1886 Rosewood Steinway D Concert Grand Piano in Craftsman Piano Showroom...

Prelude #2 by George Gershwin performed on a Steinway D from 1886. This Rosewood Steinway D is hands down gorgeous. It is one of the most beautiful pianos I have seen in over thirty years in the piano business featuring Victorian flower pot legs, ivory keys, and a cut out rack. It has a hand rubbed satin finish which restores the piano to it's original glory.

The piano is also a fabulous Steinway concert grand. It has been restored with a beautiful sitka spruce soundboard, Hamburg Steinway hammers and shanks, Renner wippens, Arledge Bass strings. In other words no expense has been spared in the restoration if this piano. The touch is even and fast. The tone rivals any Steinway D anywhere. At this level of piano restoration the best is a matter of opinion. That being said, this piano is up there with the best of the best.

Emmanuel Ax used this piano in a concert on Oct.15 to benefit Project Literacy US.


You can view more photos here.

Please note that when we originally shot this video the retail price of the piano was $120,000. The retail price is now $125,000 but our wholesale price is $105,000.

Joseph Hanerfeld

Craftsman Piano

Yonkers, New York

www.craftsmanpiano.net

The Value of Refurbishing A Grand Piano

We are often asked if it is wise to fix an old piano or just buy a new one. With a grand piano it is almost always wiser to restore, refinish or refurbish your existing one.

Older pianos, specifically the ones built in the late part of the 19th century are some of the highest quality pianos ever built. If you happen to have one of those beauties sitting in your living room, it would be a shame to do anything but restore it. Today you will not be able to find any piano for sale that will match the quality and design of these older pianos.

Majority of the older pianos were built from the finest woods of their time, but they were also constructed entirely by hand. These qualities allow older pianos to be superior to newer pianos in terms of how they were built and how long they will last. This should come as no surprise as things today, pianos included, are often manufactured in other countries in mass quantities in some kind of manufacturing plant, all in terms of lowering the prices. Restoring an older piano increases the lifespan; it can then be passed on for generations!

Steinway Victorian A 2 Grand Piano

This piano is a vintage Victorian A 2 with Ice Cream Cone Legs, and Banjo Lyre. It is a historical piano as well because it is one of the first A 2 pianos, and it is one of the only A 2’s with the Ice Cream Cone Legs.

This piano has been fully restored. It has a Cereza Board, a Renner action with new Steinway underlevers, and Genuine Hamburg Steinway hammers. The result is a responsive piano with a sound that can run the gamut from barely audible to thunderous.

The piano has been refinished to a high gloss mahogany finish. The pictures do not do it justice.

Action Parts: Renner / Hamburg Steinway Hammers
Sound Board: New Cereza Sound Board

Year: 1898

Size: 6' 1"

Serial #: 91939

see more photos and pricing information for this beautiful vintage Steinway piano.

Piano Plate Welding Demonstration at Craftsman Piano in Yonkers, NY

Master piano plate welder, Victor Apuango, demostrates his craft as Joe Hanerfeld, of Craftsman Piano, speaks about plate welding at his Yonkers, NY piano showroom.

We use the world's finest parts which are used in the best pianos such as the Hamburg Steinways, Bosendorfers and Mason & Hamlins, with all of our piano restorations. Our technicians take pride in paying attention to every detail and are truly dedicated to doing the job as if it were their own piano. The piano restoration process takes approximately 12-16 weeks from the time your piano is picked up, and we guarantee our grand pianos for five years on all parts and labor and three years for uprights.

PianoDisc Digital Player Piano Demonstration at Craftsman Piano

Joe Hanerfeld of Craftsman Piano speaks about the new PianoDisc digital player piano system at his Yonkers, NY piano showroom.

These pianos are often used in private homes for parties, and for people that enjoy the sound of a piano playing in their home, but don't know how to play one themselves. You can also find these pianos in hotels, restaurants, movie theaters and a host of other places bringing the joy of live music to anyone who hears them.

The catalog of music available for these pianos will please music lovers who appreciate all styles of music from classical to country, jazz, latin, sacred, ragtime, christmas, adult contemporary and more.

