CAUT

  • 1.  Ron Nossaman items for sale

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-13-2025 19:41
    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. 

    Her email is:  loui49ict@gmail.com

    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.
    __________________________________________________________________________

    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.





  • 2.  RE: Ron Nossaman items for sale

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 01-14-2025 02:35

    I remember Ron's B from Rochester in 2008,, amongst all the very fine (and different!) pianos that were there from our finest rebuilders in what was quite a seminal showcase.  No one's piano sounded good out in the area where they all were, but each had its moment to shine in a concert set up in a better acoustic space.  I was very impressed with how good his piano sounded, and yet so different from the others in his approach. 

    I went out to dinner with Ron and Loui, along with Ron Overs and his wife and daughter.  I made them the victims of my bad pun, telling them that "Two Rons don't make it right".  .  

    For those of us who learned so much from Ron over the years in debate and agreement, we can pay back by doing what we can to find a buyer for Loui for this fine musical instrument. That would be a great way to honor Ron's memory and help her at the same time.



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    William Truitt RPT
    Bridgewater NH
    (603) 744-2277
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