Newest Purchase

[Jet-Lee]

Upright Grand Piano. Patented on Nov. 26, 1878. Great condition. Every key is in tune except for the highest C, which is missing the hammer. That is still the original finish. Picked it up at a yardsale for $95.


Patent Date


Tuning Dates (latest was '96, written on a sticker elsewhere)


I played piano for 12 years, then moved out and haven't played for the past 2, so I'm pretty excited I have one to play again, not to mention the antique value of this one.

[YogsVR4]

Those ivory keys look pretty worn. That'll cost a bit to be redone. Nice find though

[kittedb18bt]

incredible snatch, and i bet this turns out to be your next project. (in both fixing it up, and learning to play again)

[twospirits]

Even with the ivory keys needing fixup and the highest C out of tune, I would think that piano would still be worth way more than 98 bucks. Very good price you got it for.

Now, can you imagine ...
picture it..2004-5, Somewhere in Arkansas, Antique Road Trip comes into town.
Jet-lee gets word that the piano is worth 3000 bucks.

Have fun with it.


TS out (looking in the attic for priceless stuff)

[Jet-Lee]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

Those ivory keys look pretty worn. That'll cost a bit to be redone. Nice find though

white-out doesn't cost a whole hell of a lot!

j/k

not gonna work on it much, maybe fix the keys, but the structure and build is just fine. If I do anything to the finish, it takes away from the value, as would replacing keys (but not as much).

[boingo82]

Hot Damn that is great! It isn't a player piano, is it?
I have this crazy idea that I'll get an old player piano, restore it, and then spend night and day hand-cutting piano rolls for it. It would kick SOOO much ass to have an late-1800s to early-1900s piano playing "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins..

(BTW for those looking for pianos, I have seen a lot go dirt cheap on eBay. You just have to be willing to haul it away.)

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by Jet-Lee

white-out doesn't cost a whole hell of a lot!

j/k

not gonna work on it much, maybe fix the keys, but the structure and build is just fine. If I do anything to the finish, it takes away from the value, as would replacing keys (but not as much).

Yep, 'cause you can't buy ivory anymore you'd have to replace them all with that white plastic. Looks like the finish is in great shape.

[Jet-Lee]

Originally Posted by boingo82

Hot Damn that is great! It isn't a player piano, is it?
I have this crazy idea that I'll get an old player piano, restore it, and then spend night and day hand-cutting piano rolls for it. It would kick SOOO much ass to have an late-1800s to early-1900s piano playing "Today" by the Smashing Pumpkins..

(BTW for those looking for pianos, I have seen a lot go dirt cheap on eBay. You just have to be willing to haul it away.)

Nope, not a player piano, sorry Boingo .....

[SeXy_AnGeL]

Great find....Looks like fun, if you know how to play it

[ac427cpe]

amazing!!!!! i'm jealous!

though, if so much is still origonal have someone come out to your place to look at it and give a professional opinion of whether it SHOULD be fixed or not. you can destroy the value of old instruments by fixing some things... (not the hammer... the keys)

as far as inexpensive pianos... or any instrument for that matter: the danger with ebay is often you pay for what you get. and with instruments if it's not something that you've gone to play first to see if you like it, or something that's just way too good to pass up, you are risking a lot in the purchase. you might be able to get one on ebay for $200 then another 500 for shipping (or gas money for pickup) just to find out that it's a total rat... and needs $4000 in repair. then you just have a big expensive paperweight... not to say that it doesn't go the other way as well... you might save $5000 by buying on from ebay.


oh yeah.... how does it sound? (other than out of tune i'm assuming...)

[Jet-Lee]

It's in perfect tune, 'cept for the highest C, which I can't tell cause there's no hammer. I've got a digital tuner and checked it before I bought it. A couple keys waver a little from perfect, but nothing your ears can pickup, and it plays beautifully. For $95 I couldn't pass up.

[HogieGT-R]

man that's friggin sweet. replace the hammer, and you're good to go just make sure that you hold onto that thing man

[Jet-Lee]

I need some help, I'm trying to figure out value. It was made by Wessell, Nickel & Gross. Patent date is Nov. 26, 1878. Model 1811. Can you help? I'm finding nothing. Thanks Guys (and girls)!

*EDIT* It's in good/decent condition. Above average, but not excellent.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by Jet-Lee

I need some help, I'm trying to figure out value. It was made by Wessell, Nickel & Gross. Patent date is Nov. 26, 1878. Model 1811. Can you help? I'm finding nothing. Thanks Guys (and girls)!

*EDIT* It's in good/decent condition. Above average, but not excellent.

Are you sure the whole piano is by Wessell Nickel & Gross? Or just the action? Everything I'm finding says they made the actions for pianos.

http://www.ptg.org/pipermail/pianote...ry/100333.html

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/va...of-pianos.html

http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-gen/pi...s-aliases.html

http://www.vintagepianoshop.com/identify.cfm

HTH!

[Jet-Lee]

hmm...lemme go check, I know the name is on the action, lemme check over the rest of it real quick

*EDIT* All I can find on it besides whats on the action is "1811" and "Cabinet Grand"...nothing else...