Post by WirthLessThanks Bill.
I have inherited the piano but it suffered a bit of water damage on the
exterior a few years ago. It was appraised after the damage and the
gentlemen said that even with the damage it was still worth around $500.
Since then, I inherited my grandparent’s old piano that visually is better
looking (it sits in our living room). My question is this: do you think
there would be someone in my area (Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota) that
would possibly want a 1917 Adam Shaaf for either parts or to restore?
The reason I ask you is that I think you must be knowledgeable about
pianos is you knew where to look for my original inquiry.
I truly would like to find a home for it. I don’t want to destroy it if I
don’t have to. I just don’t know where I should look for people that
maybe interested in it. I'm not looking for any money for it, just a
future.
Any insight on the 1917 Adam Shaaf market would be appreciated.
Todd Wallin
Minneapolis, MN
Well, Todd, I would not have any insight into the Minnesota market, as my work
has been in the central states of Oklahoma and Missouri. But, I can tell you
that your appraisal would be high for this area. If it were in excellent
condition it might bring that to the right party, but that would be the extreme
high end.
Your best bet is to get another independent technician to look at it with the
intent of fixing it up and tuning it so you can sell it in its best condition.
Therin lies another rub, because it is not uncommon at all to find "tooners"
who will tell you it "cannot be tuned" or can not be brought up to concert A440
pitch (what they are really telling you is simply that they do not know how to
bring an old piano back up to pitch without string breakage, something I have
done hundreds of times).
I guess there might be someone in your area wanting to learn piano tuning and
repair and who would love to have it, but I have no idea how to get in touch
with one of them, short of them seeing this item on the NG. I have had many
old upright pianos given to me just to get them hauled off. I repair and tune
them, then sell them, seldom getting more than $400 for one in this market.
Many times an older piano will have exceptional tone and response that is
superior to modern vertical pianos and even some grands, but because the case
style is such as it is they have far less value than the smaller pianos.
Don't get your hopes up. Good luck!
-Bill Rowland
Broken Arrow, OK