I save this old out of tune upright piano from being thrown away

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 พ.ค. 2024
  • Rescuing an old German upright piano from disposal which hasn't been tuned for nearly 20 years! I tackle the problems on a budget. A fellow dealer had this piano in his van and was on his way to the tip but dropped it off to my place. The piano was very out of tune so I tuned the piano back up to concert pitch. Piano tuning, string repair and removing a mouse nest were the main issues.
    Key Words...
    Beginner piano. Fixing an old piano. Free piano. Buying an old piano. Is it worth fixing. Repairing piano strings. Tuning an old piano.

ความคิดเห็น • 453

  • @sunilpanadura
    @sunilpanadura หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    Piano is an invaluable acoustic musical instrument which heals stress and depression. Most pionos are passing from generation to generation. I feel sad that most young people abandon them without giving proper care. Today's busy schedule does not let them learn how to play it. Therefore they end up in a junk yard. These old gold stuff should be preserved for the next generation without scrapping. I really appreciate your time and effort for giving life to this old gold piano.

  • @pianoboogie51
    @pianoboogie51 ปีที่แล้ว +279

    Old pianos have so much character, they are well worth keeping a hold of, good video

    • @churtonparkpianos4240
      @churtonparkpianos4240  ปีที่แล้ว +18

      Thank you, had a lot of interest in this video, will do another one soon!

    • @kathykapsner3897
      @kathykapsner3897 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Some are.

    • @mrali4925
      @mrali4925 ปีที่แล้ว

      th-cam.com/video/ufaSfovghKY/w-d-xo.html

    • @jor9463
      @jor9463 ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, some people say it takes some of its old life with it ;@)

    • @paxwallace8324
      @paxwallace8324 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      IF it has a good soundboard with it's crown if the pinblock is still good then yes theoretically yes IF you've got the money and a master technician available. It's no small expenditure.

  • @vincentneale2620
    @vincentneale2620 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +17

    Only three pianos I have failed to bring back in the 45 Years I worked as a Piano Tuner and that was due to very bad woodworm. I used to get a real buzz to save a neglected instrument and of course I had the joy of being the first to play the finished job and to hear the bloom of a freshly tuned piano.

  • @jorgeandrade20
    @jorgeandrade20 ปีที่แล้ว +144

    My heart nearly stopped when you said you were probably going to dump it, then you did the right thing and everything was a-ok!

    • @andrewbarrett1537
      @andrewbarrett1537 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      There are many antique pianos threatened with the landfill every day,
      in all kinds of conditions from very good to very bad.
      Most are restorable with enough good work put in,
      although the cost of restoration may exceed the _current_ market value in today's stupidly depressed piano market, which has been flooded with cheap and poorly made new pianos from China
      (as well as better quality - than those - new pianos made elsewhere).
      In my opinion, people in the market for an acoustic piano should be buying medium or high grade used (well restored), or medium or high grade new pianos, whether upright or grand (square pianos have their own special sonority which is partway between a hammered dulcimer and a modern piano, making them a specialty instrument and a niche market).
      However, in my opinion as a musician, monetary value be damned, the beauty of tone and excellence of construction of many of these instruments makes them worth saving no matter how much money you have to throw at them (although make sure you hire someone who is thoroughly reputable after having read/watched all you can and checked their work, or else you're throwing your restoration money down the drain and possibly hiring someone to make the piano worse than it was before).
      Maybe you can save one or more of them (I have 32 pianos in storage right now, on which I'm struggling to pay rent till I can get 2 more jobs and start paying off my debts and save for a house).
      I don't recommend people follow my route UNLESS they are able to either personally restore, or afford to have restored, the instruments, and have (*OWN*) an insulated, climate controlled building in which to store / display them, if not their own home. Don't go piano hoarding only to see instruments auctioned off for scrap etc or your heirs shovel everything into the dump. If you are going to save instruments, try to plan for their future and get them into good homes, whether museums, public venues, or long term private homes.
      The pianos I saved, I did because other collectors were not saving them and I knew they were very rare (one is one of a kind; several others are either one of only two known to exist or one of only 4-6 known to exist of that model), and I did not want to just stand by and let them go to dump and then look around 20 years from now when I finally own a home, and not find any of the pianos on my wishlist because all the remaining examples had been junked by then
      So this is kind of 'saving up for the future' for me.
      (As of the 1970s, in one of the piano tuning books I own, the author guesstimated that approximately 40,000 old pianos were junked every year then; the number now junked per year in this post-2008 Craigslist/eBay market
      (which has driven prices down by people being able to flood the market via the internet, without, *YET* enough corresponding GOOD historical/technical info about them, and corresponding GOOD easily-found high quality videos and audio recordings of restored examples, to offset this trend), may well be higher).
      That being said, if you want to find antique pianos for sale to save and restore,
      we (myself and friends) regularly repost ads for them on the Facebook groups 'Free Pianos Online' and 'Vintage Pianos For Sale Online', as well as dozens of other groups devoted to individual piano makers (like Chickering, Ludwig, Krakauer, etc).
      There are also FB groups for specialty and/or rare instruments like player pianos ("Player Pianos, Free, Cheap and sometimes, not... from any source!") square pianos ("square pianos buy-sell-trade, talk, and history group"), coin pianos and orchestrions ("Orchestrions of America"), and other instruments, as well as groups for buying and selling reed organs, electronic organs, and even pipe organs.

