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Thanks Lisa, you are very sweet! ♥️

With Bo performing so well even with the regulation out of whack, I think the touch is going to be fantastic once the work is done. Funny how sound affects perception of touch so much; everything felt "off" until I played in the hammers! I don't know if it's partly my finger memory coming back but everything feels a bit easier compared to before, a little more effortless. The "one that got away" felt like it played itself, so I think I'm getting closer!

Regarding the cost, it's on the high end of what was estimated so I'm freaking out a bit to see the number. But we can afford it without it being a stress, which wasn't the case with the new 225! It's also funny to think of how life would have gone differently if I'd bought that piano-- I never would have met my tech, who is a friend now. It's been a long road to get here but I'm glad I chose this path 😁

I firmly believe that SO many things that happen are serendipity. ❤️❤️❤️

It certainly worked out that way with your Kawai offer falling through! 😘

What an awesome update! The 225 bass is just intoxicating, I'm so glad to hear it's back. And that the touch has improved! What is next? Is there more regulation to come to improve the repetition?


The bench *is* the best I've ever encountered. In the showroom, the cushion was wrapped in plastic, and it looked like it was going to be squished. I kind of just assumed I'd be getting a new bench at some point. But whatever foam they use is extremely resilient - as soon as the plastic came off it looked and felt great, and it holds up just fine in my inadvisably-long practice sessions. I think I have a slightly different bench design to yours - I'm not sure when they changed it, or if it's specific to the particular case design?

Regarding the lock - I had noticed the flush piece of metal, but I've never seen it move; the Senator didn't come with a key, so I've never engaged the lock. Did Bo come with the key?? I would be mildly envious, lol.

aidans, yes, the first voicing won't hold (apparently the hammers expand during voicing since they're under so much pressure, which undoes the precision of the first regulation) so I'm to play for the next few weeks until the piano sounds so bad that I can't take it anymore, and then he'll come back for a few more days to do final regulation and voicing. At a shop/factory they'd use a pounding machine but I need to be the pounder at home! With the second voicing I need to be present to advise on my taste.

I think our benches match the art case design, but the top should be the same! Mine comes with ice cream cone legs that match the ones on the piano 😁

Also, since I bought Bo from the original owner I have all the accessories! There is a big flat box with paperwork and I think the key is in there, and I have original Bösendorfer felt-lined brass caster cups, too! I'm only using two of the three right now since one leg is on a thick rug. I'll take a pic of it for you if the box isn't buried too deep in my drawer. Try pushing down on the lower plate and you'll see that it moves! So cool. Oh also I got a "Bösendorfer pillow"-- a small flat pillow maybe 5"x7", turns out you put it under the lid when you fold it back, but near the edge, so that the lid doesn't have to touch and possibly scratch! When my tech originally told me I was putting it next to the hinge but he said it puts too much leverage on the wood right there so now I'm doing it properly!

Nice to hear the new hammers are in. How do you make sure you are pounding all the hammers evenly? Hanon? Going up and down the keyboard with chromatic scales?

Unfortunately, I'm not! I had asked my tech if I should play a lot of chromatic scales and he said no, just play my normal stuff (I still do chromatic scales up and down the entire keyboard to get a sense of the voicing). When I hear that some notes are not as bright as others, I make sure to manually give those ones a good pounding. My husband is not very happy to have to listen to it

I am officially mildly envious! I have neither key nor pillow. The only accessory that came with my piano is a strings cover, folded up inside the case. I do have a keyboard felt from the piano dealer that I use folded up to protect the finish when I fold the lid back. It's from a Yamaha, so I guess it's brand-adjacent, lol. But now that I know there's an official Bösendorfer pillow, I want one!

If it makes you feel better, I don't have a string cover

I tried looking for the pillow online but no luck!

I'm literally googling "licensed bosendorfer accessories" right now. I make fun of car people for doing this.

I don't know if "pillow" is the official term. I think you'd have better luck talking to a Bösendorfer dealer. But let me know if you find anything 😂😂😂

My Estonia also came with a pillow (cushion?) I love it!
I also want to say that I know the ice cream cone legs are not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love them! And I love that your bench has matching legs!

Uh oh, now aidans is really going to be envious 😂

I love love love ice cream cone legs! I think those older designs are so elegant!

Would your husband prefer to join in? But then his wife might not be very happy to listen to it !!!

Twocats, thanks so much for keeping us updated re your journey with Bo. I am sure that when it is all done, the piano will be absolutely wonderful!

Sunday a week ago I went to view the quarterly auction of pianos by Piano Auctions in London. I principally go to photograph any Bluthners they have to aid my research, to see any early instruments they may have, and generally to look at any other pianos which catch my eye. One of these was a Bosendorfer 225 - a handsome ebonised piano dating from 2000, with an estimate of between £20,000 and £30,000 (plus 24% buyer's premium). Having read all that you have posted about Bo, I was eager to try this, to get an idea of what Bo might be like.

I sat down at the Bosendorfer to play the Mozart Rondo K511 which I have been working on. Well, I can report that the piano was gorgeous! I loved it. A beautiful tone throughout, and with a clarity on the bass that I don't hear in Steinways (and very very different from my Bluthner bass). I imagine Bo is even better in many ways - but I now have a much better appreciation of your enthusiasm!

And of course, your ice-cream-cone legs are so much nicer!

The sale price by the way was £34,000 + commission (about £42,000 total = about $58,500). More photos here if anyone is interested.

David-G, I'm glad you got to check out a Bösendorfer 225 and experience one for yourself! It sounds like that one was in nice condition. The bass on mine is definitely very satisfying while feeling like it's still balanced!

Piano auctions sound like they could be fun! If you were interested could you get a tech inspection though?

My violinist friend came over for rehearsal today and I had the piano on half-stick. It was difficult to play evenly-- the regulation was worse and the keys feel heavy and tiring, definitely exacerbated by having the decreased volume with half-stick.

A bunch of the notes are breaking in. It's not horrible, but the tone is losing its sweetness. I think I could hold out for a while if it's just brassy tone but if the regulation continues to get worse I think I'm risking injury if I let it go too long. My tech had expected to it to take a few weeks so maybe I'll let it go for two

The bottom few notes are more muffled so I'm pounding with my fists. They are so heavy and even that is tiring!

Wow, maybe you *do* need your own poundy-machine!

Now I'm really curious how rebuilders handle this part of the process, because replacing hammers and action parts often seems to be part of the work list. Do they all have machines, I wonder?

I was also curious so I asked, and all your answers can be found here!

Hopefully you get through this phase quickly!