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I just bought a piano.

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(@clockworked)
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It's a Baldwin Acrosonic. What have I done?

Used to be, was a part of me felt like hiding.. but now it comes through. Comes through to you.


   
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(@noteboat)
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I'd say you've gotten an instrument that's much harder to carry than a guitar :)

Pianos are great; almost all serious musicians play at least a little bit (if you study music at the college level, you're required to take 2-4 semesters of piano). The linear layout makes it easy to "see" elements of music theory, and the range almost exactly duplicates the range of a symphony orchestra.... the lowest note on a piano is the lowest note an orchestra can play - low A, playable only by the contrabassoon with an extension key - and the highest note is very near the extreme end of the piccolo's range (piccolos can reach the D above that high C, but rarely do)

As a practical matter, talk to a good piano technician about where you've put it - that window right behind it means the soundboard may heat up during the day and cool off at night, making tunings more frequent. The ideal location is against an interior wall, if you can arrrange it.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@rahul)
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Now I'd say, I mean I'd say that's a big piece of gear. :D

Play the keys my boy, play em and make sure your 88 key is tuned.

And, looking at your gorgeously looking piano, I am having PAS - Piano Acquisition Syndrome.

Indeed I have often PASsed for a Steinway D Concerto model...


   
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(@slejhamer)
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It's a Baldwin Acrosonic. What have I done?

How very coincidental; we just bought a used Baldwin Acrosonic this past weekend. They seem to be very good quality "low end" units; we compared many and that was the one we kept going back to.

Our is still at the store being gone over by a piano tech (what do you call them, piluthiers? ;) ) and will be delivered tomorrow and given a final tune-up then.

Enjoy!

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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 Nuno
(@nuno)
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Congrats on that new instrument! :D

It is a great instrument. You will get a lot of fun with it.


   
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(@kingpatzer)
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Learning to play piano at a very basic level did more to advance my understanding of music than anything I've ever done before or since.

Congrats and have fun!

I second NoteBoat's comments about the window as well -- pianos against exterior walls generally present problems.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@embrace_the_darkness)
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Learning to play piano at a very basic level did more to advance my understanding of music than anything I've ever done before or since.

+1 to that; learning basic piano theory really helped me too!

And that's a nice looking piano, Clockworked :) enjoy!

Pete

ETD - Formerly "10141748 - Reincarnate"


   
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(@clockworked)
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Thanks for all the kind words and the advice about placing it near a window. The picture is of the piano in the previous owner's home. When I move it into my house, I'll be sure to keep it away from any windows.
I'd say you've gotten an instrument that's much harder to carry than a guitar

Don't I know it, heh. I was able to round up a couple friends when I had to pick it up this morning.. but it is definitely a hefty piece. It's no wonder the majority of ads I see for pianos include the phrase "you pick up and move."
How very coincidental; we just bought a used Baldwin Acrosonic this past weekend. They seem to be very good quality "low end" units; we compared many and that was the one we kept going back to.

Our is still at the store being gone over by a piano tech (what do you call them, piluthiers? ;) ) and will be delivered tomorrow and given a final tune-up then.

Enjoy!

That is cool. Mine needs a little work, it can definitely use a tuning and I'll probably pay to have it worked over by a piano tech. All things considered, the wood is in great condition and it doesn't sound half bad either. Do you, or anyone else, know of any databases in which I could look it up? There's a model #er on the inside of the cabinet, no date, though. I googled it, and there weren't any direct hits for the model name and number.

I'm looking forward to learning a bit of a new instrument, too. kingpatzer brought it up, but I imagine it'll help my guitar playing as well. Whether you're playing guitar or piano, you're playing and learning musical concepts that apply equally to any instrument.

Used to be, was a part of me felt like hiding.. but now it comes through. Comes through to you.


   
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(@noteboat)
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Baldwin piano serial numbers

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@slejhamer)
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Baldwin piano serial numbers

Scroll UP on that page for the Acrosonics; they use different #s. :)

"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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Nice acquisition, Clockworked! I really regret passing on piano lessons when I was a kid - I enjoy dabbling now, even though it is only basic. But it does improve your understanding of theory!

Hope you get a lot of good music out of it!

:D :D :D

Vic

"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)


   
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(@maliciant)
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I've been eyeballing the classifieds myself thinking wow... there's a paino for xxxx... I can just get rid of a couch and...

What's it cost to get someone to come in and tune a piano, is there anything else that a piano technician (or piluthiar) might do during that time? I assume if I buy a used piano (somewhat unlikely due to space) I need to pretty much figure on tacking on that onto the cost of the instrument.


   
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(@noteboat)
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It depends on the local market, but around here tunings run $90 and up.

Besides doing the actual tuning, piano techs can also perform "regulating" - which means getting all the keys to behave the same way.

Pianos are pretty complicated machines. Adjustments sometimes need to be made so each key takes the same amount of force to activate the hammer, and the hammer surfaces need to be kept in shape... they're covered with a layer of felt, and as the felt gets compressed from hitting the strings, some keys may sound 'brighter' than others. Part of a regulation is using a little tool to fluff up the felt on the bright sounding keys.

Regulations can be complicated, and may take several visits.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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