Loui Nossaman contacted me regarding the sale of some of Ron's projects, including a Steinway B. Following is the email from her. If interested please contact Loui directly.
Hi,
Here is a list of what Ron did with the B. It was in the Rebuilder's Showcase at the Buffalo, NY convention.
1936 Steinway & Sons B SN 282622
Case: Refinished black. By SAMA
Action: Renner USA
Bass Strings: Arledge Music Wire
Pinblock: Delignit capped multi-laminate maple.
Hammers: Ronsen Piano Hammers, Wurzenfelt
Sostenuto Mount: Placement moved from the action to the belly rail
Soundboard: Rib crowned and supported, with very little panel compression, and 18 fanned
ribs of progressively smaller crown radii in the treble
Ribs: A large bass cutoff and "fish" (a small treble cutoff) define the shortened ribs, while added
bracing stiffens the case spine and belly rail.
The bell was replaced by a belly brace and nose a bolt.
Stringing Scale: A new scale was calculated for which new laminated bridges were built, with a
transition bridge to move the break farther up scale and free the low bass for better response.
These bridges have epoxy laminated veneer caps for solid string termination, improved
seasonal dimensional stability, and increased longevity with lower incidence of falseness in
the treble.
Duplexes: The tuned rear duplex was eliminated in favor of a long back scale and vertical
hitches for less restriction of soundboard movement. The tuned front duplex was also
replaced with a shortened non-tuned duplex to minimize noise.
I also have a bench that could go with it. Black in color and a similar design.
There is a stage dolly too. I don't know much about these, but I understood that it would fit this piano.
Alan Crane, RPT has looked the piano over and said it was in great condition. He blew the dust out of it and said it was good to go. He said that if you had any questions you could contact him at 316-681-2267 or email
alan2crane@gmail.com. (Although it has been at least a year since he looked at it.)
I don't know at what price this would sell for. I hope to get at minimum, $60,000.
Steinway's site indicates that pianos of this age would likely need a new action, soundboard, and pinblock and case refinishing with an estimated total cost of $60,300.
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I also have an Oslund Key Covering Machine available. It is the one Ron used, so it is complete. I have photos, a print-out of how to use it, and clamps that somehow work with it. I would like $2000 for it plus shipping which I'm guessing will be no less than $250 as the parts are very heavy and awkward.
I still have at least 2 of the moisture meters that Ron built and previously sold should you know anyone who would be interested.
Other pianos that someone may be able to use as rebuilds:
Mason & Hamlin Duoart Grand
Chickering Grand
Bradbury Grand
and 2 other grand pianos that I can't get to right now to see what they are
and 2 upright player pianos
There's also a player organ that needs to be rebuilt. I have a few rolls for it too.
A spoke divider for making wheels for wagons or anything else one could use a divider for. Ron was working on making many dimensional setups (settings to set up the amount or number of spokes, I think) for this when he died. There is much paperwork with notes and formulas for this.
Oh, and there are books. Probably 25+ piano building and piano theory and music-related ones.