    • @scottdavis691
      @scottdavis691 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes it can and should be saved - YES!
      th-cam.com/video/1cuWs6J8LXk/w-d-xo.html

    • @mattmilford8106
      @mattmilford8106 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Right! Who throws out every piano that gets a mouse in it? That was absurd.

    • @christianwouters6764
      @christianwouters6764 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      In some old German piano's I saw an appliance at the pedals to prevent the mouse entering. Because that's the only way for them to get in. A kind of metal shutter attached underneath the pedals.
      Why use the plastic damping tool for the middle section? The continuous felt strip works way faster.

    • @PreservationEnthusiast
      @PreservationEnthusiast 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@andrewbarrett1537I would have just smashed it up with an axe and a sledgehammer. I've broken up loads of old crap pianos!

  • @sgsound12
    @sgsound12 ปีที่แล้ว +63

    Wow..Tears on my eyes. I'm 67 years old and I play piano since I was 5. Not lesson, only hearing and watching. When I was 5 my dad bought an upright piano. I already played guitar but I never tried to play a piano. It was new for me. A family friend came to test the piano and I was amazed watching what he was playing. The test ended and they were chatting and I sat at the piano and tried to play what i heard and see. And the family friend said.."Hey, he is talented. Send to teach to play or pay a piano teacher. My dad didnt have enough money to pay a teacher and never had a piano class. Only the radio, the music I heard i picked up notes and chords. The piano become my friend and everyday of my life I played piano. As a teen in the 70's I opened the covers and disasembled all the panel and clean inside and I like to play with the "naked piano" brcause it sounded great and loud and I could play Beatles songs and some rock too...The came Queen with Bohemian Rapsody and I learned to play bymyself. That old piano ended with the old parents house. Now I'm retired as electronic engineer but i had my electronics keyboards and guitar and music is my company. Living alone by option, divorced, and my son grew and was emigrated to other country and he got a degree as piano teacher in a neighbor country. That my life now with a memory of my old piano and making music to enjoy my life. (BTW, Could you tell me the piano and strings melody name you put as the video soundtrack while you tuned the piano??) Greeting to all who love music and pianos...

    • @LawnBunny777
      @LawnBunny777 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Not sure of the first song but the second was Piano Man and Fur Elise was the last one.

    • @metalmicky
      @metalmicky 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      The first song I think was Call me Al , by Paul Simon.

    • @PinkLighT_wk
      @PinkLighT_wk 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

      Thanks for sharing a beautiful story 😊

    • @JoanKSX
      @JoanKSX 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      Oh hi there.
      Your story reminds me about a Malaysian TH-camr who did his channel leisurely just for the sake of fun/hobby LOL
      His channel is Ray Mak,
      and also former ambassador of Yamaha Music Malaysia and currently ambassador of Kawai Malaysia
      (he plays piano by ears,
      just like you,
      because he just can't read even his piano teacher had try everything to teach him and he just can't read music sheets but his family is wealthy enough for him to learn piano formally under the care of private piano teacher who taught classical piano! He could play some of the famous classical pieces by ear too!)

    • @arkiband466
      @arkiband466 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

      That's awesome to hear ❤

  • @mfcabrini
    @mfcabrini 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +14

    Aged wood gives instruments a sound that's impossible to replicate. Dump the piano for a mouse nest??? Seriously??? This 76-year-old grandma would come get the mouse, big guy. I would wear a mask in addition to the gloves, however. So glad you finished saving this beautiful piano. Thanks for sharing.

  • @Er-sv5tn
    @Er-sv5tn ปีที่แล้ว +124

    Beautiful old piano....sounds better than a lot of new cheap pianos

    • @churtonparkpianos4240
      @churtonparkpianos4240  ปีที่แล้ว +17

      Yes there are some awful Pianos being made today, you get what you pay for!

