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If you're thinking of buying a professionally reconditioned Bluthner grand piano then you're getting a piano with a smooth, light touch (especially in the older "patent" actions models), warm tone and aesthetically pleasing cabinet. The information below assumes the pianos to be fully reconditioned.
1. Bluthner patent action
These are the older ones dating from about 1890 to 1921. The action is simpler in design than the normal roller action found in nearly all other pianos. It has the advantage of being smoother, usually lighter. The action doesn't repeat as fast as the roller action, but this is not very noticeable in normal playing. The most common colours are black (60%) and rosewood (40%). They nearly all have turned legs and a slatted or fretted music desk.
2. Standard roller action
These date from about 1926 to 1960. By far the most common is the style 4 baby grand, 4ft 11in, which is one of the best baby grands ever made. It has a smooth touch and fine "silky" tone. About 70% are mahogany, 20% walnut and 10% black. They are simple in style with plain music desk and square tapered legs. These cost about £3000 to £5000 unrestored and we sell them reconditioned from £6900 to £16,500 fully restored and custom repolished. We normally have one or two style 4 Bluthner baby grands in stock.
Important note: Nearly all Bluthner style 4 baby grands from 1920 to 1939 need to have the "action standards" replaced as they bow outwards, making correct regulation impossible. This work and the re-regulation costs about £1000.
Style 4a at 5ft 5in is far less common (about one for every ten style 4), the styling is the same as the style 4.
Style 7 at 6ft 3in (190cm) is one of our favourite Bluthner grands. Most are rosewood or black. They normally have a patent action (see above). Warm rich tone with superb bass and singing treble and tenor.
Style 5 at 5ft 9in is less common than the style 7 but equally good.
Other styles of Bluthner are less common apart from the aliquot style 8, though we don't tend to choose this for restoration.
3. Modern Bluthner grands from about 1968 to 1995.
Unfortunately the "iron curtain" had an adverse effect on the Bluthner grand and the materials used weren't always of good quality. Be careful when buying a Bluthner from this period.
4. Modern Bluthner grands from about 1995:
There are not many of these available, but they are generally of excellent quality, perhaps more suited to smaller rooms than the equivalent Steinway.
This refers to a system whereby an extra string was added in the treble section. In our view this novel idea doesn't really enhance the tone, though styles 8 and 6 fitted with this system are quite common and are excellent pianos.
Like the grand pianos, these have a mellow tone and smooth action. There are two main categories:
Overdampers, overstrung and straight strung:
These date from about 1888 to 1920. They are very rich in tone. The main drawback is the overdamper system. Bluthner overdampers are some of the best, but as with all overdampers, they tend to "ring on" too much in the mid treble since the dampers are too close to the top of the strings. Mostly black (60%) or rosewood (40%)
Underdampers, straight and overstrung:
These have a fine rich tone and the taller ones a superb action. Mostly rosewood (70%) or black (30%)
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Photos of some of our past and present Bluthner pianos in Stock:
Bluthner style 4 baby grand piano, fully restored.
Bluthner Style 7 boudoir grand piano, patent action
Bluthner Upright piano
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