Does anyone know the actual purpose of the 2 parallel bars on the exterior straight side of the piano, I thought it was for protecting the piano while moving, but when the movers moved my piano those were the first thing they took off. If I remove them, would it affect the sound or anything? I just don't like the looks of those two bars on the side, some Bosies have them and some don't.

The movers didn't know what they are for. They keep the lid overhang from hitting the skid board during a move. They're only needed if the piano is moved a lot.

You might be totally right in the sense that those guys didn't know what they were doing, they actually dropped the piano right there in my living room, IN FRONT OF ME!! Thank God Bosies are build like MAC trucks (the older ones anyway) and there was no real damage done to the piano, except for some ugly scuffing from the metal buckles on the rope thing they use to secure the piano to the board but it's under the piano, you can't really see it, I have it all on video, one day when I have the courage to watch that again I'll post it here for your all amazement.

Well, to be fair, the instruments are heavy, a difficult shape, and moved by humans, who are subject to error from time to time.
Every piano mover I know of has had a claim at some point. It is part of the nature of piano moving.

Were they real piano movers, or just regular movers who didn't have a clue like pretty much every mover out there who thinks they can move a piano?

That is to say, often if you ask a mover if they move pianos, they will say yes. That doesn't mean they know how, just that they want to get paid to move stuff.

It is my understanding that the bars are there to store the piano on its side without the need for a board.

They also protect the piano if there is the possibility of someone rolling it into a wall. I came across that a while ago. Unfortunately, the piano is in an extremely historical building, and repairing the wall will be a chore! But the piano is okay.

Hey everybody, Welcome Jon Page to Piano World! Jon, you are in for a roller coaster ride!

Like!

They are real piano movers, all the guy does is move pianos, so I don't know what happened, the piano went from Atlanta - GA all the way to Las Vegas, without any issues and then when my cruise ship (wife's lovely adjective to my musical baby) was laying on its side and he grabbed one side to lower it, boom! The piano tilted and hit the wall, thankfully (I guess) I had a pair of sturdy metal chairs and a big clay vase on that side for decoration and they absorbed the impact and stopped the piano (my wife turned some of the chunks of the vase into yard decoration - it actually worked very nicely) from hitting the wall harder, there are of course some nicks, scratches but it's an older piano that was never privy of a good life to begin with so the case already wasn't in the best shape, structurally it's ok and I am now the guardian of the Bosie and my purpose in life is to spoil that instrument rotten (in a good sense of course)

Welcome Jon and thanks for your reply. I guess from what everyone is saying then I should be ok to remove those bars, but they are screwed in so I'm wondering what to do about the holes, I guess I could plug them with some kind of plastic cap, any ideas?

If you have them, you might as well keep them. They are an extra cost option, after all.

What are you talking about, umans never make mistaques!

Thanks Jurgen and Jorge for the welcome. Removing the bars not only will leave screw holes but the outline of the bar because it has imprinted into the finish. It might even pull finish off as you pry it away from the case. So be prepared to do major filling, sanding and refinishing on the side.

Leave it, it's not a fault, it's a feature. If you ever need to store it on its side, you'll be appreciative of the fact that you can leave it on a dolly and not require a board.

"concert bars" ... in hard wood (the piano is usually seen the other side )

Yes, I did not see it had the bars until it got delivered and they started 'attaching' them, I'll follow the advice and leave them alone.

If you find the bars more unsightly than the screw holes, then take them off again. Store them (and their screws!), and if the piano ever needs to be put in its side, you can simply attach them again. If the holes bother you, then leave the bars on. Pretty simple, viewed from here, a few thousand miles away....

I admire your "farsightedness" Jurgen.