Partly because I couldn’t resist (I like Chickerings!).
Partly because the Stieff project has been delayed.
Partly because I wanted to have a piano placed at Syracuse Arts Academy now … not later.
Partly because I’m looking forward to my next rebuild project.
Well all together, I did it!
I found this nice Chickering 5′4″ baby grand on Craig’s List in Denver. The seller was Steve Norris, a piano technician in the Denver area, who had the piano on consignment. It was a fun to purchase remotely from Steve, because I could understand very clearly what the piano was.
I drove over to Denver to get the piano. (Check my timing here. January might not be the best time to drive with a trailer to Denver.) With help from friends, the piano was setup in the school last Sunday. It fills the musical space of the school foyer very nicely.
The piano will be a great rebuild project, but also is quite playable right now. Tuning pins - which appear to be original are tight. Nate Griffith came over to the school on Friday and gave it his expert tuning. It does need some immediate attention also: The key tops were resurfaced with plastic, and the blacks were not raised, so that needs to be done. With the blacks too low, its not very nice to play. In addition there are notes in the mid-treble that need re-regulation. So I’m going to begin my education in grand regulation.
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