£27,995
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Complete with matching adjustable stool, UK mainland delivery & 10 year guarantee.
As a piano maker Bluthner needs no introduction. The style 7&8 (at 6ft 3in) are the most popular model being large enough to show off Bluthner’s famous “Golden Tone” but small enough to be accommodated in most domestic settings. The style 8 has the famous patent Aliquot stringing.
Dating from the turn of the century, this rebuilt model 8 retains all it’s original features, turned legs and lyre (sadly these were often modernized during the 1930s-60s). The patented aliquot stringing gives this piano a resonance only found with Bluthner.
So what is aliquot stringing and what does it bring to the tone of a piano?
It is fair to say that the aliquot stringing patent by Bluthner represents one of the greatest advances in piano design in the last 150 years.
Aliquot stringing is the use of extra, un-struck strings in the piano for the purpose of enriching the tone. Aliquot systems use an additional (hence fourth) string in each note of the top three piano octaves. This string is slightly higher than the other three strings so that it is not struck by the hammer. Whenever the hammer strikes the three conventional strings, the aliquot string vibrates sympathetically. Aliquot stringing broadens the vibrational energy throughout the instrument, and creates an unusually complex and colorful tone.
Julius Blüthner invented and patented the aliquot stringing system in 1873. No other brand has this tonal advantage.
This close up shows the aliquot string on the right hand side.
It is worth mentioning that aliquot stringing is an extremly time-consuming feature when building (or rebuilding) a piano.
Not only does each aliquot string require it’s own agraffe (pictured above), but also it’s own damper and bridge! This can be seen in the bottom left of the following photo. Note the aliquot strings raised over the speaking strings. It is fair to say that the advancement of tone supplied by the aliquot system is painstakingly achieved but well worth the tremendous effort. Many who play a Bluthner equiped with the system are never satisfied with any other piano!
Because they are tuned an octave above their constituent pitch, true aliquot strings transmit strong vibrations to the soundboard. Duplex scaling, which typically is tuned a double octave or more above the speaking length, does not. And because aliquot strings are so active, they require dampers or they would sustain uncontrollably and muddy the sound. Aliquot stringing broadens the vibrational energy throughout the instrument, and creates an unusually complex and colorful tone. This results from hammers striking their respective three strings, followed by an immediate transfer of energy into their sympathetic strings. The noted piano authority Larry Fine observes that the Blüthner tone is “refined” and “delicate”.
Piano Restoration at Yorkshire Pianos
Piano restoration” can be a complicated area to understand for a customer. Different retailers may use the term to mean different things. This can often account for wildly different prices for seemingly similar pianos. “Fully restored”, “reconditioned”, “refurbished”, “rebuilt” – what do all these terms mean?
To make life simple at Yorkshire Pianos we only deal in completely rebuilt period pianos. It’s best to think of this as a new piano in an old case. This represents the best of both worlds, the beauty of period materials and craftsmanship with the accuracy of a new mechanism. The original tone of the instrument is preserved through using identical parts and if at all possible reparation of soundboard rather than replacement.
Sadly, pianos do not last for ever. It is a popular misconception that a piano will last indefinitely. It is true, they do have a very long lifespan perhaps 60 or 70 years but after this time they will be worn out and, more importantly will no longer “hold their tuning”. A piano may look and even sound wonderful but if it no longer stays in tune then it is much like a shiny car that no longer goes along!
The replacement of the pinblock (also called wrest plank) helps provide a new lease of life for a piano and ensures tuning stability. A replacement of this sort is a major undertaking and well beyond the scope of most piano restoration workshops. Yorkshire pianos incorporates the manufacturing facility of Cavendish Pianos which provides the most comprehensive piano restoration service in the UK.
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