Organ at Charlton Kings, Cheltenham

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I have both - that's to say not two pianos but a 19th century Steinway Model C, dating from 1896 and fully refurbished to a very high standard by a brilliant technician in 2008-2012; whilst its sound remains different to a modern equivalent, it will long outlast me!

A Model C? Rare in this country, and just about the only one in the Steinway range I've never played on. By 1896, pianos were not dissimilar to today's pianos.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Returning to topic, when an electronic instrument goes wrong, it's very difficult trying to find someone who can sort it out. It isn't just a matter of tweaking a pipe or a hammer.

[ahinton]

By 1896, pianos were not dissimilar to today's pianos.

That's very true; one has only to consider piano design and manufacture in, say, the 75 years up to then and the 75 years since then to apprecaite that it largely stagnated for much of the past century; there have been developments during that time, but few quite so substantial, significant or far-reaching as those that arose between Chopin's early days to the deaths of Liszt and Alkan.

[vinteuil]

By 1896, pianos were not dissimilar to today's pianos.

... yes, the rot set in with Érard's development of the double escapement in the 1820s. Downhill from then on...

[ahinton]

Returning to topic, when an electronic instrument goes wrong, it's very difficult trying to find someone who can sort it out. It isn't just a matter of tweaking a pipe or a hammer.

That can only be ascribable to poor manufacture/servicing facilities such as would not be tolerated with other electrical/electronic appliances.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... yes, the rot set in with Érard's development of the double escapement in the 1820s. Downhill from then on...

That's the big disadvantage of the upright piano- very difficult to play those repeated notes in The Flight of the Bumble Bee.

[rauschwerk]

I feel much the same way about electric pianos.

Peter Katin (late lamented poster on these boards) used a Technics PX107 for private practice and very much approved of it. I approve of mine, too, though after 20-odd years of constant use it's showing signs of wear and you can't get the bits any longer.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Peter Katin (late lamented poster on these boards) used a Technics PX107 for private practice and very much approved of it. I approve of mine, too, though after 20-odd years of constant use it's showing signs of wear and you can't get the bits any longer.

They do have their uses, but when I see them in schools, halls and churches, and then hear how weedy they sound (or crassly loud when amplified) I want to scream.

[rauschwerk]

They do have their uses, but when I see them in schools, halls and churches, and then hear how weedy they sound (or crassly loud when amplified) I want to scream.

I know exactly what you mean. For economic reasons, ignorant people will put underpowered instruments into big halls (one typical example I know is in the Unitarian Meeting House in Bury St Edmunds). Mine has 120 watts of output power and good solid bass - it doesn't need any extra amplification and I used to take it to gigs until it showed signs of case damage.

[ahinton]

That's the big disadvantage of the upright piano- very difficult to play those repeated notes in The Flight of the Bumble Bee.

Apart from the comparatively small space that they take up, are there any advantages to these things? (I call them "downright pianos"); whilst some fine examples were made years ago in US by Chickering and over many years by Mason & Hamlin, the nearest I;ve ever encountgered to a decent upright is a Bösendorfer whose cost is eye-watering.