Steinway Traditional K-52

...piano manufacturers.

Steinway pianos are famous for their quality of tone, and this applies across the range to all of their grands and uprights. The greater the string length the better the sound - in theory, so the large K-52 should be a great sounding instrument. The tone depends on other factors such as the soundboard, the general resonance of the case, the condition of the strings and the correct settings of the action. The strings ...
...right.

The Steinway pianos have always been among the best that money can buy, and they have always been built to a standard and not to a price. My piano may look a little dated with the inlaid carved wood, and the carefully covered holes which originally held the candle-holders. A piano which has reached the grand age of 115 years will certainly have had work done on it, and the quality of the restoration work affects the way the ... more

Ever since I started playing the piano seriously, many many years ago, I dreamed about one day owning a Steinway. Well that day came last August when I found an upright K-52 piano for sale in a piano showroom in London.

The K-52 is a large piano. When they were first produced they were described as an 'upright grand' The '52' refers to the number of inches tall - the measurement includes the casters. My piano is black, and was made in Hamburg in 1887. It is possible to date a piano with accuracy using the lists published in an American publication: 'The Pearce Piano Atlas' which also gives a brief history of the rise and decline of the many piano manufacturers.

Steinway pianos are famous for their quality of tone, and this applies across the range to all of their grands and uprights. The greater the string length the better the sound - in theory, so the large K-52 should be a great sounding instrument. The tone depends on other factors such as the soundboard, the general resonance of the case, the condition of the strings and the correct settings of the action. The strings can be replaced, and the action rebuilt - but damage to the soundboard such as splits and cracks, and the pinblock, which is made of several layers of laminated wood with slightly undersize holes which grip the tuning pins, are much more serious and can cost thousands of pounds to put right.

The Steinway pianos have always been among the best that money can buy, and they have always been built to a standard and not to a price. My piano may look a little dated with the inlaid carved wood, and the carefully covered holes which originally held the candle-holders. A piano which has reached the grand age of 115 years will certainly have had work done on it, and the quality of the restoration work affects the way the instrument responds and sounds, and its current value.

One feature, which I believe is common to Steinway upright pianos of the age of mine is that the dampers (which cut the sound when the key is released) are only barely adequate, and this can make the sound 'ring on' when they keys are released.

The other point concerns the range of tones from pianissimo to fortissimo, which on an upright piano is not as wide or as easy to control as on a grand. This is partly because the action of an upright piano is more complicated and therefore not as responsive, and the length of the keys is generally shorter - althought this is not the case on the K-52 Steinways.

Steinway upright pianos are rarely advertised for sale. It took me months of searching to find one. Maybe there are not many around, or maybe there are ... and people are just not selling them? Although my piano is very old, the quality of materials and construction means it is still structurely sound and the tuning pins are tight so it stays in tune really well. The action is responsive, although as with all Steinway pianos playing it does require quite a firm touch ... so plenty of practice is needed. With an instrument of this quality, however, the incentive to practice is always there!! 

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