I'm considering buying a 16 yr old 1098. Will play it and get a tech in to check, but would appreciate any thoughts. This is a first piano -- I'm an adult beginner (playing about 2 yrs.). Am fussy about both sound and responsive action -- fussier than I deserve to be probably as I'm such a novice, but that's the way it goes. Appreciate any thoughts on what it should $$ and if its value will hold. Also any experiences good/bad with this model, i.e. can it make sound or is it ultimately too small. Current Steinway specs list middle pedal as sostenuto but on this piano it is quiet pedal.

Thanks.

Steinway 1098 though not a favorite among many tuners is still a Steinway and sounds and plays like a Steinway. 16 yrs. old is fairly new. It has a Renner action and Steinway NY hammers. They depreciate greatly when one purchases new moreso than the grands so....I guess you're in the driver's seat. They cost well over 20K for a new one so,what do YOU think a preowned one should cost in great shape ? A tech inspection is advised on anything used.

The practice mute function instead of the sostenuto is a bit strange on a 1098

The fact that you are in New York City allows you to try out a number of fine uprights, many of which I believe will be better than the Steinway 1098. For the 6 to 7K you'll spend for the used 1098 you could probably find a Charles Walter upright which in my opinion is far better. The larger Bohemia uprights as well as the W.Hoffmann uprights made by C.Bechstein are also worth a look. Good luck.

Rich

Thank you. Helpful. Any thoughts on why tuners don't like 1098? Would practice mute be because this is a model older than current ones or could someone have made an adjustment? I'll ask tech to check out but curious. Again, thanks.

I tried the Hoffmann and the action was peculiar -- you'd go partway to the keybed before the sound came. Don't know where to find C Walters. What are the Bohemian uprights? A brand or group? Thanks.

Bohemia grands and uprights are Czech made and recently acquired by C.Bechstein. I've played the 50" the 52" uprights. Both uprghts are well made (with a lighter touch) and have a clear singing tone. Some folks even prefer the 50" over the 52". I beleive Altenburg Piano House located in Elizabeth, NJ carries Bohemia. They also carry Kemble (nice) and August Forsters. August Forster uprights are one of my favorites but new ones are quite expensive.

Rich

Thank you. I don't have a car but perhaps I'll manage to get to Elizabeth, NJ. Helps to have the info. Much appreciate it. I find spending this kind of money (and I know it isn't a lot in piano terms) very difficult without an equivalent feeling of confidence.

The complaint I've heard from the couple of tuners I know regarding the Steinway 1098 is in regards to tuning stability. ie. the instrument tends to go out of tune alot. I'm not a tuner so I don't know the specifics as to why this is.
Good luck with your search.

Not that you are asking for suggestions of other brands, but if you can find a used Bechstein Academy A1 upright to try you just might be amazed at what you feel and hear. I've seen a 5 year old model recently that would probably fit your budget.

If it were in my budget, I'd get a Bechstein A1 in a flash. I played one in the NYC Bechstein showroom and was delighted. Sadly, I've never come across a used Bechstein A series. Thanks for your thoughts. (Guess I'll look at the Hoffmann series.)

I do know of a used A1 in Toronto. Price would be between 10-12k in Canadian dollars. I'm not sure about the logistics of over the border shopping but I've played this particular A1 and it is in brand new condition. Do hesitate to PM me is you want more details.
Adrean

I own a 33 year old 1098. It was given to me new. 3 years ago I had it reconditioned and this year it needed to be voiced again. No sostenuto pedal on mine, no 3rd pedal at all. I love it though. My tech said it's worth about $9000 but I would not get that if I sold it. A piano dealer friend of mine said I'd get about $6000.

Have a tech check out your piano. Post your question on the tech forum too.

The S&S 1098 was sold standard with two pedals until recently. The middle pedal sostenuto was a dealer option that added several hundred dollars to the cost. I have never seen one from the factory with a middle pedal as a mute function.

1098's do not have tuning stability problems. The bad rap they have from tuners is that they are hard to tune for two reasons: 1. The pinblock is very tight until the piano has been tuned 15 or twenty times and the pins tend to jerk or chatter rather than able to move smoothly under the tuning lever.\
2. The scale design is such that it is hard to get the strings to eqaulize across the entire lenth of string as the pitch is adjusted.
A 1993 1098 in good condition would retail for $9-$11k in this market. New ones are over $20k. Private party to private party would go for about $6-$7k.

My tuner who has worked with my 1098 for the past 20 years has told me exactly the same things as Marty mentions here.

A couple of things about this piano that I don't understand.

