History Of Pine Trees

!±8± History Of Pine Trees

Since the year eight hundred ten the city of Venice, Italy has been standing strong and mighty with its ever present clock tower, and St. Marks square. What few people know however is that 'The city of Venice rests on the hearts of Larch.' In the ninth century the name 'Pine' had yet to be coined, so today if you translate that saying, you get, 'The city of Venice rests on the hearts of Pine.' Today heart Pine is a very valuable building commodity, so imagine that the entire city of Venice rests on hundreds of thousands of antique, 'hearts of pine,' trunk, bark and all.

Pine trees throughout the world, have, since the beginning of time, been a key factor in the advancement of man kind. When cave men discovered fire, it was such a hot commodity that in order to keep their precious new discovery burning throughout the night, they would collect pine cones from the forests of towering pine trees and place them on the smoldering embers. The resin would act with the moisture of the pine cones and burn for hours. The next morning the Neanderthals were able to stoke the fire, and billows of smoke would come wisping out and as they added twigs of slag pine, and small, dry, kindling, branches the flames would begin to pour forth. The men would catch fish with triton's made from twisted and carved pine tree branches, and kill boar, and small game with spears caved from the small, strait, trunks of young pine trees. As the women would make loin cloths from the skins of large animals and cook food over flames, the men were experimenting with building. It is thought by some that the caveman evolved into the Neanderthal when he learned how to build. The evolving men would drive posts into the ground and strap pine tree limbs to the top using the sinews of animals, and resin from the pine tree was used to help secure pine tree needles to the roof for shelter.

Pine trees are evergreen, coniferous, (conebearing) trees that are found in all parts of the world (six of seven continents). There are approximately one hundred twenty species of pine trees. There are short pine trees, tall pine trees, wide pine trees, skinny pine trees and colored Pine trees. Pine trees have green to bluish grey leaves in the form of needles that are arranged in bundles of two to five or six to eight, depending on species. The cones of pine trees range in size from ½" to 12 inches. The Longleaf pine, Pinus paulustris, bears one of the largest cones, up to 10 inches and the Mugo pine, Pinus mugo, has one of the smallest cones at ¾" to 2". Pine trees can tower to 130 feet high, such as the Longleaf pine, or grow to a shrubby 8 feet high, such as Mugo pines.

Pine trees are so adaptable that they are known to naturally cross pollinate between species to evolve into an improved species. This is the case with the Sonderegger Pine, Pinus palastris x Pinus teada, of the Southeast. A natural hybrid cross between Longleaf Pine and Loblolly pine that takes on the best qualities of both species: longer pine needles and fatter pine cones with faster consistent growth, resulting in a mature tree in an unbelievably short amount of time.

Pine trees are the leading source for paper products and building materials in the world. Loblolly pine, Pinus teada, is one of the leading timber species in the United States, growing from New Jersey to Florida to Texas. The timbers of this species are very compact and make them a great choice for pine tree flooring.

In the 19th century, pine tree growers noticed that the sap from pine trees could be collected and boiled down with several bi-products that could be equally marketed, making the "Tree Sap Boom" so successful. Resin oil could be taken for cough, and scratchy throat, and some soaps, and glues were also processed, with turpentine as the primary bi-product. Pine trees also began to be harvested around this time on a commercial level devastating forests to make paper, and build houses.

Pine trees are also known throughout the outdoor world as a survival plant. The cambium, or sub-bark, is moist and almost sweet, but rich in vitamins A and C. In Sweden in the winter time the Swedes often make 'strunt' tea from the needles and tiny baby pine cones of the Pinus nigra - European Black Pine tree or Austrian Pine tree.

Pine tree cultivars recommended to plant and grow in the United States, whether, you grow them as a specimen tree, or plant entire Pine tree plantations are as follows: Loblolly Pine, Pinus taeda; Longleaf Pine, Pinus palustris; Mugo Pine, Pinus mugo 'Compacta'; Slash Pine, Pinus elliottii; Sonderegger Pine, Pinus x 'Sondereggeri'; and White Pine, Pinus strobus.

