Is it real or fake?

Serendipity

Hi,

A while back when I performed at Carnegie Hall I learned from the stage technician that there were actually four Steinway pianos, one of them is the "real deal" and the three others are of lesser value. So if someone were to attempt to steal the piano, they'd only have a 25% chance of getting the right one.

I was thinking about this today because it was brought up at a dinner and somebody mentioned the piano's value and how it was donated to Carnegie Hall.

So I'm wondering - if this is standard practice in Carnegie Hall, would other things of high value be hidden too? Like if the Mona Lisa in the Louvre weren't the real painting and you were only looking at a copy? I wonder if it's a fake too?

Just wondering...

bruss

as i am ignorant on pianos.. whats a steinway run?

Serendipity

bruss wrote: »

as i am ignorant on pianos.. whats a steinway run?

The ones at Carnegie Hall?

More than a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

audiobliss

appadv wrote: »

The ones at Carnegie Hall?

More than a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Holy crap, are you serious?! :eek:

Serendipity

Yes and I got to play that piano!!

audiobliss

From just a quick google search, the most expensive one I found was only $150,000.

Serendipity

audiobliss wrote: »

From just a quick google search, the most expensive one I found was only $150,000.

First link in google:

http://www.pianoworld.com/fun/expensive.htm

audiobliss

But that's a 120 year old, extremely sprused up grand piano. Y'all aren't playing on those at Carnegie Hall, and nor can that be indicative of the average price for a Steinway.

Serendipity

Yes, that's not the one I performed on, the one at Carnegie Hall was black.

Serendipity

audiobliss wrote: »

But that's a 120 year old, extremely sprused up grand piano. Y'all aren't playing on those at Carnegie Hall, and nor can that be indicative of the average price for a Steinway.

More than $150k is what I am told.

bruss

right on for playing carnegie anyways man.. thats pretty cool

Serendipity

bruss wrote: »

right on for playing carnegie anyways man.. thats pretty cool

Thanks!

BTW, if you ever want to hear good room acoustics, Carnegie Hall is the place to be.

BigMac

I use to work for Richmond piano and Steinways were top of the line (I moved them and helped rebuild as well). Older turn of the century Steinways were highly sought after. Of course the concert grands go for alot more......especially the 9 footers. Steinways have gone for over $500,000.000 on numerous occasions and the most expensive went for $675,000.000. There is currently a Bösendorfer that is going for 1.2 million and it is brand new. Of course there is always the "NAD" of grand pianos......Mason and Hamlin. They weigh so much that when I moved them it feels like they were going to break me in half; I would rather move 3 Steinways up a staircase anyday rather than a M&H. The PTG was in town a few years ago and I was contracted out to move a Fazioli that was worth over $200,000.00. Nice piano and it sounded beautiful. Thank goodness I only had to move it from the truck onto the conference floor for demo. That thing was almost 10'.

Serendipity

Wow $500,000.000? That's insane!!

Dennis Gardner

Personally I prefer the the Grand Imperial 290 Bosendorfer.........

Serendipity

Dennis Gardner wrote: »

Personally I prefer the the Grand Imperial 290 Bosendorfer.........

Now thats a nice piano

On another note, I heard a Yamaha today and the first thing I thought of was "man that is bright!" I guess their pianos are like their receivers - very bright sounding.

SKsolutions

Moved a baby grand. Once. There a company that does it exclusively, and has a cool name -here

BaggedLancer

SKsolutions wrote: »

Moved a baby grand. Once. There a company that does it exclusively, and has a cool name -here

That company is crazy expensive, i know someone that used them. They do it right though....you get what you pay for and for something that isn't replaceable, it's worth it.

George Grand

If you wanted to hear good acoustics, Carnegie Hall was the place, BEFORE they screwed up said acoustics.

BigMac

BaggedLancer wrote: »

That company is crazy expensive, i know someone that used them. They do it right though....you get what you pay for and for something that isn't replaceable, it's worth it.

People think that moving a grand piano is difficult. The only difficult part of the move is up a staircase or the entry steps. The rest is finesse and being careful not to knick anything. Our rates depended on the size but the average for moving a baby grand up to 7 footers was around $250.00-$275.00 an hour. Time started once we left the store till the time we returned. Average bill was around the 4-5 hundred range. A small price to pay for moving an heirloom or something that costs in excess of $20,000.00.