    • @Geoplanetjane
      @Geoplanetjane 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      And there are a few piano companies still making magnificent, beautiful pianos, namely Steinway, Bösendorfer, Bechstein, Fazioli, and Yamaha, the top three are Steinway, Fazioli, and Bösendorfer. There were a number of competent piano building. Companies not that long ago and their grand pianos can still be had for relatively little. Those include Mason and Hamlin, Baldwin, Chickering among others.
      New grand pianos from $Steinway, Fazioli, and Bösendorfer are 23:53 breathtakingly expensive, with prices from their factories running between approximately $100,000 and $300,000. Steinways, all new ones, now come with complex electronics (as do Yamahas) that can playback the performances of any number of the top concert pianists. The prices of these high-end pianos is determined by the size of the instrument and the type of wood used to make their cases. The largest pianos have cases that are 9 feet long. They are generally known as concert grand pianos. Steinway in the recent past was owned by a private equity company. They still have factories in Germany and in New York. Their private equity owners worked to standardize their manufacturing processes between their facilities in New York and Frankfurt, Germany, while continuing to upholding the company’s abilities to continue the hand-built character of the new Steinways.
      Bösendorfer, an Austrian company, is now owned by Yamaha. Some pianists who have appreciated Bösendorfer’s rich tone now say that they feel that there is now too much Japanese influence in the internal design of new Bösendorfers.
      Were I to have the opportunaty to once again own a Steinway, I would choose a 7-foot model with a shiny black finish.

    • @christianweatherbroadcasti3491
      @christianweatherbroadcasti3491 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      Repent and trust in Jesus. we deserve Hell for our sins. For example lying, lusing, saying God's name as a cuss word and stealing our just some examples of sin which we can all admit to doing at least one of those. For our sin we deserve death and Hell, but there is a way out. Repent anf trust in Jesus and you will be saved. Repentence is turning from sin. So repent and trust in Jesus. He will save you from Hell, and instead give you eternal life in Heaven.
      John 3:16
      Romans 3:23❤❤❤

    • @JackWGhug
      @JackWGhug 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@christianweatherbroadcasti3491Jesus Christ there's something wrong with you

  • @alanstandsalone2802
    @alanstandsalone2802 8 หลายเดือนก่อน +10

    I so want to learn this craft and to be able to save those old neglected pianos out there that have been around for ages. Great job!

  • @clintonsmith9931
    @clintonsmith9931 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    The best ones I found to redo were school ones.
    They were great ones when new and were only needing refinishing, and tuning.

  • @philmorton4590
    @philmorton4590 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    I'm glad you continued, would have been a tragedy to trash it

  • @servey8649
    @servey8649 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

    That piano looks gorgeous, I wish I had a piano that had as much character and charm as that one

  • @almur88
    @almur88 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    the echo inside is pure magic, like a portal to a whole other immense universe.

  • @sincerelyyours7538
    @sincerelyyours7538 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    Glad you persevered, it is such a beautiful piano. It has a beautiful sound, too. I recently had my old Yamaha U1 upright restored. Bought it new 45 years ago, played it a few years, then left it at my folks house while I made my career on the other side of the world. Now retired so I had it shipped to me across the Pacific, but it arrived with a big gash in the side from an errant forklift and covered in mold. Most people would have dumped it and bought a new one, but it was MY piano. I insisted it be restored. It now sits in my living room reborn, glorious and sounding more beautiful than ever. A bit of mold here, a few mice there, they just add a bit of color to a piano's history.

  • @malcolmking7926
    @malcolmking7926 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +6

    That was really interesting. I would have enjoyed sitting in the room watching, asking questions drinking a cup of tea and just absorbing knowledge from you. Thank you for making this video, it was quite a treat.

  • @myantiquepiano9345
    @myantiquepiano9345 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    I'm rebuilding an 1890 Ivers & Pond upright piano now. Glad to see you've given this one a new life. It looks like it probably had some kind of rebuild / restoration done, maybe around the last time it was tuned, because it really looks to be in great condition for it's age. These well built old pianos really do hold up well over time.

  • @deldridg
    @deldridg 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    How lovely to see this old girl get another shot at life and well done you. I was just gifted a 1904 Richard Lipp and Sons double crown which I love playing and do so every day. It's such a sad thing to witness pianos becoming landfill, surely a sign of the takeover of passive tech. Few young people are prepared for the hard work required to produce rewarding skills like piano playing. How sad for them and sad for the old instruments which are being relegated to the grave. Cheers and thanks from Sydney - Dave

  • @kookiespace
    @kookiespace 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +8

    I'm staying at this artist residence with a lot of old pianos that could really use some love. I have no idea how to approach this but your videos have been giving me a good introduction as to what to do. I guess "random piano that's been rotting away in a corner" might be a hard thing to start with, but I also can't possibly make it worse lol

    • @churtonparkpianos4240
      @churtonparkpianos4240  9 หลายเดือนก่อน +5

      Thanks for your comments! It has taken me years to be able to assess a piano and judge whether is is worth spending time to fix it or if it even can be fixed. If you are going to attempt it, I would get a piano tech to visit and assess which of the pianos can be saved and what needs doing. There are some obvious issues that would indicate that a piano is dead, cracked pin block, severe borer/woodworm, water/flood damage, multiple replaced strings, dry/damp damage, missing components, dodgy repairs etc etc.
      Usually, if all the keys and hammers work (sticky keys are easy to remedy) and the piano is sounding ok throughout the range then it's likely just to need a good service and tune.
      I've thrown away 100s of Pianos and spent a lot of time attampting to repair piano when I first started but it's all good experience.
      Good luck!

