how do Weber pianos rate ?
Robert and/or Jenny Hughes
Please give me your opinion on the quality of a 60-70 year old upright
Weber piano that is said to be in excellent condition. I understand that
the Webers of today are made by Young Chang but have nothing except the
name in common with the original pianos made by Weber Piano Co., founded
in 1852. Apparently the Weber name was also used at some point between
1899 and 1985 by the Aeolian Piano Company. I do not know if or when the
Weber Piano Co. folded and so can't tell if the 60-70 year old piano was
made this company or Aeolian. Please advise. Thanks.
--
Robert and Jenny Hughes
Fredericton, New Brunswick
Canada
45 57N 66 39W
Daniel Wilson
Robert and Jenny Hughes <rus...@nb.sympatico.ca> said:
> Please give me your opinion on the quality of a 60-70 year old
> upright Weber piano that is said to be in excellent condition
Weber was taken over by Aeolian in 1904 and was one of their names till
1988. The old (pre-1932) pianos are all solid and reliable but the Weber
tone, which Aeolian preserved in both the American and British makes,
gives a thinner bass sound which is not to everyone's taste.
Some Webers are outstanding and many are indifferent. A great deal better
than a "badge" piano, though. Many were players which is how I know them.
Dan Wilson (Friends of the Pianola Institute, London)
Jim Heyworth
rus...@nb.sympatico.ca (Robert and/or Jenny Hughes) wrote:
>Please give me your opinion on the quality of a 60-70 year old upright
>Weber piano that is said to be in excellent condition. I understand that
>the Webers of today are made by Young Chang but have nothing except the
>name in common with the original pianos made by Weber Piano Co., founded
>in 1852. Apparently the Weber name was also used at some point between
>1899 and 1985 by the Aeolian Piano Company. I do not know if or when the
>Weber Piano Co. folded and so can't tell if the 60-70 year old piano was
>made this company or Aeolian. Please advise. Thanks.
>
>--
>Robert and Jenny Hughes
>Fredericton, New Brunswick
>Canada
>45 57N 66 39W
Canadian Weber pianos are completely unrelated to the Aeolian Weber.
They are a mid-quality piano.
The early (pre circa 1930) Aeolian Webers are, in general, of much
higher quality than the Canadian ones.
BTW I have a 1919 Canadian Weber that has been in the family since it
was new. We get along fine.
Jim H.
John S. Gray
Re: the Canadian Weber pianos:
I disagree, They are generally weak in the iron frame and many of them
bend under the stress of tuning up to A435. One of them I have seen in
recent years is in a church and is unplayable. The bass strings snapping
against the crossover bar and the dampers not having room to lift. Just
like the failure of an old 3/4 plate, but the Webers are full perimeter.
Many have been modified by having heavy duty bolts drilled though at the
top and gigantic washers and nuts screwed on at the back.
BTW this same problem is also found in quite a few Canadian-made
Aeolian/Mason & Risch 1950's apartment size pianos.
JG
Les Smith
Weber produced some superb pianos. Their late 19th - early 20th
century uprights were some of the best ever made, any place, any
tine, and that includes those made by Steinway. Even after they
were bought out by Aeolian, fine-quality Webers were continued to
made up until about 1930. After that, a lond, slow, steady decline
in quality began. After 1930 Weber would never again would be able
to give Steinway any serious competition.
Despite that fact that they produced some fine-quality older up-
rights, each instrument has to be evaluated on it's own individual
merits, especially if it's 3/4 of a century old. To properly
evaluate the condition and value of your older Weber upright, you're
going to have to have an experienced, professional piano technician
check out this instrument in person. He can then give you a written
appraisal as to its condition and value.
Turn of the century Webers were some of the finest pianos ever made
in this country.
Les Smith
less...@buffnet.net