Once parts have been changed it is not original, even if you use
authentic manufacturer's parts. What you do have is something which
has been maintained, and in so doing is more valuable than 'original',
in most cases.
Antique instruments are more valuable in original condition because
they represent an era and are a museum piece or an artifact. Resto-
ration of these requires great care. But to say that a piano with worn
out parts is more valuable than a restored one is not the case.
In your situation, you are upgrading both pianos by sprucing up the
case on the plain one and restoring life to the art case. It might
just be a more economical means to achieve the art case's restoration
by retro-fitting recycled parts than installing a new sound board and
pinblock. That is, if everything lines up right. It's a good
experience too.
One other point: if you are putting this much effort into an upright;
just think of the money you could make working on grands. Income/input
is much more rewarding with grands.
Jon Page
Harwich Port, Cape Cod, Mass. (jpage@capecod.net)
[ But some of us fans still love the big booming sound of a big
[ vertical piano, even if we can never recover the investment. :-)
[ -- Robbie
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