I think the most difficult moves I ever had was on two different occasions. The pianos had to be moved up a spiral staircase. Only other way to get the pianos where the homeowner wanted was to take out a window and part of the wall. So up the spiral staircase it went. I can honestly say I was sore the next day after a move like that. For those type of moves it takes 3-4 but for any other move it is only a two person job. Well, the 9 footers we would send 3 guys but one was just basically there for support.

Serendipity

BigMac wrote: »

People think that moving a grand piano is difficult. The only difficult part of the move is up a staircase or the entry steps. The rest is finesse and being careful not to knick anything. Our rates depended on the size but the average for moving a baby grand up to 7 footers was around $250.00-$275.00 an hour. Time started once we left the store till the time we returned. Average bill was around the 4-5 hundred range. A small price to pay for moving an heirloom or something that costs in excess of $20,000.00.

Well worth it. It's quite easy to scratch a piano going through a narrow doorway or staircase, so the 4-500 is worth it.

Serendipity

George Grand wrote: »

If you wanted to hear good acoustics, Carnegie Hall was the place, BEFORE they screwed up said acoustics.

Not trying to argue here, but why??

The day I performed I felt something so magical that nothing could explain - it was like I was in a dream.

Words could not describe how great it sounded.

sucks2beme

Some of those old pianos are a bear to move. My mother had a Chicago
upright grand piano that had been in the family for 50 years.
It was from about 1900. That needed about eight guys to slide it
off the trunk. And that was off a truck to a porch, truck height with
no inclines. I don't even want to know how they got it out of my
grandmother's place. The sound of it was very much different than those
cheapies that they have at schools. My sisters learned how to play on that
piano. I elected to play football instead!

Serendipity

sucks2beme wrote: »

The sound of it was very much different than those cheapies that they have at schools.

I have one of those at home and I'd take a Steinway over it any day. But they are good for schools and churches which buy a lot of pianos in bulk.

sucks2beme

appadv wrote: »

I have one of those at home and I'd take a Steinway over it any day. But they are good for schools and churches which buy a lot of pianos in bulk.

And a couple of students can roll it around. A modern house's lighter floor
contruction wouldn't hold one like my mom had. It's like the difference between
a good instrument and a cheap student version. The sound is
so much fuller. I remember my sister getting a clarinet that cost as
much as a new car. She went on to play it professionally. Sadly enough, I never
could master an instrument. She could play almost anything she picked up.
Guitar, clarinet, flute,and piano(no she couldn't "pick" that up, smartasses!).

My mom ended up with one of those modern organs when she got older.
She also used to fill in at her church on one of those classic honking
pipe organs. There's a sound you'll never forget.

Serendipity

Good instrument or not -

I think it's more about enjoying the music than anything else.

George Grand

In the 70's or 80's, somebody got a hair up their butt about being able to feel or hear the rumble of the nearby subway at Carnegie Hall. They re-modeled the place somewhat. It was pretty much agreed upon that whatever rumble the subway (real or perceived) may have presented, it was better than the results of the re-model.

Serendipity

George Grand wrote: »

In the 70's or 80's, somebody got a hair up their butt about being able to feel or hear the rumble of the nearby subway at Carnegie Hall. They re-modeled the place somewhat. It was pretty much agreed upon that whatever rumble the subway (real or perceived) may have presented, it was better than the results of the re-model.

I wasn't around in the 70's or 80's so I don't know what the place sounded like before the remodel.

However, having performed there first hand, I have to say it's the BEST sounding concert hall - IMO.

George Grand

The Mothers, 1971. Best band and show I ever saw. Sandwiched in between two other concerts that I attended, one of which would go on to become an album (Fillmore East June/1971) and the other at Stonybrook U. on The Island. The other two shows were great, but sonically not even close. Only about 3 rows back, dead center, I will NEVER forget the way Aynsley Dunbar's drums sounded in that hall. Plus, as a super bonus, the accapella group The Persuasions were the warm-up act. Those guys voices in that hall. Wow!

I saw a few other shows there after The Mothers and before the re-model. Stanley Turrentine, Bobbi Humphrey, Milt Jackson if nothing else.

Serendipity

Staller Center?

I was just there for the Wind Ensemble.