  • @kyleburke8025
    @kyleburke8025 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    Beautiful piano!! I have an old Vose and Sons upright built somewhere between 1900 and 1905, its a bit beaten up and scratched but it still plays wonderfully. I had it given to my by an elderly woman from my grandmothers church and hadn't been tuned since 1992 when I got it. I started learning to play 4 years ago and I absolutely love the old weathered look of it. I tuned it myself several months ago and found an old hotwheels car inside it. Lol

  • @eberhardspianochannel1848
    @eberhardspianochannel1848 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Lipps are one of the best pianos ever made... the sound is like a refined old red wine

  • @moonsharn
    @moonsharn 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +4

    This was wonderful to watch! Thank you for showing us how you bring these beautiful old pieces back to life!
    Fabulous!

  • @danielcoburn8635
    @danielcoburn8635 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    This video has given me more confidence to work on my own piano. I have a 100+ year old Welling upright that survived a fire a year ago. It's sustained smoke, heat and moisture damage but is in good shape. I feel with some work I could have it better than before.

    • @MICKEYISLOWD
      @MICKEYISLOWD 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I can't imagine anyone taking a perfectly decent piano to a dump site where it will be crushed up. Unless a piano has suffered catastrophic damage or is just missing too many parts they should be saved. They have been built by master craftsmen from an era that will never come back. Every piano is an individual as 10 piano's from the same model never sound the same. Heck in guitar world, old guitars especially damaged ones are normally sent off and rebuilt by a skilled luthier especially pre war stuff and then they are usually worth a lot of money so why not pianos?

  • @forestfolkia1866
    @forestfolkia1866 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Terribly entertaining, so glad you continued working on it. Cheers from Netherlands

  • @TheSmellBird
    @TheSmellBird ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I am so grateful you decided to carry on. You have given me the confidence to look after my own!! thank you sir.

  • @jt2553
    @jt2553 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Thank you for your time & successful effort to restore this beautiful instrument! Thank you for recording your steps in the process. As a pianist, its inner workings fascinated me!

  • @glenfordburrell1076
    @glenfordburrell1076 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Such a gem of a channel. So soothing and enjoyable to watch!

  • @williamlewis9320
    @williamlewis9320 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    This BEAUTIFUL old piano is well worth preserving. Excellent condition for it's age. Restore this! 😃 Restring! Shape those hammers. Wobbly hammers? Repin the centers. Travel and space hammers.

  • @davidbennion876
    @davidbennion876 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Refreshing to see an old and lovely piano given a new lease of life. Well done.😊

  • @1953lili
    @1953lili 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Sounds incredible! You did an amazing job on this beautiful piano.

  • @ron.v
    @ron.v ปีที่แล้ว +9

    I've read that a lot of techs don't raise an old piano to concert pitch to avoid the very problem you're having, snapped strings. Once upon a time I did my own work when I couldn't afford to have my acoustic piano tuned. I never knew much about it. Thanks for sharing. This was a very informative video.

    • @holmespianotuning
      @holmespianotuning ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Lubricating the pressure bar and taking them down very flat and then back up again usually avoids breakage. I was surprised to hear of reusing strings from another piano I would have thought better to either go try and reuse the original or replace with some new wire.

    • @andrewbarrett1537
      @andrewbarrett1537 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      It's not just broken strings, but could be potentially a cracked plate / broken frame, which could kill the piano (unless you happen to have your own foundry and can cast a new piano plate; or else can pay a 4-figure-plus amount to have a one-off replica plate cast by another foundry, or find an intact identical plate from a ruined/junked piano of the same plate/scale design).
      Old pianos pre-1928 were not designed to be tuned above A-435, and so tuning it higher than the piano architect / scale designer intended, could be disastrous, especially with wooden-framed instruments.
      It isn't ALWAYS disastrous, as some old pianos (particularly those with a full iron plate) were built heavily enough to actually be able to withstand the extra tension (as the scale designers built them in with a great enough margin of error / extra sturdy when designing the scale), but the average layperson or tuner would not necessarily be able to tell this just by looking at the instrument, particularly as some plate designs are more fragile and more prone to breakage if the tension is unequal or too high.
      So *some* can be raised to A-440 but not all.
      This should not condemn them, as many modern instruments (particularly string instruments like guitar, violin, bass, banjo etc, not to mention VOICE) can simply TUNE DOWN to match the piano, rather than have to bring the entire piano up to match them (brass instruments etc might be another story). In my opinion, a preference for any particular pitch like A-435, A-440, A-442 etc is just a kind of stupid matter of opinion and isn't really based on any real science.
      Unfortunately some antique instruments have been ruined by trying to change to a wrong / unintended pitch, particularly some pipe organs (I know one rare band organ which had all its pipes cut down by a restorer at the request of a 'sound man' at the amusement park where it plays, because he prefers to hear things at A-440; his arrogance and selfishness means those original pipes are now not playing at their intended pitch for the width and sound a slight bit 'funny', not to mention that this original wood is now gone from the ends of the pipes; if he had commissioned the builder to make all new pipes with scales at A-440 pitch, and crated and stored the original pipes with the organ for a future non-arrogant owner, that would have been a better option IMO).

