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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11 |
Does anyone know anything about a "Ludwig" piano? I just had a lady call and wants me to check this piano out to see if it is worth fixing up. Said some strings are broken. I'm suspecting a rust problem. It also hasn't been tuned in a long time. What else is new?
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 864
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 864 |
Pierce's Piano Atlas gives a company history in which the Ludwig name was used by Ludwig & Co.(New York City based) from 1895 on and was eventually sold to Atlas Piano (Chicago). The name was discontinued by Atlas (and everyone else, I gather) in 1953.
Good luck. The remark that "some" strings are broken sounds unpromising.
Dorrie Bell retired piano technician Boston, MA
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,351
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
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I have a client with a big Ludwig vertical. The case has some nice carvings on it and it is in pretty good condition. They brought it to SC from Oregon on a U-Haul and it was in a non/ac equipped garage. Amazingly it was not that bad when I tuned it a few weeks ago. I did give them 2 packages of Music sorb to help with the dampness. You need to check the condition of the pin block and also check the coils, pin height and condition of the strings. Broken strings should be a red flag. The Ludwig I worked on had been sold to the customer by a rebuilder so it was in decent shape. If this piano has not been tuned "in a long time" there may be a good reason it hasn't been tuned. Let us know what happens.
Certificate in Piano Technology NBSSP Associate Member PTG Yamaha & Petrof/Nordiska Training Dampp-Chaser System Installer QRS/ Pianomation Service Certified Piano Disc Technician/Installer
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11
Junior Member
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11 |
Had a chance to assess the Ludwig piano (grand)yesterday.It is way out of tune but otherwise not in as bad of shape as I expected. No rust on strings or pins. Actually only one string broken and pin block seems secure. This piano was acquired from a "little old lady" (only used it on Sundays?)who used it as a piece of furniture. All the keys work except for one and I think that is due to a lot of dirt and dust in the action. I'm going to clean that up. "Test-tuned" several unisons and I'll see how they hold when I get back to work on it next Monday. Thanks to Jimbob and Dorrie for your input.
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 864
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Always nice to read about a good outcome! Thanks for the update --
Dorrie Bell retired piano technician Boston, MA
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,306
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Welcome to the forums danalsm!
I see you are from Reading, PA.
I'm just a bit south in Lancaster!
Representing Yamaha, Story and Clark, and other fine instruments Menchey Music Service Associate Member of PTG Serving Central Pennsylvania and the Greater Baltimore Area
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11
Junior Member
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OP
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11 |
FInished work on the "LUDWIG" grand yesterday. Cleaned out a lot of dirt. Found out the problem with the one key's action....a small Christmas tree light bulb stuck in the whippen. I bet we could make an interesting list of things we find in pianos!
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,351
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,351 |
I have a big plastic pretzel jar that I put found items in. Its almost full of paper clips, hairpins, toothpicks, Christmas tree needles, pencils, rubber balls, lego blocks, dust bunnies, bingo chips, emory boards, pennies, quarters etc
Certificate in Piano Technology NBSSP Associate Member PTG Yamaha & Petrof/Nordiska Training Dampp-Chaser System Installer QRS/ Pianomation Service Certified Piano Disc Technician/Installer
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11
Junior Member
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OP
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 11 |
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 864
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 864 |
I suppose it all depends on circumstances -- I always give it to the customer and use it (and the other debris) as the prompt for a little talk on how having foreign objects in the piano can affect how well the piano works --
Dorrie Bell retired piano technician Boston, MA
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,351
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,351 |
I ask the owners if they would like to put the coins in my collection. About 6 months ago I worked on a Baldwin spinet. The kids couldn't wait for me to work on the piano. Their father had called me and told me the kids had been playing around with 2 $5 bills and they disappeared into the action. When I got there I told the kids I got to keep any money I found. They were horrified. After I retrieved the bills with some long tweezers I gave them to the kids.
Certificate in Piano Technology NBSSP Associate Member PTG Yamaha & Petrof/Nordiska Training Dampp-Chaser System Installer QRS/ Pianomation Service Certified Piano Disc Technician/Installer
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,292
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1000 Post Club Member
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Posts: 1,292 |
Hi, been awhile since I checked by the Piano Forums, and it is good to see it here and a lot of new faces...
Interesting topic....last week I was called to tune an old upright...for the past few years, I make no promises...rather I tell them to allow me to check it and see if the old beast can hold a tuning and whether it is worth it in view of other problems they piano may have...Well, the piano turned out to be a 1908 Ludwig...The pins were very tight..bidges very stable without even hairline cracks, though the bass strings could definitely be replaced, the overall tone was not bad...definitely worthy of a tuning, and a good practice piano for a beginner..
Hi JIMBOB...good to see you here..
Regards, Ron
----------------- Ron Alexander Piano Tuner-Technician
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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