Vintage Grand and Upright Piano Sales – Making Sure You Get the Right One

Are you seriously considering purchasing a piano? Before you head out to the local music store for their grand piano sales, you will want to know what to look for when choosing a piano. Unfortunately buying a piano is not a simple process, you do not simply walk in and say you want a piano. Here are some things to consider in your quest for the right grand or upright piano for you.

1: What are your requirements for the piano? Are you buying the piano for your child to begin taking lessons on, or are you an accomplished pianist in need of a fine instrument? The answer to this question will determine the type of upright or grand piano you should buy.

2: What are your size requirements for the piano? Is your room big enough for a grand piano, or is an upright piano indicated?

3: What is your budget?

Here are my recommendations:

1. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished pianist it is important to get a good quality instrument. This will allow you to experience how a piano should really feel and sound. A good upright piano should be at least 42 in. high. If you are purchasing your upright piano from a piano dealer you should expect the price of an upright piano to range from $2,500.00. Examples of well respected brands of upright pianos are Yamaha, Kawai, Steinway, Steinberg, Bechstein and Bosendorfer. The Yamaha and Kawai pianos are much less expensive, and still allow the pianist to experience very fine quality. Some Korean pianos such as Young Chang and Sammick can also be acceptable. Take your piano technician with you when you purchase a piano. He or she can save you from making costly mistakes.

A good grand piano should be at least 5 ft. long. Any piano shorter than that is little better than a toy. There are many examples of fine vintage or used grand pianos. Know your budget. It is unrealistic to purchase a serviceable grand piano from a dealer for less than $7,500.00. If you are not comfortable spending that much you would be better advised to consider an upright piano. You will be much better off with a serviceable upright than a grand piano that cannot be played properly.

Examples of fine brands of vintage and used grand pianos are Steinway, Mason and Hamlin, Yamaha, Kawai, Knabe, Hardman, Chickering, etc. Any properly restored vintage grand piano should be serviceable. When you go to purchase your vintage grand piano you should take your piano technician with you. The world of vintage grand piano restorations is complex. Unless you really know what to look for your piano technician can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Last but not least. Do not fall into the trap of over analyzing your vintage piano purchase. Talk to a knowledgeable piano technician first. Let him point you to shops in which he has confidence. Get a feel for the prices and competence of piano restorers in your area. Pick a budget that you feel comfortable with. Know the amount of space you have, and have your pianist try out the piano. Then have your technician check the piano out. Once these steps have been taken, you can buy your piano with confidence.

Joe Hanerfeld

Craftsman Piano Sales and Service

Facts About Piano Restoration

Do you have an old piano sitting in your living room? Are you considering getting rid of your piano because it is an eye sore? If so, why not look into piano restoration. Piano restoration is a great way to restore the original beauty to your piano, but it also gives so much more.

One of the great things about pianos is how well they retain their value. Even better is that the older your piano is the more it is going to be worth. However, like with all other products the condition of the piano is going to affect how much value it retains. Piano restoration allows you to rebuild the piano to all its original glory, which also means an increase in the value. Once you have it restored in order to maintain its value make sure you take proper care of it!

Older pianos, specifically the ones built in the late part of the 19^th century are some of the highest quality pianos ever built. If you happen to have one of those beauties sitting in your living room, it would be a shame to do anything but restore it. Today you will not be able to find any piano for sale that will match the quality and design of these older pianos.

One thing that people often overlook when it comes to piano restoration is that it will breathe new life into an old piano. Majority of the older pianos were built from the finest woods of their time, but they were also constructed entirely by hand. These qualities allow older pianos to be superior to newer pianos in terms of how they were built and how long they will last. This should come as no surprise as things today, pianos included, are often manufactured in other countries in mass quantities in some kind of manufacturing plant, all in terms of lowering the prices. Restoring an older piano increases the lifespan; it can then be passed on for generations!

Perhaps the biggest reason that piano restoration is so popular is because the piano being restored can be passed on through generations. In many cases parents pass down pianos to their children, the better the piano is built the longer it can be passed down from generation to generation. So that old beaten up piano sitting in your front room that was given to you by your mother is probably what one would consider a family heirloom, who knows how many generations it passed through before it got to you! Not only do these older pianos have an investment value, but they also have sentimental value, imagine sitting down and playing on a piano that has been in your family for a hundred years or even playing the same piano that your great grandmother played. Piano restoration makes all that possible, it is just like gaining back a lifelong friend!