Pianos We've Rebuilt

  Shull Piano Inc

Bill Shull, M.Mus., Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild

Pianos We’ve Rebuilt

This page includes photos and discussion of a few of the interesting pianos we have restored.  Currently it includes an 1890’s Steinway B, and 1878 Steinway Style 2, a 1920’s 6’4” Knabe, and a 1920’s 6’ Julius Bauer. We will in the future include other Steinways, Baldwins, Mason and Hamlins, Chickerings and other pianos, as well as sound clips of selected pianos.

In addition, it will include rebuildings performed on “lesser” pianos, smaller instruments without pedigree which were fine instruments after restoration, and pianos which were re-scaled in order to produce satisfactory musical sound. Included will be a Starr 28 5’4” grand and a Kurtzmann 5’1” grand. In addition the page will include several Steinway uprights, a Mason and Hamlin “Screwstringer” upright, and other vertical pianos - demonstrating that the vertical piano is capable of a high and refined level of music-making.

We have also rebuilt many other instruments, including the Steinway “D” at the Redlands Bowl in 2005, and a Steinway “0” in 1989 for the piano teaching studio at La Sierra University.

 

 

This Steinway B dating from 1900 was rebuilt in 1991, and basic leverage touchweight work was performed in 2002. Original soundboard, new Renner action, Abel hammers.

Refinished in the original red mahogany, completely original cabinet components, including  “Ice cream cone” legs and ornate lyre and music desk.  Original ivory keys.

 

Rebuilt in 2003, this 1920’ Knabe 6’4” - here situated in our shop - was purchased by a music professor after consulting with us.  It was well worn, but it’s potential was evident.

A Stanwood Precision TouchDesignTM action was installed, complete with the spring-assisted whippen. The work included new bridge caps, a top of the line Bolduc pinblock, bass strings from GC strings, and International Gold Mapes treble wire. 

Click here for Nery Wainz’ testimonial after playing this piano.

 

This exquisitely beautiful 1890’s Starr 6’3” piano was originally built with a single ply pinblock!  We installed a new pinblock and rebuilt the piano using the original soundboard. The mahogany cabinet was refinished in its original color.  It is a surprisingly fine musical instrument. 

This 1878 Steinway Style 2 7’3” has a fascinating history. Shipped to Hamburg in 1894, it eventually returned to the USA after many decades in China. The cabinet was “modernized” in the early 1900’s.  The piano received a new soundboard and bridge caps, and a new mortised-type pinblock.  We rescaled the treble string lengths by moving the bridge and notching the new bridge cap to permit the steel wire to freely ring, replacing the “short scale” which was typical of string lengths in the 1860’s and 1870’s This is now an exquisite early Steinway!

This 1920’s 6 foot Julius Bauer Grand was rebuilt in the early 1990’s.  Of unusual design, the cabinet and soundboard are both “hung” on the massive plate. The soundboard has its own rim (which is bolted to the plate, not fastened to the cabinet rim), and it has ribs on top as well as bottom, an unusual design which ensures a longer-lasting soundboard crown.