB

I've noticed that quite a few here own M & H BBs. I would imagine that each one of us has a bit of a story about the search for a piano and what went into deciding on your present BB. I for one, would like to hear some of these stories. Even better would be a link to a recording of your piano along with whatever history of the instrument you can provide.

It's late tonight or I would post up my piano's story first. For now there is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5zw-uL5r48
I will add more tomorrow. Pictures welcome.

Your baby has a wonderfully clean, sparkling sound (like Schimmel!). I haven't gotten a chance to play any M&H grands yet, but my favorite upright of all time is the M&H 52". Very full-sounding piano.

The playing isn't too shabby either . Enjoy her!

I found my Mason & Hamlin BB at the end of a long search that included trying out similarly-sized Steinways, Baldwins, and all the Japanese and Asian pianos available at the time. (I don't remember what year it was, but it was shortly after the Burgett Brothers bought the company.) In fact, we first bought a 5'6" Mason grand, which we loved. But then I tried out a BB in the shop, and lost my heart to it. We had the space, and could handle the cost (gasping, but we handled it), and there we were and are. I have no regrets--it remains the best piano ever. It's one of the Burgetts' first BBs, and surely one of the greatest!

I liked your recording of the Seasons of Tchaikovsky!

I recently completed extensive work on a "dog years", (1970's Aeolian) BB. It took extensive work to the plate to secure the proper string spacing because the factory machining was so bad. This era BB has a mahogany rim not maple.

The work included new; pin-block, bridge caps (with treble speaking length corrections), WN&G hammer shanks, Ronsen hammers, key-bushings, agraffes, damper heads/wires, damper guide rails, strings, and soundboard and plate finishes.

I also installed my patent pending Fully Tempered Duplex Scale, LightHammer Tone Regulation, and Hybrid wire scale.

After delivery to the auditorium I have been left with a lust to get my hands into another one because the sound is so intoxicating. The work required was exhausting though due to the crude factory work needing remedy. The Aeolian era soundboards were excellent.

If you look up a PW post titled "Fully Tempered Duplex Scale" in the Piano Technicians Forum you can read an independent report about the piano.

I don't know whether I had admitted it here on Piano World or not, but my Mason & Hamlin BB was the first piano I looked at seriously to buy. I was looking for a 7' piano. When I looked online for listings, most everything I was interested in was in NY. I struggled how I would get a technician to go over and instrument in a private home I was serious about.

Then there was this ad for the Mason & Hamlin in a tiny little town in northern NH. I figured that it would be good to go look at it simply to put my new found Piano Buyer information of how to go over a used piano into action. So, up I went. It wasn't that far from me when I think abou it. So there was this gorgeous piano. And when I played it, I knew instantly that I had never played a piano I liked better. The base was to die for. The piano really sang to me. I must have driven people crazy. But, I played for hours. And I went back a few days later to play some more. I just couldn't believe I had found this gem so close to me. I brought my piano teacher at the time to come up and play it. And he liked it. The piano had just been lovingly rebuilt by an individual who bought two BBs to rebuild and ended up selling one to finance the rebuild of both. Everything was perfect on the piano. It looked brand new. Heck, most but the rim was brand new. So I contacted a tech used by UNH to come check it out. And she found it to be in great shape. This was in 1999. I've played a lot of pianos since. Probably should have played more when I was looking to buy. But, I didn't want to lose out on owning this piano. So, I bought it!!! I've since learned that a lot of people tried out this piano and loved it. But turned it down because no Steinway logo on the fallboard. Well, their loss my gain. I've never regretted my decision to buy it. I've not played anything I've liked more since buying it.

I'll post up some pictures in the next post. Thanks for the comments on my playing. I am playing better because of this piano. It begs to be played. And every time I sit down to play it, it is like receiving a gift. It's so generous. I honestly think it's hard to play badly on it. It just reaches out and wraps its arms around you and draws you in. I feel so lucky to have it.

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/Piano1.JPG

What a timely thread! I just bought my first--and probably last--grand piano: A Mason & Hamlin BB!!! I have to wait till I close on my new home before having it delivered. Here's my story:

I am a 50-year old beginner who started piano 9 months ago after my wife tells me she wants a divorce. Now, with the divorce settled, I decided to treat myself with high quality grand in the 6-foot range. I went to dealers and private homes. I played Yamaha, Boston, Baldwin, Chickering, Cable Nelson, Kawai, and of course Steinway (even 7 and 9 foot models for comparison).

