Piano History

  • 1.  Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Member
    Posted 04-26-2018 19:47
    Does anyone have information about a brand of piano that I believe was made or called The Thomas.... i believe all or most all of the action parts where made of plastic. I am interested in any catalogs, pictures, where it was made etc.  I also read about a piano made for left handed
    pianists but I am not sure if that was real . bass strings were in the treble and treble strings in the bass. i have seen pictures of music notation in which bass part is written above normal notation .

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    James Kelly
    Pawleys Island SC
    843-325-4357
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  • 2.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-26-2018 20:18
    You can find a Thomas repair manual here. They were made by Lindner, in Ireland. Parts snapped together, keybed folded up out of the way. Of course, when the plastic got brittle, the piano became a pile of junk.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "When I smell a flower, I don't think about how it was cultivated. I like to listen to music the same way." Mompou







    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-26-2018 20:37
    Google search Lindner and Rippen pianos. They made the Thomas in Shannon Ireland. My mentor Jim Jeffers worked at the factory.

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    Larry Messerly, RPT
    Bringing Harmony to Homes
    www.lacrossepianotuning.com
    ljmesserly@gmail.com
    928-899-7292
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-26-2018 22:45
    I service a Thomas console. I'm not sure if it's the same company that made the plastic piano James K. described. This one's pretty normal for a console. All wooden parts, decent piano for how old it is, but not terribly remarkable. 

    The client that owns it moved to the States after the collapse of the Soviet Union. She lived in Belarus. Apparently Thomas pianos were more popular in Europe than they were here?

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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
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    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-26-2018 23:46
    I think Thomas was an American company that concentrated on organs, and took up the Lindner piano under their own (stencil) name for a short period of time (I'm pretty sure they were all made in Ireland). 

    I doubt your client bought the Thomas in the former USSR. She probably got it in the US.
    "Believe those who seek the truth; doubt those who find it; doubt everything, but don't doubt yourself." Gide




    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-27-2018 00:07
    That's what I thought too, Fred. But she says she came from a wealthy family there who could afford many things most USSR citizens couldn't - including a piano. Funny how socialism works, isn't it? Pass around the wealth until it comes to the rich. Then it stays there.... making the poor poorer and the rich richer.

    (For those of you wondering, no, I'm not a California socialist. Capitalist thru an' thru, baby!)

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    Benjamin Sanchez
    Professional Piano Services
    (805)315-8050
    www.professional-piano-services.com
    BenPianoPro@comcast.net
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 04-27-2018 00:05
    Over the years, there were several piano makers using the Thomas name,
    but I believe the most common was the one made in Ireland.

    Yes, there is a left handed piano. Bluthner makes one. (Sorry, I can't
    type an umlaut.) The things one learns reading the PTG Journal.


    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Thomas Piano and Left Handed Piano

    Posted 04-27-2018 03:44
    Not sure if you are asking about a left-handed Thomas or just any left-handed piano in general. I did a mirrored copy of an 1825 Graf for the English pianist Christopher Seed. If you Google him, or go to YouTube, you will find him.

    Ciao,

    P

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    Paul Poletti
    Builder/restorer historic keyboard instruments
    Poletti Pianos
    Barcelona
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    Original Message