First is that the second low A below middle C and the Bflat above it, and the D above that, all buzz (a kind of metalic echo buzz). I don't know if that is a bridge problem or something else. Would obviously get a tech to check it, but wondered if anyone had a thought before I spend $$ on tech.

Second is that when owner played (I think) Chopin Etude Op. 10, No. 12 in C minor ("Revolutionary") the bass didn't sound good -- murky? Too blended? Then when he played a Bach WTKlavier pre/fuge it sounded lovely. We actually both noted it, and both had no idea why.

Third is that some of the keys are closer to each other laterally. Wonder if that will only get worse. This has been a well-loved and well-played piano, the hammer felts are heavily grooved.

I'm new to this forum so don't know yet how to post to tech area but will try -- I can't even figure out how I post a new topic, or how I posted in the first place! Sigh. I'll learn.

Thanks.

Go to the piano tuner/technicians forum and post your questions there about the hammers, etc.

Perhaps it sounds murky because it's in need of tuning, voicing, or something else? My tech told me that the hammers in my 1098 were in need of being filed. This was when my piano turned age 30. After the hammers were filed and other work was done that was considered "reconditioning", which cost me $700 out here in CA, the piano sounded better than new for 2 years. Then it needed to be voiced again. It's a great piano IMO.

Hello everyone -
Model 1098 uprights have had three pedals, standard, for the 25 plus years I've been with the company - and pretty much from the beginning - and definitely from the 30's, according to a confirming phone call I just made on this subject. I have never had the option of offering a 1098 with two pedals.

I guess I'll just have to check to the man from Steinway on the third pedal as an option. Pretty sure I member it otherwise, but the memory is not what it used to be. Maybe I confused with with the console model F series. I think the first 1098 was debuted in 1950 also.

the 45" scale came in the 40's - and the 1098, I believe, in the 60's. But NY built uprights have had, according to Mike Mohr, the third pedal standard from the beginning....

I have never seen a Steinway upright with the "soft" pedal being the center pedal - so that indicates some siginficant change during restoration..

Actually the mdl.45 preceded the 1098.I don't really know the original transition date in that they looked exactly the same as for the cabinet. If I recall I've had older mdl.45 with two pedals or....I'm suffering from what Marty has.

My 1098 was made in 1976 and at that time, Steinway made this model with only 2 pedals.

Hello again -
I checked again with another historian at Steinway... The 1098 was introduced in Nov of 1950 - so I was wrong when I said the mid sixties. One person believes that in late 1980 or early 1981, there was a change from two pedals to three (Barb860's comment would support this..).

One thing I know for certain - is that they have had three pedals from 1984 until the present!

sorry for the confusion and for my goof !

Thanks everyone,

Unless perhaps what I have is a model 45 instead of a 1098?
I don't think so though. I looked it up in Larry Fine's book and it appears to be a 1098, my tuner says that's what it is, too. Sounds like these 2 models are about the same?
I do miss a sostenuto pedal occasionally. But this piano has served me well over these 30 plus years and it's good for my students, too. The Steinway dealer here calls this model a "warhorse". I would have to agree, with all the little boy students I have
Am told it would have a good trade-in value but that if I were to sell it to a private party, to expect $6000, which I am not planning to do.

Wow. Well, everyone is incredibly nice to weigh in on this. I'm feeling sheepish in that I played/saw the piano and the third pedal is sostenuto. Didn't realize everyone would focus on this. Apologies if I've put you out -- though the discussion is interesting to me. This particular piano also has a mute lever built in on the side that lowers a felt strip (not very thick, been played through) which is what the owner meant -- it wasn't clear initially. So, yes, it has three pedals and the middle is sostenuto. I'm more concerned about the murky sound when Chopin played, but otherwise, I liked it. Perhaps I'll contact my tech. Thanks to all.

Ask your tech what he would charge you to inspect the piano and give you an appraisal. My tech out here charges $60 for this service, in suburban Sacramento. It's the only way you'll know for sure what issues the piano has. If it's had 16 years of lots of use, it may need to be at least reconditioned. Or perhaps you could call the tech who has serviced this piano in the past, to ask him what work has been done on it. The bass on my 1098 is clear. But it was murky before the reconditioning.

My tech is about twice what yours is. Pretty much standard for NYC. The note regarding reconditioning is interesting. I'm mulling. Thank you.

Larry Fine's book "The Piano Book" that is advertised here at PW (left hand column of your screen, scroll down) discusses Steinways in detail. I have the 2004 edition. I have found it to be a great resource for information on new and used pianos, especially Steinways. It discusses reconditioning and rebuilding for example, and the differences. I learned a lot about my 1098 from my tech and this book. Check your mail box, I sent you a PM.