Then I checked out a Mason & Hamlin B (baby grand), just to get an idea for M&H even though it was shorter than I was looking for. I liked the sound so I then began searching a larger area looking for an AA Model. After two cross country trips to look at two AAs which turned out to have badly cracked sound boards, I was starting to get discouraged. But then my technician told me about a BB two hours away. A 1916 model that's been completely rebuilt, but for the original soundboard. We went to check it out. When my tech played it, I stood there gape-jawed. Oh. My. God. It sounded phenomenal! Clearer and brighter than Steinway. Richer and more complex than Yamaha. I'm now picturing myself playing Eric Clapton's "Layla" on it. I can't wait until it's delivered!

Congratulations!!!

I never owned a BB but when I was in college there was a vintage BB at the school that was very special. I commented to the resident technician how much I liked that piano and he told me that it was a favorite of his also. I might also add that the school had a near new fleet of Steinways and many were model Bs. I had a favorite B as well. I choose the B for my senior concert.

Sure - I almost bought a new one during my recent search. Also, I fondly remember a BB that was in a practice room at the University of Western Ontario (my first experience). Practicing Brahms and Rachmaninoff on that piano was a joy. Down the hall was a Bosendorfer 200 or 214 in a classroom, and in the concert hall was a NY D.

Man, that was a fun summer!

I bought my used circa 2004 BB in polished ebony from Cunningham's in Philadelphia several years ago. I had originally gone to try out a new, old-stock AA which Rich had taken in from another dealership for Mason-Hamlin and I actually bought that wonderful piano, but the next morning, before leaving Philadelphia to go south, Rich called and told me about a fairly-new BB he had just brought over from the workshop building. They had just finished regulating and tuning it. I gave it a try and decided to void the sale on the AA and buy the BB instead. I am very happy with this wonderful instrument. Recently I had new Ronson hammers installed as the original Renner Blues had quite a bit of grooving and I am currently breaking them in. The sound is very sweet. Kind of reminds me of the older-style Masons. I think my piano could stand comparison with any of the Tier 1 pianos out there in the same size. (You may be surprised, but I have my piano in a small bedroom on a carpet and it sounds very nice there, but make no mistake, it could hold its own on a stage if it needed to!)

When I visited Rich he had an outstanding new BB on the floor. Someone got a great piano.

My BB is a 2009 vintage. Like a fine wine it is still very young, just starting to open up, and my, what a sound! I can see why, when one starts with this quality of piano, a rebuilder/technician can have a field day with tweaking it - different bass strings, duplex scales, action, hammers, etc. Don't get me wrong - I not dissing the piano at all. I love the sound my piano produces, but the tweaker in me is always thinking of upping the ante.

Prout, it seems that you have come down with a case of Noam Syndrome.



That's OK, Rickster enjoys his case of PAS.

Maybe, but, fortunately, I don't have the money to tweak it. And, if I did, my wife would be spending her money on a DIY divorce kit.

For almost all pianists, I think tweaking their pianistic skills will have a much bigger result than tweaking their piano. The store where I bought my BB had a professional pianist as the salesperson and they sounded infinitely better playing the much smaller model A than I did on the BB.

You are, of course, absolutely correct. At the risk of a fusillade from the techs, it could be, and is in my case, better to spend the money on lessons. Nevertheless, it is so satisfying to play, even badly, a decent piano.
At the moment, I am sitting in a hotel room in Chicago practicing on my Yamaha KX8. Nice sound, but not great regulation.

Dynamobt,I don't own a Mason BB but i find this post a very interesting read! Your piano looks lovely and your recording was as equally lovely!! Thanks for sharing.

I know there are more BB owners on Piano World. I was hoping for more stories, more pictures and of course, more recordings!!

The truth is I could gush about my piano all day. I too think my piano could hold its own on stage. My tech believes it to be concert quality.

Those of us who have a BB are lucky indeed. Thanks for the compliments on my piano and recording.