AboutSamuel Noel Expertise I am a piano technician formerly with Steinway and Sons and now the staff technician at the City College of New York. I am also self-employed in New York. I apprenticed (Manhattan School of Music)in 1982 and was factory (Steinway) trained in 1983. I have experience tuning, repairing, reconditioning, and appraisals. Please note that appraising an instrument involves a visual inspection. I am not an expert in player mechanisms, refinishing, electronic keyboards, nor midi. I love the work of making an instrument sound concert quality.
Experience I successfully apprenticed at the Manhattan School of Music under Alan Buchman in 1982 (also received B.A. in music from same school) and employed by Steinway and Sons in 1983 as a tuner-technician. I also served as service manager for Steinway. Presently, I am the staff technician at City College of New York, CUNY and I handle warranty issues and tunings for Suzuki Pianos.
Question I have my Aunts' Baldwin Hamilton Upright Piano, serial #166258. I want to pass it on to a family and would like to give them information about the piano. Also,it has not been tuned in years when I ceased to play due to my health. Do you have information and do I wait a couple of weeks after it is moved to have it tuned for them? Thanks, Joan
Answer Hi Joan,
Your Baldwin Hamilton upright was manufactured in 1956. As for its care, this instrument will most likely need several tunings to bring the pitch back up if it has fallen beyond a quarter-tone flat. The strings need to stretch out again and the piano needs to accomodate hundreds of pounds of torque. Non-use also allows vertigris, a form of oxidation, to build up in the internal moving parts. I would recommend have your tuner-technician begin the process of pitch raising and adjusting the action in your home and then having the instrument fine tuned after it's moved. A week of acclimation should suffice before the tuning is done. I hope this is helpful.
