Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum My "new" Bluthner is ready for collection!

Wow, that may be the most beautiful piano I've ever seen! Absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations!

--Phil

Stunningly gorgeous!! congrats and enjoy playing this beauty! (They sure don't make plates like that any more do they?)

That piano makes me ache, it's so beautiful...

Actually they do. $$$$$
Quite fancy, special order, but not as fancy as the one in this thread.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the pictures. Simply stunning! I hope the sound is glorious!

Good luck.

The piano is absolutely, overwhelmingly beautiful. I am glad it has gone to a good home.

One point that struck me in the original post is the sentence: " It was neglected for decades and they were going to throw it out". Why can't I find a core like that which somebody is going to throw out?

Yes, they do still make at least one version of the jubilee plate. Funny thing is that it doesn't add any value to the core piano.

Philip this piano was traded in at the factory - it was that when the Leveretts went to inspect a Steinway for rebuilding, they were asked if they could dispose of the Bluthner as well.

This piano actually needed so much work in comparison to some others - it even needed some capping done on the top part of the case. Some core pianos are rejected by the factory and they tend to find themselves in auctions - that's a financial decision on the part of the factory. If it's a customer's rebuild then they'll usually accept any job but if it's one that they source for selling they'll choose carefully - it's the labour costs you see.

I know that the Leveretts know which cores are worth rebuilding and which ones to let go of, and they decided that this particular piano should be saved. Also it comes with the usual five year warranty which increases confidence in the product.

What I'm saying is, if you go for a core piano, make sure you have someone who knows what they are doing when buying it.

My shortlist for a replacement to the brodmann came down to a Yamaha C6, a kawai rx7 or a shigeru sk6, and I was getting close to biting the bullet on the kawai when this came up for sale. Don't get me wrong I think Yamaha and kawai are excellent, but to me, a Bluthner is in another league and a 6'3 rebuilt Bluthner is, to my ear and hand anyway, superior to the 7' and 7'6 kawai or Yamaha. Its also a bit easier to house! OK so it doesn't have sostenuto but I've used that about three times in twenty years...

Very cool you were in the right place at the right time with the right contacts.
I especially love the ornate music stand and the signature blue.

Gorgeous piano. It's screaming: Play me!
Congratulations. I'm jealous..

I went for a Bechstein, rather than a Bluthner that was on offer. I wish I had got both....

Custard Apple - what do you mean by "Signature Blue"?

Thanks for posting pictures of your beautiful piano.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Sweet Congratulations Joe !
What a beautiful looking instrument and work of art. Very nice photos sent from the workshop.
Wonderful that your love of piano has brought you to this instrument. It's great to see this 1894 Bluthner piano restored... kudos to you and the rebuilders !
Happy to hear that a discerning artist and pianist like yourself can enjoy to own and play on such a beautiful instrument.
I imagine your excitement level is a little over the top, in your anticipation of receiving it.
wow !

Bluthner pianos were traditionally made with blue felt.

joe80 -

I grasp for but can't find adequate superlatives to describe the appearance of your rebuilt 1894 Bluthner. I've never seen a more beautiful piano.

After you have had an opportunity to play the new piano, I would be very interested in your impressions of its tone as compared to modern Bluthners, since I know you have a good deal of experience with them. As the owner of a 2008 Bluthner 2, I am very familiar (and infatuated) with the modern Bluthner tone, but I have never had the chance to play a pre-WWI Bluthner. I understand that the older pianos have a somewhat different tone that some people prefer, though Christian Bluthner denies that there has been any change in the tone over the years.

Beautiful! Enjoy.

I enjoy the vintage Bluthner pianos quite a bit.

joe80,

I'm so glad there's people in the world like you with the ability to rescue these works of art. I can't add any more superlatives that haven't already been expressed. When I received my piano, all I did was stare at it (and I still do, not believing it's really mine)!

What a beauty. I'm available for adoption too! blob

I had a new model 2,4,6 and upright model "B" in my shoroom 3 years ago. They difinitely have a diffrent tone from the vintage ones and even the ones made from the 1950's to the late 80's's I have had.

Rod, I don't want to hijack this thread. However, your observations on the current line of Bluthner pianos intrigued me. (I didn't know you were a former Bluthner dealer.)

Can you tell us how the current Bluther tone and/or touch is different from the pre-World War II Bluthner instruments?

I don't want this thread to go in another direction either. I'll PM you with my thoughts.
Hope that is O.K.