The new piano arrived today: a Gulbransen upright, which was manufactured in 1959. (I learned this afternoon that the Story & Clark was manufactured in 1956.) I’ll post some photos of it later today or tomorrow – as soon as it’s all settled in, and I’ve managed to put my apartment back together.
The move was remarkably smooth, compared to when the Story & Clark was moved in. The Gulbransen moved out of David and Ray’s apartment on W 11th at 12.30, and made it up to my place in about an hour. (Also, who should I run into as I waited outside the building, but Joel! Not a major surprise, as he lives just down the hall from David and Ray, but a pleasant one nonetheless.) I’d managed to move the Story & Clark out of the way before I went down to 11th to meet the movers so that they could just put it exactly where I wanted it. It helped everyone that the 11th St building has an elevator; otherwise, carrying the piano down 7 flights of turning stairs would be little fun, and very expensive! My building, though, has two flights of stairs leading to my door, and the second flight has two nasty little turns that are more than a little tight. The second turn is the tightest, but surprisingly was the easier of the two this time. Last time, the three movers had major problems navigating that turn. Maybe it helped that there were only two movers this time? One less guy to get in the way?
Most unpleasant for the movers, though, was the heat and humidity. It was nearing 90° – a high so far this summer – and the humidity was pretty awful, as it has been recently. Hoisting a piano up a tight stairwell with no real ventilation to speak of – less than completely pleasant. I know I was sweating just watching them!
The piano was moved in without incident, though, and I’m already in love with it. I’m especially in love because it’s still in tune. I think it was last tuned in November, and it managed to hold its tune (save for a few keys at the extremes) through the move.
The Story & Clark… I can’t find a taker, unfortunately. I’ve called a few piano repair shops and asked if they’d like it for parts, but they don’t have much call for Story & Clark parts. And no artists have taken an interest in it. So, I may just make my own art project out of it. Bits of it I’ll turn into shelving. Some pieces will end up on my wall as froufy decoration. The rest… I’ll put out by the street for the garbage men to pick up.
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