Anyone want a piano?

Weird one I know.

Got 2 piano's that I need to get rid of (ideally) today.

Free to a good home, but must be collected from Wath.

I know nothing about piano's so can't comment on whether they're good ones or not, but a quick ebay search shows they're selling for about £50.

A bit rough around the edges, and probably want tuning.

 

They're going for a song

 

Oddly me too. Baby grand, in the house when we bought in the summer. Pics below

 

Keys to the house...

 

I would, but transportation is always the issue with old Joannas..

 

I guess we could open a piano shop together?

 

Yep. We were given a free piano. People with van and kit to safely move and transport it came in at £120. Still got a lovely instrument for not much.

Our friends had two uprights to give away. The other one went to someone who rocked up just him and his mate and an estate car. They ruined both of their backs, their estate car and their piano in the space of 5 minutes!

 

It looks really tidy. What make is it? I cannot read the name although it looks like Siehr which is pretty meaningless as it is German for 'see' (the font looks Germanic). Unfortunately whilst, they are incredible instruments involving many different craft skills, unless you are a classical concert pianist or a multi millionaire who wants one as a status piece in your penthouse or mansion (in both instances they specify Steinway, Bosewndorfer, Yamaha high end pianos costing tens if not hundreds of thousands) there is not really much of a market. Anything over 40 years old , even maintained is likely to cost several hundreds of pounds to refelt , tune, regulate the action etc.
Many homes had a piano up until the 1950s and inh parallel with the time I was having lessons many old pianos were smashed up. They used to have piano smashing contests involving sledgehammers. Many old uprights suffered that end and some were dropped from cranes onto concrete at fetes etc. in front of cheering crowds.. A bit upsetting from any musician!
Digital and sampled pianos have taken over as they are cheaper , portable, and do not need tuning.
I used to own a Yamaha, semi acoustic CP88 which I Toured with in a band back in the 70s . It was the closest thing to a concert grand but it could be transported in two sections, albeit still heavy, but rather than a soundboard it had individual pickups on each string. Many big artists toured with them . Relatively recently the CP70 was revived by Keane and is a recognisable sound' .
I managed to sell it to a recording studio in Tallinn Estonia and bought a Yamaha CP88 which is a sampled piano (with many additional features) high end stage piano which takes up less space and can be transoported in my car and only needs one person to carry it. Sampled pianos are now at the point where feel, sound and weighting are virtually indistinguishable from the accoustic pianos. Many classical pianists still demand the 'real thing' but aside from the fact a shiny full sized concert grand looks impressive, there is now littel to choose between the two sound wise. Some of teh big names have what looks like a grand piano on stage but housing a digital piano keyboard just to impress the audience - all part of the show.

I hope you can find a home for it, or even learn to play a bit as it is very rewarding, albeit can be a bit frustrating at times. Plenty of free tuition apps etc available now too. Csmetically teh piano looks good. All teh keesy still have their facings.

PS one tip...to work out how well maintained it is , whilst it is unlikely that all tehe notes are in tune play an A ( near the middle of the keyboard - easy to0 find the second white key below the three black ones . Now go onto an app on a phone and find a 'tuning tone' for 440 Hz (that is an A) Play the key and the tone. If they are more or less the same then it is likely teh piano is not totally neglected. If teh piano A is lower than the tone then it means that it may take a few tunings (expensive) to bring it up to the correct pitch (trying to do it in one go can cause problems)

Good luck!

 

if you can get the best one to Wentworth (not far from Wath) I'll give it a home & some music. I can bung a tenner for transport..

 

Honestly mate, I would if I could. They're literally going in a skip (or at least besides one) otherwise.

I'm happy to PM you their location if you know a man with a van, but it's taken 4 of us to get them out of the building.

But I only drive a Suzuki Swift I'm afraid, and it's 3 door at that.

 

Mitchell & Darfield Miners Welfare Galas, early 70's; piano smashing contest. Each team breaks up a piano into pieces small enough to pass through a bog seat. The fastest team win a gallon of beer. Elf and safety non-existant.

 

How did they get it in , in the first place ?

 

Fair enough , was thinking it may take apart at designated points that’s all .

 

Does it come with strings attached?

 

Would absolutely love a piano.... shame we have no space for one! Hope they find a good home.

 

No strings, but many keys.

 

Grand pianos are moved professionally and the legs are removed and the main piano is padded and turned on its side and strapped on heavy duty small flat trolley with wheels. Since the it is now only about 5 foot high and about 2 foot wide it can be manouevred through doors and unless you have nay really tight corners to navigate , in which case the length becomes a problem thye sould be able to transport it. We attended a free open air concert in our village given by a famous Russian pianist (about 4 years ago!) , no idea why he turned up at our small comune. They brought a Steinway midi Grand piano and dismantled it after the concert and wheeled it away and into Transit van (with a tail-lift). It took two men about 20 minutes to complete the whole process.

You should never try to move a grand piano any distance over rough ground or steps - or more than several feet on the flat with the legs attached since the weight could cause on or more to give way and possibly cause serious injury. They are design to support vertical loads (why you see people dancing on them in stage shows and films but not lateral loads.
Not sure of costs but, as I said specialist piano movers are essential.

EDIT: Short interesting video....

 

Still one left if anyone's interested?