Waldemar Berlin Pianos Help

CiaranK

Hi all, I'm wondering if anybody can help me out. I have gotten a Waldemar Berlin Piano. The person I got it off doesn't know anything about it, It was in the house when they moved in. I can find very little info on the Waldemar Berlin piano online. If anybody knows anything about them it would greatly be appreciated. I will be getting a tuner out in a few weeks/months they possibly could tell me something. I would love some info if anyone has any. I will post some pics, that might help too.

Thanks Ciarán.

CiaranK

Pics attached below.

nialldabass

Ok, well it looks old 1900/1910, there were many piano makers back then and I mean many, so i'm not suprised if you wont find anything easily online , there are reference books and most piano tuners will have a copy.
The most important picture I would need, to give you a better idea, is of the inside, if you open up the top lid, there should be a little catch at each side and you should be able to remove the front panel. Then take a couple of pics and I will give you a better idea of what you have.

Doc_Savage

http://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1491

http://www.piano-tuners.org/piano-gen/datemarks-in-pianos.html

looks extremely similar to the piano in my family home but the thing would not hold tune and came to us riddled with woodworm, we admit it was bought on aesthetics almost alone.

it has since been frankensteined with the inners of another similar piano and now plays well but i assume we've sacrificed any value it had for the usability we've gained!

CiaranK

Thanks very much for the responses. Luckily there is no woodworm in it at all. Not sure what it will be like for holding tune. I've attached pictures of the inside below. Hope that helps abit, If you need anymore let me know. There is more I will post in a minute, can only do 5 at a time.

CiaranK

A couple more here. The 'Inside 7' picture has a kind of stamp that says 'C & Co 90226' Don't know if that means anything. It's the only stamp I can see on it.

Thanks, Ciarán.

nialldabass

OK right, Its not great news I'm afraid, Though this does not mean it will not work ok and give you years of enjoyment. just it would not be worth spending alot of money on.

What you have is an Over strung, Overdamped, 3/4 frame
Modern uprights are Over strung, Underdamped, full iron frame

The insides look in pretty good order although the red dust on the hammers looks llike some of the felt in another part of the action is perishing either through age or moth. The pin block looks in good order so it should hold its tune, and there is plenty of meat left if one or two need banging in a little to tighten them up.

If this piano came to a workshop, I'm sure it would be saved as long as the pinblock and frame were sound, but it would need 2 or 3 days work on the action a little money spent on the keyboard and case and then resold.
The case looks really nice and the candelarbra look top quality, would of been a top class instrument in its day.

There are over 2500 moving parts in a piano so without a propper inspection
its hard to be accurate, get a tuner in and they will tell you straight up if it can be saved, as he wont waste his time if it cant be tuned, as he would not get paid.

If I can be any more help lei me know

Niall

CiaranK

nialldabass wrote: »

OK right, Its not great news I'm afraid, Though this does not mean it will not work ok and give you years of enjoyment. just it would not be worth spending alot of money on.

What you have is an Over strung, Overdamped, 3/4 frame
Modern uprights are Over strung, Underdamped, full iron frame

The insides look in pretty good order although the red dust on the hammers looks llike some of the felt in another part of the action is perishing either through age or moth. The pin block looks in good order so it should hold its tune, and there is plenty of meat left if one or two need banging in a little to tighten them up.

If this piano came to a workshop, I'm sure it would be saved as long as the pinblock and frame were sound, but it would need 2 or 3 days work on the action a little money spent on the keyboard and case and then resold.
The case looks really nice and the candelarbra look top quality, would of been a top class instrument in its day.

There are over 2500 moving parts in a piano so without a propper inspection
its hard to be accurate, get a tuner in and they will tell you straight up if it can be saved, as he wont waste his time if it cant be tuned, as he would not get paid.

If I can be any more help lei me know

Niall

Wow Niall,

Thanks for your very thorough response. It is much appreciate.
I'm going to clean up the inside and then the next step is to get a Tuner in. I'm glad you think it can be saved. Thanks again!

Ciarán.

nialldabass

Well as long as the frame is good, everything else on a piano can be restored, its just a question of how much you are prepared to spend, to do a complete overhaul on this piano would cost more than buying a new one, but to get it working ok may not. And i hope that is the case.