"Strange that so few come to the woods to see how the pine tree lives and grows and spires, lifting its evergreen arms to the light ..... to see its perfect success." -- Henry David Thoreau

History Of Pine Trees

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Piano Brands And Review

!±8± Piano Brands And Review

So you want to buy a piano. What a great musical adventure you have before you. Starting out on the journey, however, can be overwhelming, what with so many types and brands of pianos to choose from. That's why I've provided this primer on piano types and brands for you, so that you can quickly and easily find the right piano for you and get on with enjoying a lifetime of making beautiful music together.

Types of Pianos

Grand pianos vs. Upright pianos: Grand pianos have an average of 10,000 moving parts and range in size from 4' 6" to over 9' long. They have a winged shape with a curved right side and flat left side. Grand pianos are generally owned by professional and more serious amateur pianists.

The two primary types of grand pianos are Concert Grand pianos, the largest of grands reaching 9' and over, and Baby Grand pianos, any grand piano that is smaller than 6' tall. Different sizes of grand piano differ in the potential volume of sound it is able to produce, the tonal quality of its lower register (the bass notes), and the overall sound quality.

Also known as vertical pianos, upright pianos have an average of 5,000-6,000 moving parts. They typically cost less and take up less space than grand pianos, and are more commonly owned by amateur and hobbyist piano players.

Upright pianos come in various types depending on their size, the tallest reaching about 60" in height. The taller an upright piano is, the better the action.

* Spinet pianos - approx. 36" tall

* Console pianos - approx. 40" tall

* Studio pianos - approx. 45" tall

* Professional pianos - approx. 48" tall

It is entirely possible to achieve the same quality with an upright as with a grand piano and, in some cases, better quality of tone than certain baby grands.

Digital pianos vs. Acoustic pianos: In contrast to traditional grand pianos and upright pianos, digital pianos utilize the technologies of audio microchips and speakers to reproduce the sounds of a traditional piano as well as those of other keyboard instruments like organs and harpsichords. Digital pianos also offer players the ability to record their practice sessions and performances.

The following brands produce some of the best digital pianos available:

* Alesis;

* Casio;

* Daewoo;

* Kurzweil;

* Roland;

* Suzuki;

* Technics;

* and Yamaha

Brands of Pianos

Because of differences in materials and construction and design techniques, a piano's sound and action vary greatly depending on where in the world it is made.

American pianos: American piano manufacturers are reputed for producing pianos of top-quality construction and design and, as a consequence, are typically more costly than most European pianos. At the top of the list of major U.S. brands of pianos is Steinway. Steinway pianos are considered by many professional piano players to be the premiere pianos, as well as among the most expensive. Steinway is best known for their line of grand pianos;

Other major U.S. piano brands include:

* Baldwin (also produces the Chickering and Wurlitzer brands);

* Mason & Hamlin (limited production, high-end pianos);

* Hobart M. Cable

* Winter & Company.

Asian pianos: Asian-made pianos are also highly valued today, with the two premiere Asian brands of piano - Yamaha and Kawai - coming from Japan. Yamaha produces some of the world's most revered pianos, which explains why they must produce 200,000 pianos each year to keep up with demand. Kawai is renowned for having been the first to utilize plastic parts in their pianos.

Other major Asian brands of piano include:

* Daewoo;

* Hyundai.

* Nordiska;

* Pearl River;

* Samick;

* and Young Chang

European pianos: Many countries in Europe - the U.K., France, and the Czech Republic - also produce great pianos, though arguably the best European pianos come from Austria and Germany.

Among the finest of Austrian and German pianos are:

* Bechstein;

* Bluthner;

* Bosendorfer;

* Feurich;

* Forster;

* Grotrian;

* Hamburg Steinway;

* Ibach;

* Sauter;

* Schimmel;

* and Seiler.

How to Evaluate Pianos

To decide on what type of piano to get, first consider where you plan to keep it and how much you'd like to spend on it. That will help you hone in on what types and brands you can feasibly choose from. Then you can start looking at (or listening to, as the case may) such other factors as piano tone quality, tuning stability (or life expectancy), action (or piano touch), and piano finish (ie. clear or opaque).

