OK so I'm looking for a grand piano. I recently found a restored 5' 11 Sohmer from around the 1920's for around $10k. Let me say that I love the way it sounded and how the action felt. I tried every piano in the store, Steinway, Yamaha you name it and I kept on comming back to the Sohmer. What I loved about it was the sound it produced, never heard this type of sound except from much more expensive pianos. Sound was warm, seems too me the sound board was designed well because sound was clear, no muddy sound at all. I also loved the touch, heavy like a larger concert grand, smooth, super sensitive, nice and even keys, sound/vibration travels strait through the keys.

The delema is I saw a new Kanabe 5'4" grand for $8K. Sounds very average/muddy, bright, pingy and honky as you move from trebel to bass. I didn't like the touch, sales person kept on saying it was a Renner action, thought it was kinda cheap feeling, too light of a touch and uneven for my taste.

Sales person said she would not recommend I buy such an old piano when I could get new for much less. She said the price seemed wrong to her for beeing a restored piano, soundboard issues/cracks/glue/pin block etc, but my ears and fingers tell me otherwise. Anybody here pianos techs? What is it that I'm hearing and feeling on this restored Sohmer? Can't decide. Anyone familiar with these pianos? What would you do?

Um... you're asking us which piano we would recommend that you go for: (a) the Sohmer that you liked better than any other piano in the shop, up to and including Steinways, or (b) a Knabe that you described variously as "muddy, bright, pingy, honky, cheap-feeling, and uneven."

Have an independent technician inspect the Sohmer, and assuming there's no major problems with it, buy it and don't look back.

You might be interested in that fact that Sohmers had special bridges. They had metal agraffes on the bridges and I have heard several people talk about how nice the Sohmers sounded. This idea is coming around with a much improved version in Steingraeber Phoenix pianos which cost $100,000 or so. The Sohmers did not have some of the key design items of the new Phoenix pianos. However some believe that the extra nice sound of old Sohmers comes from the bridge agraffes.

It sounds to me that you are more independant minded that to just follow a salesperson who may not really know much about piano technology. Since you have found a pisno that you really like, learn about it and have one or more techs who reallly know about old pianos educate you and then decide. Now is a very good time to buy used pianos and rebuild pianos.

Good luck.

I have never seen a special bridge on a Sohmer grand. The capo bar was cast into the plate with holes for the strings, but there was nothing special about the bridge.

I suspect that the Knabe is not properly prepped. But you should probably get the piano you prefer.

Gary at Encore, thanks for the information. I'll do a little research on the metal agraffes. I don't know very much about technical aspects of pianos but I do know what a good one sounds like and feels like. I used to play excellent pianos at the university, so I know what I'm looking for.


I am also aware that the piano sales people don't know very much in terms of what a musician expects from a good piano. I keep thinking I've might have found a gem of a piano. Strange they did have another Sohmer just like it and although it did have some of the same beautiful characteristics, it didn't sound the same. The Sohmer that I liked had new hammers, had original ivory keys, I looked inside the piano and it looks like it has all new strings and finish and everything looks new.

I'll see what I can do about hiring someone to take a look at it. If any of you know more interesting facts about these Sohmers please post.

Thanks.

BDB what would involve to properly prep a piano? Why wouldn't the dealers do this in the first place?

I'd try to get it for much less. Stay away for the
store for about a month, and then go back and say:
"how can you sell such an old piano for more than
a new Knabe? It should be selling for less than $8000.
I might consider it, mainly as furnture, but not at
$10,000." Keep at them, and you might get it for $5000.
They probably got it for nothing in a trade in,
and so they can come way down on the price.

You would want to know what 'restored' entails. a 90 year old piano should be totally rebuilt to worthy of consideration for that amount of money in my opinion.

10,000.00 can purchase a really nice used piano. I'm hoping you have a chance to try more pianos.. both new and used. Time is your friend.

Good luck.

I tune 2 older Sohmer grands with agraffes in the tenor/treble portion of the bridge -- not in the bass, and not in the highest treble. These two are "Cupid" models...I can't remember the size...maybe 5'8", or a little larger.

One of them has been completely restored and is spectacular. The other was restrung and has new hammers...and is in a school...and is dying a fast death.

I have heard people mention (maybe here) that the agraffes in the bridges tend to try to "roll" the bridges.

Hire a technician to check it out for you.