Is this tempting?

Here is the story:

$100 Story & Clark Upright. Looks to be in good condition. I do not have a piano but only a 76 key Roland Ep-70 (something like that).

So I would buy this on my own. The reason why I bring this to attention is (well not only the cheapness of it) that Oak Creek wisconsin is the next "city" east of mine. So it is no less than 8-15 miles total. I could pick it up myself and move it (well not literally but I can use my own truck)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... Track=true

Tell me your two cents. And hurry I have only "2" days left (I doubt he will sell it but you never know)

Oh, is it possible to lay the piano down on its back (keyboard side up) because the truck we have has a cap on it so I doubt I can stand it up in the back :?

I wonder what my folks would say?

hmmmm :twisted:

-JG

 

ooo and:

I'd rather have a digital keyboard but I do not have $1000+ to drop. My dream would be a nice Steinway, but hell who has that kind of cash?

So why not just buy a basic piano?

 

Juufa, from the picture and the price, I would encourage you to buy the thing. I do not know whether an upright can be transported horizontal. But why not? I would open the piano below the keyboard to check whether there are vessels with water inside (some put it inside an upright for higher humidity).

Good luck! Let the piano stay for a month or so until you let it tune. It takes that long to acclimatise regarding the new humidity.
And after the tuning, share a recording here!

 

I think you need to play on it before you buy it.

 

Oh darn, I tried to get a hold of the seller, but no response. I'll just have to wait a while longer until I have a place of my own and then buy my own piano (maybe in 15 years or more :? )

 

Hey miden I have yet to get a response from the seller. In the meantime it reads that the high "a-g" key is stuck. What possibly would need to be fixed in order for it to be unstuck?


-jg

p.s. I know this is random but could anyone help me name this piece:

http://www.rickjonespianos.com/grands.htm

it is piano number 10, selling for $7,298 August Hoffman 5 foot.

thanks

o one more thing. If you read this techneut, what is the name of the little device which you use to record your playing?

 

Can't name that piece, sorry. Could be a Joplin rag. Lovely grand he's playing though !

My recording device is the Edirol R-1. Arensky has got one as well now.

 

since there is not private messaging option in this "new" version of PS I will just type it here (my only option isn't?)

Techneut- I did a little research and found out that your little toy is no longer in production. Sometime in the later days of August there will be a new version; essentially the same but smaller and about $100 more expensive :x Anywho, my question is: do you just press the record button and play what you have to play, then finish the recording, upload the file from the CF card to your computer and then just put the file into this database? Or is there a program that is needed to transfer the file from machine to internet (for the lack of a better word)?

Miden- How would I open up underneath the keyboard? How is that done?

Thanks
-Jg

 

But of course there's private messaging ! Under each posting there's a row of little icons. Mouse over them to see what they do. The 7th from left is to send a private message.

I've read about the new version, thought it was already on the market. I had understood it was actualy cheaper than the first model that I have (which was a bit of a rip-off). The reason it could be cheaper wasg they had cut down on a lot of stuff like effects. Which is fine really if you have Audacity or CoolEdit. I don't use any of the effects or setings at all. Indeed just press the button and play (after making sure the input volume dial is set properly).

Then upload the file to your PC either via the USB cable or by taking out the flash card and putting it in the PC's card reader. On your PC you do the reverb, editing (if needed) and add the ID3 tags according to standard Then use the forum upload function to get it on the site.

Robert and I use another program to transfer files directly to and from the live area. That is if course an admin function only.

Bit OT all this, really... Use that PM function next time, or post in an appropriate forum !

 

Sorry. I thought those little icons were a part of a horrible looking, not to mention a sad attempt of a decrotive border.

I wish Miden would respond. This is the only reason why I keep this post active so when he views the forum he'll notice "the piano" highlighted. And then he can clarify what he means by water vessels.

Hope I didn't cause any harm :roll:

 

Well you can send Miden, aka Mindenblues, a PM now :wink:

 

I used to work at a piano store, bought and traded a few smaller uprights in my time, also used to move all the used ones around in the storage room, so I've seen a lot of pianos. Story and Clark for one is a stencil named piano, meaning it was made by someone else, and then they just painted the name on there. So you don't really know where it comes from. It could be
Korean, Mexican, Antartican, who knows.

From the picture and what you're telling me I do not reccomend this piano.
Can't you take the cab off the truck? Never move a piano on its back side or anything except standing up. The best would be if you could take the
cab off the truck, and then get some guys to wheel it up to the truck and lift it in there then rope it down. That's the only way.

For used uprights I'd reccomend at least a studio size. It goes spinnet (which are avoidable and full of problems), console (tend to be okay but not the best), studio (decent and easier to work on for a technician - used often in university practice rooms) then full upright (which they say gives the
same sound as a 4 - 5 foot baby grand). The thing about full upright
size is often the used ones are ancient like from the 1920's and they
are old pieces of junk... a new full sized upright would be way too expensive
anyway...

The other reason I don't reccomend this piano is that some of the
keys don't work. If you're going to buy something as large and unmoveable
as a used piano, wait until you can get something decent and with
no visible problems.

Also always see the piano in person and check it out yourself!

 

Have to agree with megaronin and others here. Never buy a piano (hell, never buy anything) without being able to see it and try it out.

And moving an upright on its back should probably be avoided. Having said that, a grand is often (by necesstity) being transported on its side, and does not seem the worse for it. So perhaps there's no problem here.

 

Official Decision:

No buy. Seller does not respond. So I cannot go see it in person. Your replies also played a big roll in my decision making. I'll just have to wait a long(er) time and save up for something decent. Then maybe, just maybe, I have a chance to be up on this webpage. 8) But with the way I have been playing lately I think I would take away rather than add to. :?

Thank you once again.
-JG

>>> Admin edit: Double post deleted. BTW you can do that yourself

 

Sorry, Juufa, that I did not answered earlier.

Some uprights have vessels with water inside (some put vessels in grand pianos too), in the hope to raise the humidity (I don't believe that it helps much). That's why, before moving an upright, I would open the flap below the keyboard, what covers the vertical area below the keyboard. Normally there is a wooden bar you need to move in order to remove the flap. So you can check for parts like vessels inside the upright.

Techneut: Since a grand is transported on its side, this could be because the soundboard should be transported vertical, not horizontal. That could be a reason that an upright is transported the same way, that th soundboard is horizontal (so not on its back). So probably Mergaronin is right, that all pianos should be transported with vertical soundboard, regardless upright or grand.

I agree with Mergaronin, that "size does matters", regardless for uprights or grands. I would not buy an upright below 1.20 m.

And I would prefer a concert upright compared to a baby grand (below 1.65 m or so). Because the action of a baby grand is heavily reduced, so that it does not only robs you the bass sound because of the shortened length, but too the feeling of a grand piano key touch.

On the other side, old pianos can have its charme. In my opinion, the soundboard and all wooden parts what contribute to sound will get better with age. Soundboard cracks can be repaired and are to a large amount insignificant. However, all mechanical parts wear out.

Consequence: Buy a cheap old piano what sounds good to you (preferable a large one), and replace the mechanics. Is in the end cheaper as a new piano, and you have better sound. Or are there other opinions on that?

 

Interesting theory. It makes me worried though about concert grands, that get wheeled about on and off the podium, and whose soundboards spend all their life in the wrong position....

I would rather think a grand is transported on its side a) to be able to fit it in the removal van and b) to get it thru the door.

 

The problem is may be not the wrong position for normal operation, but for transport with driving through road holes, and big masses are moved up and down which maybe could damage the soundboard if it is horizontal? I dunno...

But your points a) and b) are surely valid !