    • @ron.v
      @ron.v ปีที่แล้ว

      @@andrewbarrett1537 If it were possible to give replies a 1 to 10 rating, I'd give yours an 11. I agree completely. Sadly, I also know of a beautiful old instrument destroyed for the same reason. My aunt who was an antique dealer had a gorgeous 19th Century piano ruined by a piano tuner trying bring the old instrument up to A440 when the treasured old instrument should probably have been tuned down a step and half. He broke the wooden soundboard, split it right down the middle.

    • @ron.v
      @ron.v ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @333Orobas 666 Thanks for sharing your experiences. It was just something I read that it was safer for a piano tuner to tune to lower than concert pitch than risk damaging an old piano. It may be a matter of what the owner can afford as well as the value of the piano to consider. I'm sure there are a lot of factors. My aunt had a local tuner try to tune her antique and he broke the soundboard on her 18th Century instrument. The cost of strings might determine whether or not to save an only piano or dispose of it for those, as you said, who can't do the work themselves.
      I bought the mutes, felt, and tuning hammer. I looked into repairs but decided it was more than I wanted to get into. Eventually, we replaced our old piano with another old one that we had repaired and tuned. My kids grew up with the repaired one. When they were grown, I ultimately broke the thing into pieces and hauled it off to the county dump. I replaced it with a Yamaha electronic instrument that never goes out of tune. I enjoyed tuning the piano. It was a good learning experience.

    • @ron.v
      @ron.v ปีที่แล้ว

      @333Orobas 666 That's obviously a major expense but a professional repairman showed me how the fabric parts are much more likely to need replacing on a piano that's been neglected that long. He showed me how all he had to do was take his finger beneath the straps and snapped them with the flick of his finger. The felts and corks get rotten on the old ones. Every part's replaceable, of course, but I'm not smart enough to figure out how to replace them.

  • @davidperry4013
    @davidperry4013 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This is one of those old pianos that will appreciate in value in the future.

  • @frederikschorling8594
    @frederikschorling8594 2 หลายเดือนก่อน

    6:48 such a clear difference! Wow!

  • @WSallai
    @WSallai ปีที่แล้ว +7

    First time viewer. Really enjoyed seeing how a Tuner applies his trade. Will look at a number of additional videos, find out what tools are needed, and will see if I can apply them to a free Piano from somewhere for my personal use. Haven’t played since my childhood, I’m now nearly 65, but would love to tackle the ivories again and stave off old man fingers. Cheers!

  • @NeedsMoreBirds
    @NeedsMoreBirds 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    It's amazing hearing that piano actually sound right after being so far out of tune to start with. You've done a fine job on this old instrument!

  • @groovemonkey73
    @groovemonkey73 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Brilliant video. (Subbed). I too am a piano tuner/renovator and was brilliant to see your approach to this old piano, as I agree that the older ones can be so much nicer with just some time love and care. Keep up the good work!

  • @Pileits
    @Pileits 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Thank you so much for this video, I very much appreciate your work. Keep those old piano's alive!

  • @FloridaClay
    @FloridaClay หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Glad you save this one. The case is gorgeous!

  • @Howie-wd5oc
    @Howie-wd5oc 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    Just now found your video. Guess I'm a year or so late to the party. I very much enjoyed the video. The cabinet is in excellent condition and the mechanics are sound. I can't believe someone was going to chuck it into a skip.
    I have a 1903 Schumann Cabinet Grand Upright which I did some work on with the help of an old gentleman who tuned and repaired pianos. After a number of years I concluded I should look into having this instrument restored. Yes, it was quite expensive, but, the appraised value is now 50% more than the restoration cost. After three years (thanks COVID), it is scheduled for deliver in a few days. So excited, I can hardly wait.
    Like many who have commented here, it breaks my heart to see these grand old instruments discarded. I sometimes think it is simply because people just don't know what they have.
    Cheers.

  • @oblazeo
    @oblazeo ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks for not giving up!

  • @rachelstarritt481
    @rachelstarritt481 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    When you said “somebody’s been busy” I laughed my head off-you’re so entertaining!!!

