MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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So, I've got a piano that I think I want rid of. It takes up too much room in my current house and it's too loud to play when I do get a chance (Small semi-detached house with paper-thin walls, and usually a child asleep upstairs). I don't play seriously and I have an electric piano which is far more practical.
Things I know: It's a Weber London with Aeolian branding inside. It's fairly old - it came to our family in the 1960s but I'd guess it's older than that - 1920s? It's a sold, dark wood, perhaps Mahogany with a huge, brass-coloured frame inside. It's louder than average and has a very warm, full tone. It's incredibly heavy and relatively large for an upright. It plays well and has held tune for years (at least, to my ear). There's nothing faults or dud keys etc. It clearly harks back to a time when things were made to last.
I don't *think* it's just the basic piano that everyone has and no one wants. I found this link for one that looks similar to my very untrained eye, which made me wonder whether it was actually worth something.
It's a nice thing and I can't bear for it to be chucked in landfill. I'd love it if someone took it, restored it and sold it to someone keen. That may be pie in the sky.
Or should I be looking at storage? In theory I'm looking to move to a larger house in 3-4 years and may regret selling I suppose.
I found a serial number (77545) which apparently dates it to 1920s, according to this link
https://www.total-piano-care.com/Weber-Pianos.html
https://www.pianomart.com/manufacturer/210/weber-pianos-for-sale?sort=year
one there from 1910 quite similar going for $1800. I think it'd need to be quite ornate and in good nick for an upright to go for more. I'd imagine more value in grand pianos.
I've no idea though, only guessing based on that search.
Weber (New York)
There were very few manufacturers that could compete with the quality and success of the Weber Piano Company of New York (not to be confused with The Weber Piano Company of Ontario, Canada). Founded by Albert Weber in 1852, the firm built a full line of highest quality pianos for well over a century. Weber was known for building expensive pianos, and they were marketed to the wealthy elite of the era. In the 19th Century, Weber specialized in manufacturing top quality square grand pianos, grand pianos and upright pianos.By the Turn-Of-The-Century, Weber was building some of the most expensive and elaborate pianos available in the industry. In 1903, Weber became part of The Aeolian Piano Company. Aeolian – Weber introduced a line of player pianos under the “Pianola” brand name which took the market by storm. Under Aeolian’s ownership, The Weber Piano Company produced some of the finest and most advanced player pianos and reproducing player pianos ever built. The early 20th Century was hugely successful for Weber and their pianos were celebrated as one of the industry’s finest instruments.
In 1932, The Aeolian Piano Company merged with The American Piano Corporation to form The Aeolian-American Corporation. Weber continued to be built as a premium high-quality model for Aeolian-American throughout the 20th Century. When Aeolian-American went out of business in the 1980s, the Weber name was purchased by the Korean firm Young-Chang. Young-Chang continues to build the Weber name today in Asian import pianos.
https://antiquepianoshop.com/online-museum/weber-new-york/
We had a baby grand piano in our house of similar looking quality. There were millions of pianos made most very nice things. There are some hugely valuable ones out there but unlikely to be left behind by anyone. I contacted three dealers, got offered £200. Sold it on ebay for £350. I'd imagine you'd get a similar price for yours. If you send photos to the dealers you'll soon know if its worth money because they'll be keen to talk to you!
I had a piano dumped at the end of my road! Offers to a local school that does music lessons if such a thing still exists.
We had an old upright which we'd been given. We moved onto a digital and wanted rid. I put a free ad on facebook and it was collected the following day. Horrendously heavy things and I was glad to see the back of it. Unless it really is worth something, a free ad with a commitment that it has to be collected is probably the way to go.
Grand/baby grand have value as interior design features (usually involving painting white these days). Uprights not really.
Gumtree or Facebook marketplace is the answer.
My Mum and Dad had an ancient Bechstein that was worn, but in reasonable condition.
They had someone from a shop come and look at it. I think he gave them £400 for it. A few weeks later it was on their website for sale - they'd done some restoration to it and were selling it for over £2000 I think.