Piano Brands And Review

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Buying a Used Piano and the Prices You Should Expect to Pay

!±8± Buying a Used Piano and the Prices You Should Expect to Pay

The first step in buying a used piano is determining your budget. Here is a detailed explanation what you can expect at the different price points.

1. Under 0.00: You will have to do your own research. You will need some luck to find anything usable. Do yourself a huge favor and have the piano checked by a qualified piano technician before you pay for it, or have it moved to your house. If you do not you may find yourself in the unenviable situation of having to pay to have the piano junked.

2. Under ,000.00: Same as above, but taking twice the financial risk.

3. Under ,500.00: For this price you can, with luck, find a reconditioned spinet or console from a dealer. The dealer is likely to have taken the piano in on trade. A piano like this will be reconditioned. This means the piano has been cleaned inside and out, and the action has been given a once over to make sure the piano will play reliably. The case will be polished. Some kind of warranty will be given. At this price point you should expect that the piano plays properly and holds a tuning. However, it would be unrealistic to expect a great sounding, musically inspiring piano. The piano will almost certainly be at least forty years old

4. Under ,000.00: Same as above, but with a more attractive cabinet. At this price point you would expect the piano to be at least thirty years old.

5. Under ,000.00: Now you are getting to the point where you can expect to get a decent musical instrument. At this price point you should be able to find a console or studio upright that has a good musical sound, and a solid touch to the action. The best examples of pianos in this price range are Yamaha, Kawai, Young Chang, Sammick, and Sohmer. Yamaha would be the best in this category. You should be looking at pianos no older than the mid-1970s for Yamaha, and no older than the mid-1980s for the others.

6. ,500.00- ,500.00: This is a realistic price range at which you can find a piano that an advanced student can use to grow his pianistic abilities. The best pianos to get in this price range are Yamaha and Kawai 48 in. to 52 in. upright pianos. These are the instruments that you find in the practice rooms of universities and music schools. At the low end of the price range you find older pianos. I can't recommend any piano older than 1975. There is also a nice subcategory in this price range. Charles Walter and Sons make a very high quality console. This is the best made American upright other than Steinway. The case of these pianos is beautifully made. The voice of the piano can be made satisfactory by an expert technician.

7. ,500.00- ,500.00: The same as above, but the pianos should be from the 90's. There are models of Yamaha that have posts in the back in the shape of an X instead of vertical parallel posts. These pianos have a superior design. I have included them in this category because they have a potential for a warmer, richer sound. In my opinion this is as much as anyone would need to spend for a used upright piano.

8. Rule #1: If your budget is lower than ,500.00 do not even look at grand pianos. Unless you are very lucky you are likely to wind up with a piano that would require unrealistically expensive repairs. Here is a common example. John Doe purchases a Knabe grand piano for 0.00. He is all excited because his child will begin lessons and needs a piano on which to practice. He spends a further 0.00 to get the piano moved to his house. Even though John does not know much about pianos he knows that it is out of tune. He calls a tuner and finds out that the piano will not hold a tune because the pin block is too loose. He finds that the pin block cannot be replaced unless the piano is rebuilt. The repair bill is ,000.00 to replace the pin block, replace the strings, the dampers, and tune the piano up to pitch and get the action to work properly. John has just wasted 0.00 on a piano that is unusable unless he spends an extra ,000.00. John will likely be spending another 0.00 to have the piano removed.

9. ,500- ,000.00: You are in a good place with lots of possibilities. In this price range you should be able to purchase a small Korean or Japanese piano from a dealer. Common brands in this price and size range are Yamaha, Young Chang, Kawai, Boston, and Sammick. You can go as old as 1975 for a Yamaha grand in this price range, and for the other brands you should go no older than 1985.

10. ,000.00 -,000.00: In this price range you should expect to find very good quality Yamaha and Kawai grand pianos up to 6 ft. 5 in. Good models are Yamaha G2, G3, C1, C2, C3, C5, and Kawai KG2, KG3, KG5, RX2, RX3.

