Progress Update - Week Commencing 15th September

The weekly updates have now become 'progress updates' as it was proving difficult to post a new update every week!

Since the last update, the new pianos mentioned have all arrived at the shop. The Steinway & Sons grand is currently in the shop and playable, although it will only fulfil its potential once considerable restoration has been carried out. The ebony Bechstein upright is also in the shop, although this piano is is need of a greater amount of work before it will begin to play and sound like a Bechstein should.

The 1920s Grotrian Steinweg (pictured) mentioned in the last update is already in the workshop, along with another Steinweg dating from 1905. These pianos will receive a total overhaul and should be superb pianos once completed. Finally, one Chappell upright reserved by a customer has been completed and is awaiting delivery, and another Chappell has arrived in stock to take its place. This piano was restored by us a few years ago, and since arriving back at the shop has already had some small tweaks and adjustments to get it performing at its best again.

In the workshop, work has begun on the two Steinweg uprights as mentioned above, and our Bechstein grand was also put on its feet for the first time after substantial repairs to one of the legs. This piano certainly has a lot of potential, but having come from a school is in need of serious attention.

Get in touch to find out more about any of these pianos, as more information will become available as and when we have a chance to assess them all!

Visit our website at http://www.bedhamptonpianoshop.co.uk/ to see details of the restoration work that we do, and to view all of our current stock.

David - Senior Technician
Bedhampton Pianoshop
02392 484802
http://www.bedhamptonpianoshop.co.uk/

Paul Baker - Gosport

Hi Graham ,
I thought I would send a quick message to let you know that my French Cafe Barrel Piano upon which you recently carried out complete re-stringing and other restoration work, is now back to its former glory having had some futher restoration to some of its mechanical parts. It now sounds and performs much the way that it would have done when it was first entertained patrons in Nice, around 1910. That is of course in no small way a credit to yourself and your team of experts in the workshops at Bedhampton. When I first contacted you about the project, I was of course a little cautious as this was the first time you has been asked to work on a barrel piano and although the instrument shares many similarities with the construction of normal pianos, there are certainly many features of it that DO NOT !! However my mind was soon put to rest, not least by your friendly and honest approach to customer relations, understanding exactly what the customer wants, and of course advising accordingly when necessary. I must say that I am certainly impressed by the neatness and quality of the workmanship, and the attention to detail when required.

I will definitely be contacting you again in the future to discuss the restoration of other instruments and will have no hesitation in recommending you to others.

Dr Rachael Ross - Portchester

The piano arrived back safely after its restoration and looks super and plays beautifully. I have been very happy with your advice previously concerning getting it tuned, and I was fortunate in that you showroom and workshop are along my route to work, so I was able to drop in and quiz you about getting the instrument restored after what appears to have been a hard life since 1924-ish. I'm looking forward to showing it to the friend who let me have it a year or so ago. I don't think she'll believe it is the same one! Thank you for all the detailed work.