It wasn't easy to find someone to take it though. I don't think old pianos are as rare as people imagine.
Old pianos aren't that rare at all.....and as opposed to the used guitar market where Vintage gear (rightly or wrongly) is seen as much more desirable.....in the upright piano world, older is seen as a bad thing.
Yamaha U series is seen as a the industry standard upright. They're £10,000 new. A used model from the 70's might be worth around 2k....from the 90's more like 3.5k.
A dealer would offer you about 10-20% of what they'd sell it for, but then they'll likely spend a decent chunk refurbishing it. Moving them isn't cheap either.
Whereabouts are you based? I can point you in a few directions if you're Cheshire/Northwest.
Its a huge shame but yes free ads is best place to shift it. We have the room for one, and it's quite ornate so it has just become a nice piece of furniture. We have a bit of a carolling session round it at christmas when the motherinlaw comes round, other than that it doesn't get played. I think an upright is a better ornament than a grand as it takes up less space!!
We had an old upright piano and then inherited a 'good' upright. We paid a piano removal company to deliver the new one and they took the old one. They said it would be dumped because no one wants them.
Eventually my wife decided she didn't want a piano anymore and we couldn't sell the new piano. We ended up giving it to my brother because my nephew was learning to play.
We moved it ourselves which was bloody difficult!
Uprights not really
We have a straight strung bechstein that wants a word.
Pianos are really heavy. Moved our upright out of house and to front garden with a “ free piano” sign last weekend. Took three of us.
We're in the process of moving and decided not to take our piano with us. Its a pretty horrible thing which I've always hated but the wife and kids play a bit but the last time it was tuned the guy said it was too far gone to be tuned properly (sticking keys etc). Tried a few places trying to get rid and couldn't so wheeled it into the garden on Sunday and took to it with a sledge hammer. Its in lots of pieces now and I've found the keys make very good kindling. Got a skip coming next week which anything that hasn't gone in the fire pit will make its way into.
My mate had a piano in his house, couldn't give it away . tried schools and a few other places but no-one was interested.
We ended up just moving it to his new house which was really hard
It seems that destroying them with a sledge hammer was a popular activity in the 1960s 🎹
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03hc21n
My wife bought a piano on Ebay once. I went ape shit as we had not discussed this purchase. Had a massive row and i ended up contacting the seller and apologising and saying we were pulling out.
Looking back i was so right. They are just so big and heavy and a pain to do anything with.
Bonfire night soon.
Are the keys Ivory. As quite rightly you cannot buy it anymore you’d think there would be some market for them for re-fashioning.
Essentially since 1903 Weber became part of the Orchestrelle/Aeolian Company, the largest piano maker in the world who had a big factory in Hayes. Weber was their premium brand and they have a good reputation for being of good quality, the workings are similar to a Steinway model K.
Dealers I suspect would be interested, but won't pay much as they need to turn a profit. If you can find somebody who's in the market for a decent quality upright then it should be worth something for them.
My local shop (Sherwood Phoenix) often give away old uprights for free.
A friend of mine managed to get her's into a wheelie bin over a period of a few weeks!
It seems that destroying them with a sledge hammer was a popular activity in the 1960s
I remember as a kid at the local village gala there'd be the piano smashing competition. Two teams of young blokes with sledge hammers dismantling pianos against the clock. Sad really.
Could you turn it in to something else?
Thanks for all the comments, some very helpful.
Will try a local Piano repair place, then Facebook Marketplace. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the sledge hammer isn't required.
Essentially since 1903 Weber became part of the Orchestrelle/Aeolian Company, the largest piano maker in the world who had a big factory in Hayes. Weber was their premium brand and they have a good reputation for being of good quality, the workings are similar to a Steinway model K.
Dealers I suspect would be interested, but won’t pay much as they need to turn a profit. If you can find somebody who’s in the market for a decent quality upright then it should be worth something for them.
Great info, thanks.
If it were a Pianola and I had already moved properties, I would have bitten your hands off so I could play like a Quad handed pro
😜