Also in this category you will find rebuilt and refinished grand pianos from reputable piano rebuilders. These pianos will also have rebuilt actions. Typical brands are Chickering, Knabe, Baldwin, Broadwood, Sohmer, and many lesser known, but equally good brands. At this price range you should expect five-year warranties to be included in the price of the piano.

11. ,000.00 -,000.00: You are now in reconditioned Steinway and Mason and Hamlin country. This is "no country for old men". You will be paying a lot of money for a piano THAT WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE RESTORED. The price of restoration for a Steinway M (5 ft. 7 in.) is ,000.00. The price of restoration for a Steinway D (concert grand) is ,000.00. In my opinion, which is supported by thirty years of experience, it is more economical and satisfying to take the next step and get a fully refinished, rebuilt or restored piano.

12. ,000.00 and up. Here are realistic prices for the different models of rebuilt and refinished or restored Steinway and Mason and Hamlin pianos:

Steinway S typically rebuilt and refinished with new action ,000-,000
Mason T typically rebuilt and refinished with new action ,000.00 -,000
Steinway M rebuilt and refinished with new action ,000- ,000
Mason A with new restored with new sound board and new action ,000.00-,000.00
Steinway O restored ,000.00-,000.00
Steinway A restored ,000.00-,000.00
Mason AA restored ,000.00
Steinway B restored ,000.00- ,000.00
Mason BB restored ,000.00- ,000.00
Steinway C restored ,000-,000.00
Steinway D restored ,000.00-0,000.00
Mason CC ,000.00- ,000.00

Rule #2: Unless you are buying a piano from a well know piano restoration house that is giving you a five-year warranty you need a piano professional to look at the piano for you.

Rule #3: A GOOD UPRIGHT IS A MUCH BETTER PIANO THAN A CRUMMY GRAND PIANO... AND MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE.

Do not develop "analysis paralysis" or you will be looking for the perfect piano forever. Stick to your budget, buy from a reputable dealer who gives a warranty, and have a piano professional validate your choice. I have been doing this for thirty years. How hard can it be?

Good luck finding a piano!

Buying a Used Piano and the Prices You Should Expect to Pay

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Joe Stone Moonbeam Queen

!±8± Joe Stone Moonbeam Queen

I always imagined this number for the first half as just a piano and vocal track but when the second half comes around the band would kick in. I recorded this song for the "Woodwork" album on the piano and always meant to have more tracks added later but when I listened to it, it sounded complete. I was reminded of the famous Leonardo da Vinci quote (that I learned from 'Hellraiser IV'): "Art is never finished, only abandoned". That seemed to apply to the album version. Here on YouTube I wanted something different for the second half and when recording on my spinet piano I knew what to do. The evolution in pianos is very drastic. It does get a little embarrassingly emotional at times but I want to capture the essence of what this kind of very unhealthy relationship is about.

Joe Stone Moonbeam Queen

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How to Appraise the Value of a Used Piano

!±8± How to Appraise the Value of a Used Piano

Should I buy this piano? Is it worth what I'm paying? How much should I sell my piano for?

Like an automobile, assessing the value of a piano, is complicated. Two antique cars of the same year, make, and model might have starkly different values. One, beautifully restored and worth a small fortune, the other a junked rust bucket, nearly worthless.

Similarly, two nearly identical looking pianos might have very different values based on their condition, age, and manufacturer.

But, in the case of pianos it's even more difficult to assess the value than automobiles.

When people look at antique cars, there is a range of about 100 years, with most of the cars having been produced in the last 60 years. When you're talking about pianos, you're talking about a span of 200 years+. There are many, many pianos in circulation that are at least 70 years old and older. Further complicating things, there were many more manufacturers of pianos than cars, and they went in and out of business, being constantly bought, sold, and traded. Also, few name brands consistently produced fine pianos. The quality of their pianos, like their fortunes, went up and down from year to year.

