Brazilian frm 1880’s 15 ft Steinway Concert Grand

[N4640W]

Know of a 1880’s vintage 15’ Steiway Concert Grand Piano built frm solid Brazilian Rosewood. Piano is for sale. Top sides and soundboard plus legs all Braz. Rose. Some of the planks are over 1 in width. Some of the innards have been replaced and some hand-remanufactured. All the orig ivory was salvaged and replaced with ivoroid keys.

Wondering if this could be sourced to make a few guitars using the woods. Might be worth more as wood stock than restored and sold. It is playable now buts needs some tweaking of the internal moving parts. Any luthiers interested or have experience with using woods from old and large pianos? Can previously steamed and bent woods be straightened or re-bent?

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by N4640W

Know of a 1880’s vintage 15’ Steiway Concert Grand Piano built frm solid Brazilian Rosewood. Piano is for sale. Top sides and soundboard plus legs all Braz. Rose. Some of the planks are over 1 in width. Some of the innards have been replaced and some hand-remanufactured. All the orig ivory was salvaged and replaced with ivoroid keys.

Wondering if this could be sourced to make a few guitars using the woods. Might be worth more as wood stock than restored and sold. It is playable now buts needs some tweaking of the internal moving parts. Any luthiers interested or have experience with using woods from old and large pianos? Can previously steamed and bent woods be straightened or re-bent?

Hmm, I'm just curious. My uncle had a piano like that when I was a kid. Are you certain that it's not just BRW veneer? Piano makers seldom use solid woods, preferring to use such woods as hard rock maple, mahogany, birch and oak for more stable underpinnings. These woods are then covered with veneers for a combination of beauty and stability. But if you're sure that the BRW is solid, then why not?

I recall paying $20 per board foot for Brazilian planks from a local wood supplier back in 1970 when I was building and repairing guitars. Those days are gone forever.

EDIT: In any case, Steinway nor any other piano maker would ever use other than spruce for a soundboard.

[redir]

I second the idea that it is veneer. You would certainly want to make sure of that. I would think that a working Steinway is worth more than the sum of it's parts and it would be a shame to destroy a nice piano for a few guitars.

[Zigeuner]

Originally Posted by redir

I second the idea that it is veneer. You would certainly want to make sure of that. I would think that a working Steinway is worth more than the sum of it's parts and it would be a shame to destroy a nice piano for a few guitars.

Certainly agree.

[Fathand]

I have salvaged some non-wormy American Chestnut from some pre-blight piano parts a friend put out on the side of the road. The chestnut was core wood with a (walnut?) veneer on it. I think I have some piece big enough to build a parlour guitar.

I am surprised the Steinway would use rosewood for a soundboard, this from the Steinway website, "All STEINWAY soundboards are made with Sitka spruce".

[maxtheaxe]

Originally Posted by redir

I would think that a working Steinway is worth more than the sum of it's parts and it would be a shame to destroy a nice piano for a few guitars.

I agree with this. A Steinway of that vintage, if functional, could be worth a very great deal of money, even if one wasn't interested in it as an instrument.

A friend of mine looked high & low for a Steinway (a 12-footer, if I remember right), located one that had been in a fire, paid about $10k for it, then spent another $15k getting it restored and still came out ahead, though he's a highly accomplished pianist and wanted it for his own use. That piano was a jaw-dropping, totally next-level instrument, especially since this guy could literally play anything, including the most complex piano scores.

This was back in the mid to late 1970s, so the dollar amount would be proportionally greater these days.

[Frank Ford]

Piano casework is laminated - for strength and stability - not necessarily for economy. Legs and smaller parts may be solid, of course.

[N4640W]

The Steinway belongs to my brother. He is knowledgeable re woods and laminates and does a lot of his own work on pianos. He has advertised it for sale but no takers, (maybe asking too much?). He has done exploratory core drillings and is sure the planks are solid and not veneer although perhaps mistaken on the type of woods. Has arthritis of the hands and is switching to guitar. The restoration costs in SOFLA are very high. I will advise him to determine the actual woods and continue looking for the right buyer. Thanks for the informative replies.

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by N4640W

The Steinway belongs to my brother. He is knowledgeable re woods and laminates and does a lot of his own work on pianos. He has advertised it for sale but no takers, (maybe asking too much?). He has done exploratory core drillings and is sure the planks are solid and not veneer although perhaps mistaken on the type of woods. Has arthritis of the hands and is switching to guitar. The restoration costs in SOFLA are very high. I will advise him to determine the actual woods and continue looking for the right buyer. Thanks for the informative replies.

I was once a piano tech and have rebuilt pianos of that vintage including Steinways. They are all veneered - the case, the lid and the fall board. Occasionally, depending on the shape, legs will be solid along with other small assorted parts.

Additionally, to my knowledge, there has never been a 15 foot Steinway Grand. A size D, which is their Concert Grand and their largest, is approx. 9 feet.

[N4640W]

Originally Posted by runamuck

I was once a piano tech and have rebuilt pianos of that vintage including Steinways. They are all veneered - the case, the lid and the fall board. Occasionally, depending on the shape, legs will be solid along with other small assorted parts.

Additionally, to my knowledge, there has never been a 15 foot Steinway Grand. A size D, which is their Concert Grand and their largest, is approx. 9 feet.

Thanks, I will forward your observations. Very helpful.

[N4640W]

Hi runamuck. You did not mention what the core woods used by Steinway were. It would be useful to know.

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by N4640W

Hi runamuck. You did not mention what the core woods used by Steinway were. It would be useful to know.

I've worked on a lot of pianos and the woods for the cases have ranged from maple to oak to beech. From what I recall, the lids were usually mahogany or luan. Pin blocks were always maple as well as most of the action parts. Soundboards were always spruce.

[redir]

That's cool runamuck. Sounds like a really cool job.

[N4640W]

So turns out no rosewood at all!! A bunch of laminates!! Total confabulation!! Urban legend! Mostly furniture wood! Little brother strikes again!! I accept full responsibility for this unworthy post. Time for the talk of shame. I shall be more scrutinizing in the future. My contrite apologies.

[DickHutchings]

Oh well, it was an interesting read and I learned something.