  • @confudler
    @confudler 3 หลายเดือนก่อน

    When i saw the thumbnail I thought this was similar to a piano that i had to give up on (which had been in my family for more than 120 years). Once you opened it i was relieved to see that the inside was considerably newer. I kept the inlay panel, haven't decided what to do with it.

  • @DL-kc8fc
    @DL-kc8fc หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Very good job. I tune this old piano (half armor) half a tone lower (compromise after agreement with the owner), because some malfunctions occurred as a result of trying to tune correctly (A=440Hz). Full armor was not standard until after 1930. Until then, tuning was lower, except for concert grands.

  • @HowievYT
    @HowievYT ปีที่แล้ว

    Thanks, really enjoyed watching the whole thing. Feels like I had a visit at your workshop.

  • @iplaypiano3254
    @iplaypiano3254 ปีที่แล้ว

    Amazing insight into the inner workings!

  • @TiffanyMaschek
    @TiffanyMaschek 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I'm glad you continued. Because its educational that unless the soundboard is completely hashed any piano with a little tlc can be saved.

  • @alexperes7815
    @alexperes7815 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Another old piano shinning again... great job!!!

  • @stevenfromer3816
    @stevenfromer3816 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Sounds beautiful.

  • @kurtzwar729
    @kurtzwar729 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Just finishing restoring a 1902 Schaff Bros upright grand (57" Chicago). Wonderful iron wrapped bass strings and original hammers. Terrific sound in Edwardian mahogany. Cheers.

  • @Queen_Latisha
    @Queen_Latisha 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    You did a good job cleaning up this piano. It's so beautiful and unique! So glad you didn't give up The Nest 🤢

  • @Nooticus
    @Nooticus 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Absolutely inspiring work

  • @myboibill
    @myboibill ปีที่แล้ว

    So glad you saved this pretty piano. Your video is quite enjoyable. You have a pleasant way about you. Greetings from New England.

  • @philipcarli3718
    @philipcarli3718 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Nice video, but you know mice love upright pianos! Just get rid of them and their detritus and you have a first-class pre-1914 German piano which most musicians (such as myself) would love to have. It has a good tone and that action is SOLIDLY built. (Look at that polished brass hammer rail, and I'll bet there isn't an iota of cheap pot-metal alloy in the whole piano.) If it were a straight-strung English piano with a "birdcage" action that would be a different matter - those are rarely worth putting in order, though I have a sneaking fondness for them. Good work, and this is _much better_ than a "beginner's" instrument - listen to how rich that bass is! It's better than most Asian instruments, few of which will last a century and change. And actually, you're pushing it to tune it at A=440hz; the standard at the time this was built was A=435hz. I enjoyed this very much, and you're an enterprising craftsman.

  • @brentwalker8596
    @brentwalker8596 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wow! The woodworking on that old upright is lovely.

  • @blueguy7102
    @blueguy7102 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great job on that restoration!

  • @bunobeatz5737
    @bunobeatz5737 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Ive been playing piano for 15 years . To me every piano has character. If you play to hear music, not just play to read music. Itll always give you a different texture to the sound of it. Whether its old or new theyre always different. Im addicted to more of the sound other pianos give.

  • @littlecabin1433
    @littlecabin1433 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I was completely engrossed watching this. Thank you...

  • @063317Art
    @063317Art 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I thank you for tuning and repairing the beautiful piano. 😊 ❤ this reminded me of my grandfather’s old black upright and it so out of tune

    • @063317Art
      @063317Art 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Do you know when it was made?

  • @frankspikes7858
    @frankspikes7858 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I have an upright my mother's school gave her when she retired. Plays great!!

  • @patienceb3763
    @patienceb3763 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

    You did a great job turning that piano up

  • @davidclark3603
    @davidclark3603 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Wow what a beautiful instrument

  • @riccardo50001
    @riccardo50001 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    I have an old Kohler & Chase upright, I'm sad to say I never tune it, yet it's not too far off and amazes me that it hasn't gone more out of tune given its neglect. As a classical singer I don't need a fine instrument and I use it to teach, though I wish I could afford to tune it. When I first purchased it I stripped off the dark finish and I believe it's cherry wood. Thanks for your video. I've often wondered what the various parts were, so it was educational too. I live in San Francisco and was raised in Davenport, Iowa, I mention that because I actually saw a TH-cam about a double piano with key boards on both ends and it's not being taken carre of in my home area, not something I might expect in a relatively unsophisticated part of the country.

  • @jeremyhodges9480
    @jeremyhodges9480 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I used not to mind my guitar strings and now seems a pain until I see you changing piano strings. Great video!

  • @joleenkardonsky2682
    @joleenkardonsky2682 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    That was so interesting! I have an old upright and now I'm enthused to get it tuned. Thanks for the video!!

