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Hi Everyone,
I just inherited a Stienbach piano made by Mason & Risch Ltd (Toronto) . It looks pretty old. I've been trying to find out some information on this piano. Can anyone tell me something about it. It is a upright.

Thanks Diana

Hi Everyone,

I guess not many people have heard of Mason & Risch Ltd.

Well I found out some more info. My piano was made between 1890-1895. 1890 was the first year Mason & Risch starting making Grand upright pianos. The keys are real Ivory.

How do you find a good qualified tech to examin your piano. I talk to one and he tried to tell me it was made in Veitnam. Right on the piano it it has Mason & Risch Ltd (Toronto). :rolleyes:

I guess not many people have heard of Mason & Risch Ltd.[/b]

No, that's not it. It's just that you've asked one of the most common questions we get asked here, and the answer we have to give to your question is not a good one - so I'd say everyone is just hoping some other poor soul will step up and break the news. So here goes: (don't get mad, ok?)


My piano was made between 1890-1895. 1890 was the first year Mason & Risch starting making Grand upright pianos. [/b]

Do not take the term "upright grand" to mean your piano is somehow superior to the other uprights they made. It's just taller. The term "upright grand" was a marketing phrase manufacturers used to use to hype their tallest uprights. It is impossible for a grand to be upright.


The keys are real Ivory.[/b]

This and a dollar will buy you a cup of coffee. I know most people think the ivory is worth a lot of money, but the fact is, once the ivory has been sliced into keytops, they are worthless anywhere except on the tops of the keys for that specific piano. They were shaped to fit those keys, and rarely look good when you try to reuse them. Pull them off and try to sell them, and you'll get yawns.


How do you find a good qualified tech to examin your piano. I talk to one and he tried to tell me it was made in Veitnam. [/b]

This was the funniest thing I've heard all day. A technician so stupid as to tell someone their piano was made in Vietnam..... definitely cross him off your list!!! To find a good one, ask around. Call the local college, the larger churches, piano teachers. They will know who the good tuners are.

As for your piano, old uprights aren't worth any money. At its age it needs a complete rebuilding, a task that will cost 3 or 4 times the value of the piano when you're finished. Just enjoy it for what it is, and when it quits, pitch it in the dump.
Whatever you do, do NOT spend any money on it, other than a tuning, assuming it will hold one.

Thanks Larry for your reply.

My son was the one who inherited the piano from his Grandfather,all I wanted was some information on the piano. We collect antiques and like to known alittle about their history. I don't know why you said hear is the bad news. We're not planning on sell it and it plays pretty good. But I was told since it was moved it would have to be tuned. When we talk with a few piano tuners, they wanted to know what kind of piano we had. That was when one of them said it was made in Veitnam....I laugh too.
I'm sorry you felt like I was wasting your time, I just wanted some history as the piano will become another coversation piece in our home.
I hope my son learns to play it well.

Thanks again Diana

Diana,
Have a technician look at your piano and determine if it's worth keeping/maintaining.

From pianos I have seen from this era, there is usually not very much to salvage. If this were a real grand, not an upright grand, then you might have something....

Your son could start playing on this piano and if he enjoys it then you could get a newer modern piano.

~ Knute

Originally posted by Diana:
Thanks Larry for your reply.[/b]

You are quite welcome.

I'm sorry you felt like I was wasting your time, I just wanted some history as the piano will become another coversation piece in our home.
I hope my son learns to play it well.

Thanks again Diana [/b]

You have misunderstood me. I didn't mean I thought you were wasting my time. I was more than happy to respond. That wasn't what I was saying. What I was trying to convey to you was that at least 2 or 3 times a week someone will post wanting to know about their old "upright grand", most assuming it is valuable, that the ivory keytops are valuable, and in general thinking they have come into the possession of something rare and unique that is worth a lot of money. They haven't, and it isn't, and for many of them learning the truth makes them mad, or you can tell the answer has hurt their feelings, or they simply dismiss you as not knowing what you're talking about because the answer doesn't fit with what they've already decided. No one likes to be the one to have to let the air out of their balloon, and often you risk being attacked for it. So my point was this might be why no one had responded, not that you were wasting anyone's time.

Everyone here is more than glad to help anyone who asks a question. It's just that some questions get asked quite a lot, and we already know the most common responses to expect after the question has been answered.

Hi I also have a Mason and Risch,,serial #7390. Can anyone with a piano atlas please let me know when it was made ,,,also says Henry Herbert and toronto,,,,,,,,,also if anyone can guessestimate the value it would be much appreciared ,its in good condition and weighs a ton,,,many thanks