Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
Hello everyone, I was wondering if any among you could give me their opinions on a 5ft Chickering Baby Grand. According to the serial number it was built in 1942. All parts are original. The finish condition is practically flawless. According to the owner it has been in the same spot since 1974. It has not been tuned in several years but when I played it today it sounded remarkably good. All of the notes played. No notes were wildly out of tune and the touch was light but very consistent through out. The owner tells me it was appraised for 1700. He is selling the home where the piano is located. It was his father's home and his piano. He wants it to go to a good home. He says he would like 750 for it but would accept a reasonable offer. I was thinking 600. I am a professional singer and play piano for my own enjoyment. I would love to hear some opinions on this. I plan to have a piano tech come take a look but before I do I would like to hear what some of you might have to say. Thank you so much. I love this forum. Everyone seems to to treat people with great respect.
if the technician indicates there aren't any significant (costly to correct) problems or parts on the verge of corruption/failure, and you enjoy the touch and tone -- six hundred usually does not get much in a used piano where we are. the sellers of old, never played, not tuned for years, pianos can have unrealistic notions what they're worth, but this does not sound like your situation. a small, vintage Chickering grand in good condition that plays well could be a real find, but others here will know much more about what those pianos were like at the time. an old Chickering with a light action was once the object of Gould's obsession.
Thank you so much, that really does help. I will likely talk to my technician on Monday to see what he thinks. Depending on what he says,the next step would be to arrange for the tech to go see it, I guess. Thanks again for your response.
Some six months ago, I acquired a Chickering 5ft. "baby" grand, made in 1943.
Mine is a scale 125. How about yours ?
The case is burl wood in Style Moderne.
The tone is not at all pleasant as the soundboard is badly cracked. The hammers are like rocks. Not a wholesome combination. I have had the action, which was a mess, carefully regulated. It has received five tunings.
Because the case is so handsome and beautifully preserved and because the keyboard, with its original keytops, is pristine, I decided that it would make an excellent speculation, against the day that I can replace the action and the belly. I think it's just the right size for a retirement piano.
Hello everyone, I was wondering if any among you could give me their opinions on a 5ft Chickering Baby Grand. According to the serial number it was built in 1942. All parts are original. The finish condition is practically flawless. According to the owner it has been in the same spot since 1974. It has not been tuned in several years but when I played it today it sounded remarkably good. All of the notes played. No notes were wildly out of tune and the touch was light but very consistent through out. The owner tells me it was appraised for 1700. He is selling the home where the piano is located. It was his father's home and his piano. He wants it to go to a good home. He says he would like 750 for it but would accept a reasonable offer. I was thinking 600. I am a professional singer and play piano for my own enjoyment. I would love to hear some opinions on this. I plan to have a piano tech come take a look but before I do I would like to hear what some of you might have to say. Thank you so much. I love this forum. Everyone seems to to treat people with great respect.
Were I looking for another really small grand project -- I'm not, having just finished the great "PipSqueak" project I'm off to other things -- I'd jump at this.
The original scaling leaves something to be desired but that is true of more than a few new pianos found in showrooms today. It can be improved if you ever have the urge.
It's an Aeolian-built piano but Aeolian didn't start to go really down hill until after the war. Although by 1942 things were getting dicey. Certain materials were becoming hard to get.
Let us know what your technician has to say.
ddf
Delwin D Fandrich Piano Research, Design & Manufacturing Consultant ddfandrich@gmail.com (To contact me privately please use this e-mail address.)
Stupidity is a rare condition, ignorance is a common choice. --Anon
Delwin, thank you.I will be contacting my technician today. One way or the other, I will be making a decision this week. I will certainly make that decision known here. Scaling ? I was concerned about the aeolian thing. Was this piano made in Boston or Rochester? Can someone here explain duplex scaling vs aliquot scaling in terms of sound. Delwin, do you know what this 5ft Chickering baby grand would have? I don't. This could be a real education for me. Pipsqueak project?????.....sounds fascinating. Again, thanks to all.
Your piano was made in East Rochester. The Boston factory closed about 1932. Your piano was probably finished just before Aeolian assets were shifted to war production.
My late mom's 1950 Chickering console was very well built. When a tech inspected it last year,he was impressed by its condition, despite years of neglect. It needs work and, due to the size, has tonal limitations. But, if they built consoles like that, I would believe their grands were of equal quality.
Baldwin SF-10 Petrof III Chickering Console (1950s) Associate Member PTG (Chicago chapter)
Thank you Duke. This 5ft baby grand seems to be in excellent shape, but I want to get my tech guy there asap to have him take a good educated look. I was hoping someone might know just how much of the aeolian influence was present or if the Chickering standards were still being upheld in 1942. I think I might be lucky on that. I will keep you posted.
Karl,I will let you know more details on the piano I am considering after my tech sees it. Hopefully that will be by the end of this week. Your piano seems to need a lot more work than this one but I have a feeling when you do that work you will have a little gem.
Thank you for your last. I'm hoping that things go as you suggest. Incidentally, one unusual feature of my sc125 is the music rack: it SNAPS in and out. Also, re: Del's remark about Rochester quality - everything about my piano, in and out, appears to be high quality.
Can someone here explain duplex scaling vs aliquot scaling in terms of sound. Delwin, do you know what this 5ft Chickering baby grand would have? I don't.
I don't know. If it's important to you, as you technician. It's easy to see.
All pianos have "duplex" scaling. The question is whether or not an attempt has been made to tune one or both of the duplex string segments. My advice? Don't worry about it. (For what it's worth, PipSqueak does not have tuned duplex scaling -- listen to the recording and decide for yourself.)
ddf
Delwin D Fandrich Piano Research, Design & Manufacturing Consultant ddfandrich@gmail.com (To contact me privately please use this e-mail address.)
Stupidity is a rare condition, ignorance is a common choice. --Anon
Just to update, my technician can't see the piano until May 10th. The owner is ok with that. Thanks for all of your input. Any thing else? I will keep you posted.
Thank you so much for keeping us updated. I'm very interested in the outcome, esp. if it turns out to be a scale 125. The scale number is forged into the plate itself, at the tail-end, close to the hinged side.
Karl Watson, Staten Island, NY kw35@si.rr.com 718.273.3798
Karl, I will look for that on Wednesday. Is 125 scale looked on as preferred? I admit to not knowing that much about scale in general. Can you or someone following this thread explain ? Thank you so much.
D: Nothing special about it but I'm always looking for other pianos like this little job I've just acquired. It was a scale developed, I believe, during the end times in Boston before the merger with AEolian. K