  • @ProdByShawn
    @ProdByShawn ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I just got my first upright and am very excited it’s pretty old and the keys are stiff, and the lowest note sticks, but I’m excited for a new hobby. Would love to see a “5 easy ways to touch up an old piano” kinda video. You may already have one, this is the first tuning video over ever watched but just a good idea for someone like me! Thank you!

  • @worrellrobinson4332
    @worrellrobinson4332 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Thank you for your video stream I appreciate that there are people like yourself who take care of pianos, keep up the good work kind regards Mr Worrell Robinson.

  • @JohnDoe-ls2ww
    @JohnDoe-ls2ww ปีที่แล้ว

    That is a beautiful upright.

  • @SuperFS11
    @SuperFS11 ปีที่แล้ว

    Gorgeous piano!

  • @kathdavis8059
    @kathdavis8059 ปีที่แล้ว

    Wow, what beautiful sight.

  • @lindacox3062
    @lindacox3062 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wow, thanks for sharing this.

  • @NinaHansen2008
    @NinaHansen2008 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Beautiful instrument!

  • @flushtwice5318
    @flushtwice5318 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Wonderful video, but your reaction to the tuning around 3:43 made me lose it. 🤣 "Oh dear!" So delightfully British!

  • @motoxjosh29
    @motoxjosh29 ปีที่แล้ว

    SOUNDS AMAZING!

  • @RetroRepairGuy
    @RetroRepairGuy 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Always nice to see old stuff being refurbished instead of going to landfill when someone else can use it. Nicely done! Luckily in my kind of restorations, I've yet to see a mouse in them!

  • @Gerkozielman
    @Gerkozielman 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Very nice piano!
    beautiful song chosen to test it out, "the piano man"

  • @smoideen
    @smoideen 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you for this video 👍
    This was very interesting to watch.

  • @sirwillemgaming9686
    @sirwillemgaming9686 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Happy to see this video on my list!

  • @pianoplayer88key
    @pianoplayer88key ปีที่แล้ว +8

    That sounds like it's been a LOT more than 20 years since It was tuned, sounds like it was close to about 200 cents flat or more.
    When I first got one of my Baldwin uprights (a Hamilton studio upright made in 1956), it was about 25 cents flat (or an eighth of a tone), and had been 15 years since it was tuned. My other Baldwin Hamilton (from 1950) was still pretty close to pitch, maybe a few cents off, even though it had been several years since it was tuned, and so was a 1951 Hamilton I had gotten for my church a year earlier.
    Also another piano (a former player Ricca & Son upright from 1913) I had before the two Hamiltons, hadn't been tuned for several decades when I got it (at least 30 or 40 years, maybe more), and it was about a semitone (or 100 cents) flat.
    Also when working with a piano with rusty strings, one thing tuners often do is lower the pitch until they hear a tick that's the sound of the rust at the termination point breaking free, THEN they raise the pitch to where it should be. This should reduce the risk of breaking strings. Also when replacing treble (plain wire) strings, usually they have spools of wire and will cut the appropriate length off of that for replacing a string. Also a bass string can be spliced with new wire on the end depending on where it breaks, although it is better to order a new custom string whenever possible.

    • @PiotrBarcz
      @PiotrBarcz ปีที่แล้ว

      It really depends on the climate conditions, a piano could go flat by 3 semitones if it were exposed to extreme temperature and humidity swings. If it was moved a lot it would also throw it out of tune.

  • @nicholaslittle2312
    @nicholaslittle2312 9 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I had a German piano that looked just like this one, it had a name like Albert Fahr Hertz. I really loved it and moved it with me twice. The next time I moved it was sold as I wasn't playing much then. Hopefully someone is still enjoying it. Thanks for the video.

  • @hwatsong
    @hwatsong ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks I really enjoyed watching this. Perhaps getting a piano tomorrow so great info!

  • @SrKAtaide
    @SrKAtaide 14 วันที่ผ่านมา

    I love you for saving this one. 🙂

  • @Anton-ji4td
    @Anton-ji4td 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    At least it was not a dead parrot, but a mouse. The finished piano sounds really nice, well done, good job. Those early German pianos are pretty good overall.

  • @blancagarchitorena2262
    @blancagarchitorena2262 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Lovely sound.

  • @tonyirons4935
    @tonyirons4935 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love that you tested it with You Can Call Me Al!

  • @isaackhakula5488
    @isaackhakula5488 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    6:49 casually plays paul Simon's 'You Can Call Me Al' :)

  • @cassbhoy
    @cassbhoy 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    That mouse nest and dead mouse disturbed me. Well done for carrying on.

  • @effyleven
    @effyleven ปีที่แล้ว

    That was really interesting ... thank you. Nice sounding piano... well worth your efforts.

