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Joined: Apr 2019
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OP
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Please PM me recommendations on who you believe is the best Steinway restorer in the USA and/or the world for a 1953 S from Hamberg.
I only know of Period Piano Company, Pianocraft, Lindeblad, David Andersen and Cunningham Piano. Let me know any good/bad comments about any of these or other recommendations you may have.
Thank you!
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In addition to the ones you've mentioned, Klavierhaus in New York.
"Playing the piano is my greatest joy...period."......JP
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I don't know them personally, but I've heard good things about Past Perfect Piano: http://www.pastperfectpiano.com/
-- J.S. Knabe Grand # 10927 Yamaha CP33 Kawai FS690
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I notice this is your first post and btw Hamburg is with a u , first read the archives and do your homework before looking for quick responses.
Head Piano Technician and Restorer at Boston University School of Music 1986-2019 . Now relocated to Burlington Vermont, check www.snowpianos.com 617 543 1030.
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Older posts aren't always accurate. People retire. People relocate. Etc.
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The question the OP raises remindes me of the Columbian Exposition of 1893, when manufacturers would compete on a world stage. Pianists from all over the world would play on all the pianos. And respected judges would examine their instruments in detail, and then a winner was pronounced. BTW, Steinway chickened out. But basically, instead of asking who is the best, perhaps if the OP is really interested, he could go examine their work in person and decide for himself.
-chris
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But basically, instead of asking who is the best, perhaps if the OP is really interested, he could go examine their work in person and decide for himself. Not many would want to do that much traveling. Unless one is extremely experienced as a pianist and very knowledgeable about pianos making that decision is quite difficult.
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Currently working towards "Twinkle twinkle little star"
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Definitely. In 2005 I played a '29 NY D that was totally rebuilt by Dale Erwin up in Modesto. At the time I really liked it but couldn't afford what he was asking. Fast forward 14 years - not sure I'd feel the same about it after coming up on 13 years with my piano. I've heard from several sources that a rebuilt Hamburg C Klavierhaus placed in a NYC recording studio is very nice.
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The question the OP raises remindes me of the Columbian Exposition of 1893, when manufacturers would compete on a world stage. Pianists from all over the world would play on all the pianos. And respected judges would examine their instruments in detail, and then a winner was pronounced. BTW, Steinway chickened out. But basically, instead of asking who is the best, perhaps if the OP is really interested, he could go examine their work in person and decide for himself.
-chris
You must be older than I thought!
Steinway A3 Boston 118 PE YouTubeWorking OnChopin Nocturne E min Bach Inventions "You Can Never Have Too Many Dream Pianos" -Thad Carhart
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My vote goes to Dale Faundrich, but he’s retired. Next - Faust Harrison.
Steinway A3 Boston 118 PE YouTubeWorking OnChopin Nocturne E min Bach Inventions "You Can Never Have Too Many Dream Pianos" -Thad Carhart
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There are loads of options.
Cunningham, PianoCraft, Faust Harrison, Steinway USA, Steinway Hamburg are all good.
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Cunningham Piano did a magnificent job on my uncle's Steinway, which he shipped to them from North Carolina to restore/rebuild. They are fabulous.
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But basically, instead of asking who is the best, perhaps if the OP is really interested, he could go examine their work in person and decide for himself. Not many would want to do that much traveling. Unless one is extremely experienced as a pianist and very knowledgeable about pianos making that decision is quite difficult. And has a lot of extra $$$ to spend...
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None of the above....
No one call precisely predict how a rebuilt piano will sound or feel. IMHO, you should shop for a rebuilt piano. When you find one that you love, trade your Hamburg S in on it.
This may be a tad more expensive, but you will know for sure that you have a piano you love.
Piano Industry Consultant
Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center Maryland/DC/No. VA Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
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Not to be snarky: I've seen some results videos from a certain company where the happy customers talk over clips of them playing their restored instruments. Some of the instruments sound beautiful, others leave me scratching my head and thinking, "How is that person happy with THAT?" (The video editing with more talk over the playing, the worse the restored piano sounds. )
WhoDwaldi Howard (by Kawai) 5' 10"
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I agree. Steinway has amazing technicians and restorers that know what they're doing with the instruments. There are plenty of other people who know what they're doing, but its easiest just to go to the source. There is also a greater chance that they've worked with your Hamburg before. Regardless, you could contact them and find a recommendation from them on alternative restorers.
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There are so many rebuilding options that there is no simple answer to your question.
Steinway S pianos can be delightful pianos. But there are other small grand scales that can sound better.
However there are rebuilders who utilize state of the art technology, materials and methods that can make your Steinway S better than new.
Among the options rebuilders have now are composite action parts from W,N&G that offer more uniform touch and long term stability.
LightHammer Tone Regulation protocols that produce actions with warm, dynamic tone, ultra-accelerated key return, highest degree of regulation stability and long term durability even with high usage.
There are rebuilders who install the patented Fully Tempered Duplex Scale, (FTDS), which solve the chimes, buzzes and noise issues the Steinway duplex scale is known to have.
And when it comes to the Steinway S scale, installing a Hybrid Wire Scale can do wonders to improve the break between the overstrung and tenor scale sections and vastly improve the clarity of the lowest octave of notes without losing the warmth of the tone.
There are rebuilders who claim they will put your piano back together just as it came from the factory. This is an exageration, no one has the same materials today to duplicate everything perfectly. And besides the rebuilder should have the skill to see the factory errors and correct them while using methods that increase the uniformity over the factory work. When one is rebuilding a piano belly, one must establish a higher order of uniformity to the pattern of the speaking lengths, position and spacing of the bridge pins than just copying the existing pattern allows. (Analog copies always introduce error, so you must repattern in a way that increases uniformity.) Steinway calls their rebuilding facility the "Restoration Center" which implies they will duplicate how your piano was originally made. This is a falsehood. It would be more honest if they called it "remanufacturing". Steinway will rebuild your S just like they build new S's and you will get an action that has heavier hammers and reduced action leverage just like the new Steinway grands to cite just one significant difference. And Steinway will claim that no one but them can properly rebuild a Steinway to still be a Steinway. They now prevent rebuilders from getting copies of the original decals. Steinway claims they own the copyright to your piano, and every old Steinway and that right includes telling you how to get it worked on and by whom if you want to restore the appearance to original. And that is clearly a restraint of trade and a taking of your right to restore original appearance by Steinway.
So go forth and discover Sir or Madam and thank you for inquiring.
In a seemingly infinite universe-infinite human creativity is-seemingly possible. According to NASA, 93% of the earth like planets possible in the known universe have yet to be formed. Contact: toneman1@me.com
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As great as the other rebuilders are, it's been my impression that Cunningham is very probably the best rebuilder of Steinways - and any other brand - in the whole world. IIRC, when Steinway ended their factory restorations some years ago, they referred people to Cunningham to have their Steinways restored to factory-level quality. I also got to visit Cunningham a couple of years ago, and toured both their dealership, and their rebuilding shop. As a piano technician, I was so impressed with everything they do in the rebuilding shop. I was even a little tempted to move to Philadelphia so I could work for them!
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One thing must be kept in mind when considering anything to do with pianos: There is no agreed-upon definition of good, better, or best! What one person likes may be different from what another person likes. This is, in fact, one of the strong points about Steinway pianos: they can be varied so much by someone who has the skill to adjust them.
In a rebuilder, I recommend looking for competence. In that regard, neatness counts! I do not like having to clean up someone else's incompetent work.
Semipro Tech
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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