Good afternoon,
I ve started playing piano since I was 6 years old and I m still maintaining my passion for pianos.
I ve always practiced on my schimmel and now I m intending to buy a used C. Bechstein.
I ve found one around 40 years old, serial number 141725,M model,grand piano, military bodyshape, one-of-a-kind sound. It was bought from Berlin 8 months ago.
Does anyone know anything about this specific piano? how can I get specific information about it?about its expected value?about the people who used to own it?
Thank you for helping me

Hi Tamara,

Steve Cohen is a member on this forum who knows alot about Bechstein pianos. Perhaps he will see this. Or you can send any member a private message.

Good luck

That would be from 1937, rather than 40 years ago. You would have to ask the factory if there is any information about that specific piano.

Thank you for your information.

What do you mean by military bodyshape?

brown colored, with screws around its box. And a metallic platelet on the corners.

C. Bechsteins of that era were very well-respected instruments.... certainly one of the absolute best available.

As will any aged piano everything depends on its condition. Has it had any restoration? If so, what has been done? What needs to be done?

Have you had a piano professional evaluated the instrument?

I had the opportunity to play 7 Bechsteins [ in a private room] at a piano store. If I would have closed eyes I would not have know which of those pianos I was playing. I'm in love. What a great feel and sound...someday..

rada

The keyboard has only been restored with a "Plexiglas" coat in Berlin.
As for the rest, all is in good shape.

Yes, I had several occasions to play on new "Bechsteins" in Paris and on used "Gaveau".

This C.Bechstein is so special, with a one-of-a-kind resonance and sound.

How can I know about his age, history and possible value?

Thx.

Its individual history would likely be impossible to ascertain. Its was made around 1937 as posted above,

When you say "all is in good shape", what do you base that on. Has its pinblock been tested? How is the soundboard, crown and downbearing? Original hammers? Strings? Felts and leathers?

I have a house in Mecklenburg, Germany left by me late grandfather. It's post and beam construction, everything was top notch when built in 1680.
Anybody can give me advice on it?

Norbert

Yes. The roof needs to be replaced.

Use the wood to make pianos. They have been seasoned long enough!

Thank you!!

Recommendations for sight unseen stuff are best!

Norbert

also, probably need to replace the plumbing...move it indoors.

Does it even have plumbing? There may be just a dried up well.

With a home that old it is not worth repairing or even rebuilding. The fact is, it is better to just replace it with a new home. The construction methods and materials available are superior to what was available 329 years ago. And if you choose to repair your home you will not know what the end result would be. Who will really know what is behind those walls.
You may not like it and then be stuck with something less than you expected.

It today's new world one can manufacture that same quality for far less money.

Be sure to check out as many contractors as possible and choose the one with the best track record and referrals. Don't go by price alone. The days of you pay more you get more are over.

Hope it works out for you.

i ve taken time to re examine it again.
The pinblock, strings, hammers are original and in good condition.
The soundboard and crown are little scratched in the corners.
Only the Felts of the keyboard must be renewed.

Hey, you've not been to yer olde country man!

Change foundations, millwork, all windows, walls, plumbing, electrical [solar of course] roof etc, voila - here's your present day Rothenburg, Nuremberg or Heidelberg!!

It just 'looks' old.

Good, they have those super-super-tough heritage laws over there.

Can't even change outside colours....

Norbert

What about "accidentally" burn it down?

Tamara, this is for you:

Apologies for my little detours here: Autobahns are often diverted these days....

Now, here's my answer to you:

Have your piano carefully inspected by a few different rebuilding techs who can give you an opinion. Some will recommend more, some less to be done.

Look carefuly at the cost and feasablity of things, it may or may not be worthwhile to put a lot of money into this piano.

Bechstein wasn't in best shape after the war, many of their buildings had been destroyed in Berlin and their production quality was quite variable at that time.

[of course this improved a lot after Mr. Cohen took over things much later... ]

Your piano could perhaps be improved without too much work, make a feasablity study - then decide at that time.

Come back here and ask question: our Forum rebuilders will be glad to help you along!

Meantime enjoy the instrument for what it is and keep up the most important thing: your passion for music!!

Norbert

No offense, but you don't seem qualified to make these determinations. I say that because you are unfamiliar with the "crown" of the soundboard. It is the curvature in the board to resist the downbearing. It is not something you can look at and know about.

One can only evaluate a pinblock with specialized tools...a tuning hammer (and experience with it) and/or a torque wrench. Hammers can look and feel wonderful, but have lost the elasticity necssary to produce optimal tone.

This may be a gem of a piano and the deal of a lifetime, or it may need a huge investment to be a stable instrument over the next 2-30 years.

You need to hire a professional to evalute this piano.

Admittedly, I am assuming much in this post. If I am wrong, I apologize. If I am right and you are guessing at the condition of this piano based on amatuer observation, GET A PRO TO EVALUATE THIS PIANO.

I wish we had the same laws here for those old (1900)s homes in
Vancouver.
Sad to see them torn down and replaced with?

Tamara,

As Steve notes, if you are not a trained piano technician there is no way you could truly test the integrity of structures like the pinblock. A visual inspection is incomplete, even for a professional. On other action parts, a professional's eye will tell you a lot more than your own.

Avoid letting your desire for this piano to be perfect to influence your judgment of the facts. It is over sixty years old. Mechanical parts wear out. And you have no information about how it was maintained or in what conditions it was kept.

Ah, but watch out for that Chinese wallboard!

I ve hired a Professional tech ,
He told me it doesn't worth its price. 14 000$.in its actual condition.

So I ll wait another opportunity to buy the piano of my dreams.

Thanks a lot dear Members, Steve Cohen, Norbert and Piano*Dad,
for helping me take the right decision.

Cu on the next opportunity...
Best Regards.:)

That's a good outcome, Tamara. keep looking. A Bechstein is my dream piano as well.

Norbert, you should record your restoration for us. It could be an updated version of "THE MONEY PIT."