
     
     
     Remember The Piano?

                                             By Gary Bryant

          If you or your offspring show a tendency to be  
     musically inclined, the desire can be satisfied 
     swiftly with a quick trip to your nearest mall.  
     You simply  plunk down twenty or more dollars for 
     one of those  amazing little Casio or Yamaha keyboards.  
     Case closed.

           But what if you or your offspring REALLY have 
     a desire to perform, to play along side Handell, 
     Chopin or Jelly  Roll Morton? Well then, what you 
     really want is a  piano.
     
          Although getting harder to find, old upright  
     pianos can still be had for a few hundred dollars,  
     sometimes less.  My first piano cost me four cans of 
     beer.  One for each of the poor souls who kindly 
     lugged  it up my front steps.

          It is true that some old  uprights are past the 
     possibility of resurrection, but  most can be revived 
     with a little cleaning and visit  from a QUALIFIED piano 
     tuner.  Old uprights are especially good for families 
     with children.  They can  really take a beating.

           Just think about it...how many  other gadgets 
     do you have, still in working order, that are close 
     to one hundred years old!   At the library  you'll 
     find many books written about buying a used  piano.  
     Books on how to care for them and do some simple 
     maintenance yourself.

           As for the sound quality, old  uprights win 
     hands down over those small spinets and  console 
     pianos now being manufactured since the mid  1950's.  
     Everything else being equal, of course.

          One  note of caution, avoid any piano that is 
     said to be old "English".  Not only are they poorly 
     made, but they are  almost impossible to tune and 
     repair.  The same goes for  the "Square Grand Piano" 
     of the 1800's, unless you are  purchasing it strictly 
     for their often beautiful  cabinetry.  
     
          Believe it or not, old upright pianos are  
     always in high demand, especially on both coasts.  
     They  look neat in the living room and provide entertainment  
     and education for anyone interested.  Finally, after all  
     the young musicians have been raised and have left the  
     nest, the old broken down tribute to man's ingenuity  
     can still offer one more contribution to the old folks  
     left at home; a lot of wonderful memories!  


  
