Ricca, or Ricca & Son was established in 1891 by H.F. Ricca and E.I. Ricca, at 604 East 132 St. and 884 East 134th St., New York. By the mid 20’s the offices and factory was located at 97-99 Southern Blvd., New York. They bought the Ludwig PIano Company around 1933.
Category Archives: Antique Pianos
Pneumatic Player Pianos
August 15, 2011 – 6:29 am
Pneumatic player pianos are a lot of fun and operate using a vacuum for power. Pedaling with the feet creates this suction, which operates bellows in the piano. Through hoses and valves the player mechanism manipulates the action of the piano where it in turn plays the keys. Each note has an individual valve and [...]
Wing & Son antique pianos
August 8, 2011 – 8:28 am
One of our favorite antique pianos, Wing & Son, was founded in 1868 by Luman B. Wing in New York. Luman B. Wing was the main partner in the firm of Doane, Wing & Cushing. Luman B. Wing died in 1873 and was succeeded by his son, Frank L. Wing and then by his son [...]
Used pianos and tuning stability
July 11, 2011 – 6:06 am
One of the first things to consider about any used piano is tuning stability. Ask these questions; Can the piano be tuned? Will the piano hold its tune?
One major factor in the answer is the Pinblock.
• A pinblock is the part of the piano that holds the tuning pins. It must:
1. Exert pressure on the [...]
Evaluation: More than just a tuning
July 4, 2011 – 8:45 am
Many piano technicians do more than just a tuning when servicing their clients pianos. When we are called to tune a piano it is in our best interest as well as the customer’s to evaluate the pianos condition and give the customer our professional opinion of the quality and serviceability of their piano. Many times [...]
PIano Emporium, now on Thumbtack
January 28, 2011 – 5:46 am
We now have a piano tuning in Asheville service listing on Thumbtack. I’m always looking for ways to help market my piano moving, repair and tuning services. Thumbtack is a good way for me to help me show off my expertise in providing professional, very affordable piano moving, repair and tuning services. [...]
The piano soundboard
August 10, 2010 – 8:48 am
Piano soundboards are thin boards commonly made of spruce approximately 3/8″ thick glued together and extend from the bottom of the piano on a vertical, and tail of the piano on a grand, to the pin-block and then across the full width of the piano. The soundboard has a crown which is very important to [...]
Player pianos
July 20, 2010 – 8:22 am
A player piano is a regular upright or grand that plays itself but can also be played normally by any individual. On uprights, the case is usually larger to accommodate the player mechanism. Older player pianos are controlled by pneumatics and newer player pianos are controlled by electronics.
A reproducing piano has an additional element [...]
Antique Chickering Pianos
June 14, 2010 – 11:07 pm
The Chickering piano company was established in 1823 by Jonas Chickering and James Stewart. It was the first piano company in the United States. The factory was located on Tremont St. in Boston, MA. Chickering took painstaking care down to the smallest detail which assured the Chickering piano the place of honor in the first [...]
Antique Pianos by the Lester Piano Company
May 16, 2010 – 9:02 pm
The Lester Piano Company, an American standard, was established in 1888 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These were well built affordable pianos and have many good qualities. Lester Piano Company was well know for their Grand pianos, full size uprights and the Betsy Ross Spinet. The company went out of business around 1960. These pianos are [...]