  • @ianwattsOfficial
    @ianwattsOfficial 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thoroughly enjoyed the video 👍😊 cheers from Australia 🦘🐨 sending support 🦘

  • @ernestbarch2976
    @ernestbarch2976 ปีที่แล้ว

    Beautiful piano.

  • @Pippippipvk
    @Pippippipvk ปีที่แล้ว +2

    After seeing this Video, I feel the urge to repair the only family Piano. I am by NO way a professional, but after seeing you getting these keys back to work I now think I know why some of the are stuck on our Piano. Next time I'm visiting my parents I will try to fix up the mechanics so a professional can come to tune it.

  • @MacCentrisSimpleSencilla
    @MacCentrisSimpleSencilla 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I reacted right away and "tooted" to the "you can call me Al" song and my son who is 17 and a pianist says "oh!! What's that song?" 🥰 that's a new sheet music we'll have to get (not a bad thing at all)...love that song since it was released when I was a kid...beautiful video...beautiful piano ❤👏

  • @catkeys6911
    @catkeys6911 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Glad you decided to revive that nice old upright. Myself, I would have been a bit nervous pitch-raising it back to A440 (POP!-Oops, there goes another string!) - but you obviously know what you're doing. I would have chickened out, and just maybe brought it up maybe 30 cents or so, using the old circle of 4ths & 5ths method to tune it by ear (but I'm a retired old-timer who didn't have a digital tuner).

    • @baking5815
      @baking5815 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Yes, that's exactly what I would have done. I flinched when he pulled those OLD strings up to concert pitch (A440). I was waiting to see how many strings popped. I've had to work over a year just to bring an old Hobart Nelson upright up to be only 1 step low. It was originally 3 steps low. Haven't popped a string either. Pins were all good and tight - surprisingly.

    • @jacksonpercy8044
      @jacksonpercy8044 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      I recently bought a piano that sounds similar to the one in this video near the beginning, but have very little knowledge and no experience with tuning. Does tuning it up but not as far mean the note it plays will be lower than it's supposed to be? And what should I search to find more info about safe tuning? I really want to avoid breaking any strings if I can.

  • @techElephant
    @techElephant 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    Thank you very much for this. Sadly my mum just died and left her piano (that we all learned on) to my son - I've started cleaning her up - your tips and recommendations are most helpful.

  • @johnnynichols5253
    @johnnynichols5253 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great vid buddy, just got my hands on a piano and fancied having a go at tuning it - off to order a tuning wrench! You’ve inspired me - Thanks!

    • @churtonparkpianos4240
      @churtonparkpianos4240  ปีที่แล้ว

      Hey Johny, that's how I started around 15 years ago, some decent videos out there to get you started!

  • @oldpossum4860
    @oldpossum4860 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Lovely ! I have a Broadwood cottage upright that I am working on (very slowly !)

  • @MrAndyman64
    @MrAndyman64 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    What a great informative video Andy, I've just been given a very similar upright piano for free and I'm gonna have a go at tuning it myself. Thanks

    • @churtonparkpianos4240
      @churtonparkpianos4240  ปีที่แล้ว

      Hey Andrew, yes lots of tuning videos out there, let me know how you get on!

  • @weird1600
    @weird1600 10 หลายเดือนก่อน

    sounds great thank you for saving it!

  • @HeidiPyke
    @HeidiPyke 8 หลายเดือนก่อน

    My mom's piano hasn't been tuned in over 30 years but sounds pretty damn good after hearing this one before you did your magic.
    Poor mouse.

  • @sixtiesfan11
    @sixtiesfan11 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    has an interesting character of sound. 😊🥰

  • @margarethany
    @margarethany ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Acoustic piano is really something else, doesn’t really matter how long it’s never been tuned as long as they’re in a good condition it still can be saved, n it also mean how experienced the tuner was, awesome :D
    I’ve seen this short someone tuning an upright piano that never been tuned since it’s been Made for 30years n he also made it alive again, but to be fair this one right here is looks older.

  • @buggeroff9
    @buggeroff9 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    What an awesome find, I'm so glad you managed to save the piano. I used to play but now i have no piano. i want a free one and learn to play again like you. I also liked it where you played a bit of "you can call me Al" by Paul Simon, please play more.

    • @lawriefoster5587
      @lawriefoster5587 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Edward...you might want to check out your local craigslist if you are
      in the States. I have noticed some
      pianos being given away. They seem quite nice.

    • @buggeroff9
      @buggeroff9 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@lawriefoster5587 I am not in the States but thanks for your help.

    • @electricninjaz4842
      @electricninjaz4842 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@lawriefoster5587 I’m looking for a piano but not sure where too find one. Do you think eBay is good? I found some for pretty good prices but I’m not sure how to verify if they’re good or not.

  • @aliar11
    @aliar11 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    The Mickey Mouse Club House turned into a sweet sounding instrument. Great video 👏👏👏