You've probably heard of the most famous brand of piano, Steinway. Their value in part comes from their consistency. They produced high quality pianos over a long period of time. Consequently, nearly any year is a good year for a Steinway. Other brands, like Knabe, were once some of the best pianos ever made, but now the Knabe name - bought out by a cheap foreign producer - are nearly worthless.

So without a lifetime of knowledge, or an encyclopedia of pianos, what can you do?

Firstly, you can start with some basic premises.

One, a very old upright/vertical or spinet piano 70+ years that has not been restored is generally of little value - unless it was of a famous manufacturer, or is particularly noteworthy (beautiful ornate case, near perfect condition, art case, special/unique in some fashion).

Two, a grand generally holds its value better, and the longer the grand the more valuable. Baby grands - around 5 feet long - are common and many are cheaply made. Grand pianos six feet long and longer are generally rarer and more valuable. Concert Grands - around nine feet - are quite rare and were generally better made than their shorter counterparts.

Three, age is not a determining factor of value by itself. Just because a piano is real old it doesn't make it valuable. Just because a piano is brand new doesn't make it valuable. This is similar to cars. You can have a brand new, really cheap, lemon of a car. Or you could have a beautifully restored fifty year old gem.

Note: There are many modern very short "baby grands" that shouldn't even be called an instrument they are of such poor quality. They may be cheap brand new, but they very quickly lose all value.

Secondly, you can observe and test physical and mechanical parts of the piano.

If you were looking at an auto you might "kick the tires". You'd listen to the engine, and take it out for a test drive. These are some simple tests you can perform on any piano

1. Check the keys
Beginning with the first key and ascending to the final key observe the following.

Is the tone even? Even if it's "out of tune" is it in-tune with itself. If the piano has different sections which are more out of tune than others this may indicate serious problems.

Is the action of the keys even? In other words, do the keys play about the same? Does it take the same amount of effort/force to play each key? The more uneven, the more mechanical issues.

Do the keys click, wobble, stick, or not play? If many keys have issues, there may be a lot of expense to repair the action?

Does it rattle, hum, twang, or groan? Unusual rattling, twanging, buzzing and errant sounds are indicators of problems. A good piano should sing not squeal.

2. Look under the lid. Visually inspect the pins, strings, and soundboard.

Are the pins and strings very rusty and/or dirty? String don't last forever, rusty and/or very dirty strings may need to be replaced - an expensive repair.

Are all the strings there? Do the strings look the same? If there are strings missing and/or some strings have been replaced it indicates a problem with the strings - too old/brittle - and may need a complete restringing

Are there water stains, soot, or dirt in the cabinet? Just like anything the condition of something tells you how an item was treated over its lifespan.

Is the soundboard cracked? (Especially important in a grand) The soundboard is located below the strings, it resonates/amplifies the sound from the strings. Multiple cracks in a soundboard and indications of past repairs may signify that a piano's soundboard needs work (expensive and difficult to repair) Small cracks in the soundboard may not be significant provided that the ribs (the wood that runs underneath) are still glued and attached to the board.

3. look at its finish and overall appearance.

Is the finish original? There are many pianos that have been poorly refinished, greatly diminishing their value. An original good quality finish is best, or a professional refinishing job.

Are the scratches, dents, cracks repairable? Significant physical damage may not be repairable or may indicate that a piano has been dropped or abused?

4. Know the age and brand

Look for the serial number. Look up the number and manufacturer on the internet. There is a guide on the internet on where to look for serials on pianos. http://www.piercepianoatlas.com/findno.html

5. Consult an expert

Lastly, before investing any significant amount of money, ask the advice of a local piano tuner and technician. Get a piano appraisal.

Thank you, and good luck buying and selling pianos

How to Appraise the Value of a Used Piano

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Buying a vertical piano. Size does matter.

!±8± Buying a vertical piano. Size does matter.

This is a video demonstrating that when you are shopping for a vertical (upright piano) size does matter. The bigger, the better. I used my restored 1914 Steinway "K" is a guide.

Buying a vertical piano. Size does matter.

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