The piano location is still in flux.

I'm planning to downsize the C7 to a small grand--maybe a used C1 or the modern equivalent, which would be 5'3". This would save many square feet of room space and hundreds of pounds in weight. I'll sell the C7 here and buy the smaller piano there, thus saving moving costs.

The obvious place to put it downstairs is also the obvious place to put a downstairs bedroom for multiple loved ones with mobility issues. On paper, the smaller piano could go in there, too, with a bed being set up as needed, but it would be crowded for the guest. Thus, the current thought is to go back to the upstairs plan.

I've spoken with a piano dealer in White Plains and he consulted with their mover with our floor plans in hand. They feel confident that a small grand will go upstairs, but they'll come ground-truth that before I buy. If all else fails, I'll downsize to an upright, which would easily fit in either spot.

I do love playing a grand, but my skills are not so fabulous that they require a grand...but the house is so pretty that it seems to scream out for one.

quote:

the house is so pretty that it seems to scream out for one.

There is supposed to be a thumbs up in the post above.
A grand would be lovely there.

I forgot to update you on The Gilded Age.

We watched the first episode last night. We saw the interior of the church in several scenes. I believe we saw the exterior in several scenes, and some of them seemed to be intercut with the exterior scenes at two other churches. (The episode opened with three simultaneous Easter services--one for the rich people, one for the white servants, and one for the Black people.)

Our neighborhood church was the church for the white servants, but I could swear that during a conversation held outside the rich-person church, some people were standing outside our neighborhood church, but when the camera cut to the people they were talking to, those people were in a whole other place. I would have to sit there with the remote and go through the scenes almost frame-by-frame to be sure, and even I'm not that obsessive.

I don't think they did any other filming in town, but we were going to watch the show anyway. I'll be looking for glimpses of familiar places.

We really enjoyed the nfirst season. Is the second one out?

The first episode is out.

When shopping for a smaller piano, pay special attention to the tone in the transition area between bass strings and the plain wires. This is often a difficult area on smaller pianos, especially many of the smaller Yamahas...

Agreed, Ron. I'm going to miss that bass, and there's nothing to be done about that, but I don't like it when the transition in that area sounds awkward.

The dealer I spoke to has some nice pianos on his website in my price and size range--a small Estonia, for instance--but he's been showing the same pianos for months. I think he just doesn't update it. I cannot imagine that I'll see the pianos on the site when I go to the store.

I have obviously missed something... have you all moved East, Mary Anna and Quirt?

Re: the piano. Don't know how hard/easy they are to get but my Yamaha G1R (5'3") has served me well these 31 years (can I believe it's been that long!? (No.)) The transition from bass to treble is barely noticeable on this model (or this particular piano, I don't know which). I do sometimes wish for a broader tone, but man, this piano has been a joy to learn on, and sounds pretty decent, especially when newly tuned! No, it's not a concert piano, but then again, my salon is not a concert hall. They're worth looking for if you want to downsize.

I've played Bernard's piano. It is a wonderful piano. It is also totally unlike any other Yamaha piano I have ever played. So, I don't know if by buying the same make and model you will get the same experience. I suspect Bernard has been very judicious in his choice of piano technicians. They make all the difference, most of the time.

I'm on Chrome so can't do the reply to function.

Just want to chime in on the prospect of piano shopping in your new location. There are a lot of great piano dealers in the area who will deliver to you.

Carl Demler is no more, but his ex-wife, Kaoru, still owns and runs Beethoven Pianos on west 58th St in NYC. Definitely worth a visit, and of course I think going to every piano shop in the city and the surrounding areas is worth doing. Not to mention that Yonkers has become a world center of fine rebuilding of older pianos. Enjoy!

Bernard, we're moving to the NYC suburbs next spring. We have a house, but we're doing some renovation and it'll be a few months before we actually move into it.

I've loved my Yamaha, too. Several people have played it and found the tone was warmer than they expected and it was that way when I bought it. I've always had technicians who had good local reputations, but I've never had to have anything major done to it, despite the fact that it's now forty years old.

I suspect, though, that the dealer did some work before I got it twenty years ago. It looked and played better than new. When I bought it, they gave me a newspaper clipping of Burt Bacharach playing it. He had done a concert in the Ocala area where their showroom was, and it was the nicest rentable piano around. I've always suspected that they worked on the hammers and maybe the action to bring it up to Burt's standards.

Anyway, I'll miss it terribly, but a seven-footer takes up a lot of house. A rebuilder in Yonkers, which pique mentioned, has a 2010 C1 for sale. Allegro in Stamford has a 2005 Estonia. Faust Harrison in White Plains has a couple of Baldwins, a Kawai, and a Mason & Hamlin in the general size and price range I want, although the Mason & Hamlin is pretty old.

Moving in general is going to be a tremendous pain in the rear, because we have a lot of stuff that I'm trying to weed, but piano shopping will be fun.

Definitely keep the C1 model on your radar. I love my C2!

Mary Anna, How exciting. Congratulations!

Wow, that's some provenance on your piano. Best wishes for a successful piano hunt! (BTW, I love the Baldwin I once played, albeit it was a concert grand.)

Just wondering, what is the name of this piano rebuilding business in Yonkers? Asking for A friend myself.