I have the opportunity to purchase a Schafer & Sons baby grand piano from a friend for about $1800. It's 17 years old - which puts in the 1991 range. It's in great shape and sounds good to me.
Schafer & Sons Player Pianos proved to be of top tier quality in the field in performance and software selection. One of which is the Nickelodian, recognized for its unusual entertainment value. Schafer and Sons Pianos Serial Numbers - Piano Age. Locate the age and serial number of your Schafer and Sons Piano from the chart below.
My son will use it, he's 15 and has been taking lessons for the past 3 years on a Wurlitzer spinnet that was given to me. He has found his passion in music and will continue to play the piano foe a long time. I have been reading some things about the Schafer and Sons pianos and they are not all that great.
Does the price justify it? I know you get what you pay for, and I am not looking at this time to spend alot. Any thoughts?? Piano & Music Gifts & Accessories (570) Re: Schafer & Sons Piano 02/03/08 02:31 PM 02/03/08 02:31 PM Joined: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,239. The best used piano money that you can spend is that spent on a prepurchase inspection by an experienced tech who has no affiliation with the seller. The tech's report will especially valuable here, because you're considering doing business with a friend. It'd be a good idea to ask that the tech's report include the cost of any repairs/upgrades which should be done now and within the next three years.
If this piano hasn't been worked on, there will probably be expenses for new felts and action adjustments. If a Yellow Pages search doesn't turn up a tech who's qualified for this job, the Piano Technicians Guild maintains a registry EDIT: mrs.cap, you posted while I was writing. Re: Schafer & Sons Piano 02/03/08 03:01 PM 02/03/08 03:01 PM Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 4. OK, mr.cap here- We are really looking to find out if the piano is worth buying at all. I would rather keep looking than get a piece of junk. Frankly most of what we've read here and other places indicates that the quality of Shafer & Sons has varied widely over the years, depending on who actually manufactured the instrument.
The serial number is 87061029, model SS 51. As my wife indicated, the owner indicates it's from the early 90's.
Can anyone give the backstory on the manufacturer? Feel free to opine on their reputation, quality, etc. Re: Schafer & Sons Piano 02/03/08 03:28 PM 02/03/08 03:28 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,815. Schafer & Sons was a stencil or house brand for Colton Piano & Organ retailers in Southern California.
The company was owned by Vern Schafer. He had several manufacturers make pianos under his name. SS51 was produced by Samick Music Corporation in Korea as I remember. Colton went out of business in Southern California shortly after your piano was produced. Samicks of the late 1970's through the mid 1980's were problematic as all Korean pianos were.
By early 1990's they had conquered all their demons and build decent instruments as they continue to do today. Early Korean pianos are not known for their long-term durability. As this instrument may be nearing 20 years old, definitely have it checked out by a tech. Your serial number seems to have one too many digits.
It does not match Schafer & Sons or Samick numbering for 1991. Double check. SS51 indicates a Samick product.
In the years 1990 and 1991 some Schafer & Sons pianos were built by Daewoo Corporation in Korea. These were decidedly poorer quality than the Samick built ones. Craigen has pretty much covered all the bases.Your piano was most likely made in 1987. Subsequent to the eighties Schafer and Sons and Samick went to letters rather than numbers. SS-51 for $1800 is a good deal if in good condition both cosmetically and internally. Soundboard is laminated so no issue as for cracks.
In home Polyester case repair can be expensive. As Craigen made mention Schafer and Sons in the early nineties were made by Daewoo (Sojin)designed by Lothar Schell. I thought they sounded fairly decent with a solid spruce sounboard though had a short life expectancy. I own a Schafer & Sons piano that is in BRAND NEW condition. My piano is 21 years old and I have been offered 8,000 for it.
However, I am not selling it at this time. Here is a bit about Schafer & Sons for you. SCHAFER & SONS If there was ever an award for excellence and contributions to an industry, Vern Scafer would win it hands down. Schafer & Sons was more than a company. It was a family dedicated to music and fine musical instruments. A World Class Act. Vertical pianos that were manufactured in the United States included 13 decorator models.
Sizes include 37' spinet through 42' console pianos. Imported vertical pianos include nine models of console and professional uprights, sized 41' through 52'. Grand models include the Baby, Studio, Parlor, Semi-Concert, and fall 9' Concert.
My experience with a Schafer & Sons grand is that the tuning pins are loose and the 'Lifetime Warranty' as cast into the cast iron plate apparently means nothing. The laminated soundboard precludes cracks, but also good tone. The buckskin on the knuckles has stretched and become loose, negatively affecting the ability to be regulated properly. There are lots of other issues in the action. Definitely a very entry level instrument. There are probably a host of reasons it is being offered for under 2 G.
This instrument is probably not worth putting money into for repairs. Be sure to get it thoroughly checked out before buying.
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A friend has asked if I would be interested in his Schafer and Sons model SS-69 grand piano. Serial number 8511320. I believe this particular piano was manufactured by Samick.
The piano itself is in excellent condition and plays wonderfully as the action was regulated a few months ago. The seller is a professional pianist who has replaced this piano with a 7' Kawaii. The only thing I would change is to have it voiced a little softer as the piano is very bright. Can any technicians give me their opinion and maybe give me a date of manufacture (owner thought 1985)? Of course I am planning to have it looked at by a PTG technician before moving forward. My friend is asking $4000.
Reading through the Schafer and Sons entry is interesting because the brand name has been used by: Currier, Vern Co, Kohler & Cambell, Kimball, Aeolian, Lowery, Story & Clark, Wurlitzer, Samick, Young Chang, and Daewoo. So the smooth transition from crappy American brands to crappy Asian brands:). Having trouble figuring out where your serial number places it, but Samick or Young Chang would be a good guess. Based on brand alone, it might be wisest to avoid.
BUT, brand never trumps the individual piano. See if it's anything like the Mason you rented. Don't be tempted by the low price if you don't LOVE the piano. One should never rush into piano purchases.