southwest inspired

Thomas has been working on this Bosendorfer, the only non-Steinway in the shop at the moment, and I was inspired by how pretty is was. The plates on Bosendorfers are much more orange than Steinway gold plates. And the bridge work and felt just inspired me to take a photograph. Perhaps is is because I am thinking of an upcoming trip to Taos.


The question of the week that was asked by a customer, who is having a complete restoration of her 1923 Steinway O, is what makes her Steinway a Steinway when so many of the old parts are being replaced. And it is true that in an extreme (and expensive) restoration everything may be replaced leaving only the case, the plate, and the key frame. Soundboards wear out, especially if pianos have lived on the east coast, and there is a soundboard maker in Arizona we use. We send him the old board to match dimensions. The same may be true for keysets. We send off the key frame (to Oregon), which is re-used (again because of fit), and an entire new keyset will be made. It may have plastic tops, or what is "legal" ivory. I have been told by my workmates that new keysets actually do feel better. Personally I would want an old set of ivory keys.Sometimes you find a piano that may have been made in 1904 and still has almost perfect ivory. And then you run across an 1899 piano that has the ugliest, worst job, of replacement plastic tops I have ever seen. And yet the piano, which is only having action work and new bass strings, when it was first played I looked up from my bench and stopped working to just listen, it sounded so good.
Part of our answer was things wear out and were meant to be replaced. Felt gets stiff looses its spring.. Metal and wood pieces fatigue. We try to find the current parts that will most replicate the original sound. And I tried to impart my feelings that every piano we work on has a soul. In the end they all have a unique sound. And Steinways have a sound that is Steinway, Mason Hamlins sound like Masons. Bosendorfers, well are Bosenfdorfers.
In fact the 1923 O is keeping it's soundboard and keyset. The ivory keys are in reasonable condition and I personally rebushed the keys, steel wooled the ebony sharps to give them a more pleasing appearance. But all the hammers, wippens, underlevers, strings, and numerous felt pieces are being replaced. And the case is being refinished and the original nickel plated pieces are being re-plated. It will be coddled into fine regulation, evenness of action, and melodic voicing. And it will have its soul.