pianoyan Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hi, I want to buy a baby grand piano "case" that looks good, fits a fully weighted yamaha p80 keyboard or similar and can be set up easily by one person (that'll be me, then). I saw an old thread for something similar and I've emailed John Henrys but any other bright ideas?Cheers,Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahame Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Having just toured such a 'gutted' baby grand piano, I can tell you that even the empty wooden shell is a pretty meaty lift and you wouldn't manage it on your own.It would be much better to try faking it by knocking up something yourself from thin ply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IJWesley Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 There is a company in Australia called Stashway that sells just what you are after - they were featured on the Oz TV series "New Inventors" ABC TV Link Stashway Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 God that is an awful website ... They go on what I assume is a Aus equivalent of dragons den or something like it, hoping to get exposure, and then expect to sell anything from a website which looks like it was designed by someone learning html in the 90s who has just discovered the color attribute!! My favourite bit has to be the photos of the paint colour charts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 My favourite bit is the story of the flight on Virginblue - clearly Ryanair values haven't penetrated the southern hemisphere yet! For our antipodean members - ryanair is a budget airline flying to european destinations who charge low prices, then surcharge for everything else - recent proposal being a fee of £1 to use the toilets on board during a flight...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoyan Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks, the aussie piano (stashway) looks perfect. Now I just need to find someone who can build it over here. Any suggestions on that front? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sound In Gloucestershire Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 they deliver internationally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_s Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Thanks, the aussie piano (stashway) looks perfect. Now I just need to find someone who can build it over here. Any suggestions on that front?I assume they have a patent, pending or otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pisquee Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Could you get one of baby grand looking digital pianos? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoyan Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Could you get one of baby grand looking digital pianos? Too heavy! They're designed for people who want a nice piece of furniture as well as a keyboard. A rather mature market, I suspect...I guess I need a joiner or someone who works with fibreglass, but I'd really prefer it if they'd done something similar before.Thanks for the help so far, still waiting to hear back from johnhenrys who say they may have something "of interest".Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 To make a fake Grand doesn't take much effort at all - the difficult part is getting a shiny finish, if that's what you want. You can even take liberties with perspective to make the thing less deep than the real thing. The actual piano top can be made from MDF, and the sides from thin ply. Bottom can be MDF again, but have weight saving holes cut in it and then black cloth put above to seal it off. The one I made, using my basic, self-taught DIY skills was pretty simple. The top lid was drawn on a sheet, then the bottom was but with a 30mm inner line, to let the lid overlap the bottom, then the piano shape cut with a jigsaw. The top was then shortened for the space for the keyboard to fit, and then 50 x50 timbers glued and screwed to the bottom along all the edges where the ply side panels will go. some steel angle brackets were used to secure the top panel as we didn't want any screw holes showing. The side panels sit slightly recessed, to the lid, which is bigger, and extend to cover the mdf base, and were attached with contact adhesive. Once it was together, then a router cut a nice top edge lid effect. We actually sprayed ours matt white after a bit of sanding and filling. Gloss white would have been ok, but I'm not sure about black - whenever I've sprayed ordinary black paint it doesn't look right. Probably laquer type finishes could work, buit not tried those. This thing kicked about for a couple of years and looked pretty good, and not that heavy, really. I can't see me ever buying one when they're so simple to build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoman1226 Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 Hello, I believe I currently make exactly what you are looking for. I custom make Baby Grand piano shells for digital keyboards. It can be loaded in an SUV or even on the roof rack of a small car. The shell is light weight, but strong. Removable pins for the Lid just like a real piano, real piano hinges, and brass hardware. It can be taken apart (like a real piano: Legs, Lid, Music Stand, Key cover) I sell these at WAY LESS than the other companies out there (Think prices in the hundreds, NOT THOUSANDS like the OTHER companies). And since these are not made on an assembly line, they can be tailored to your needs. They will fit your keyboard PERFECTLY because we get the exact measurements to match the fit. we can add connections internally if you need them, internal lights, custom paint, custom height, even custom hardware can be made for you, all within a weeks time. the body can easily be picked up by one person, and moved from gig to gig without worry of a cheap plywood shell breaking. My pianos are made from solid wood, and braced internally with wood bracing and special locking joints. Contact me if you or anyone you know, might be interested in ordering one. BASE models start at $500! not like the others selling for $2,000-4,000 dollars. Even the "cheap ones" are $1,300, and they look nothing like a real Baby Grand, nor do the flap and wings work. Mine can be for someone who loves the look of a baby grand, but doesn't want to spend the money. OR for the gigging musician who needs the flair and flash of having a stage grand piano with them, without rental fees or big trouble in shipping or assembling one. CONTACT ME AT: Film@NYFilmStudios.com THESE PHOTOS BELOW ARE OF THE VERY BASE MODEL (Retro Legs, also comes with regular wood pianos legs), They only get nicer from there. AND YES WE DO Curved body's as well as angled. For that Steinway Look. We can also make full size Grand Pianos Shells as well. http://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano2.jpghttp://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano3.jpghttp://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano1.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mervaka Posted August 17, 2009 Share Posted August 17, 2009 where do you mic it? <_< Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pianoman1226 Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 where do you mic it? :D Haha, there are connections for stereo out digitally, some models come with built in speakers and the piano shell is acoustically tuned to sound just like a real grand. When you open and close the lid, it will effect the sound just like a real piano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.X Posted December 6, 2015 Share Posted December 6, 2015 Still making these? Do you have a website? Hello, I believe I currently make exactly what you are looking for. I custom make Baby Grand piano shells for digital keyboards. It can be loaded in an SUV or even on the roof rack of a small car. The shell is light weight, but strong. Removable pins for the Lid just like a real piano, real piano hinges, and brass hardware. It can be taken apart (like a real piano: Legs, Lid, Music Stand, Key cover) I sell these at WAY LESS than the other companies out there (Think prices in the hundreds, NOT THOUSANDS like the OTHER companies). And since these are not made on an assembly line, they can be tailored to your needs. They will fit your keyboard PERFECTLY because we get the exact measurements to match the fit. we can add connections internally if you need them, internal lights, custom paint, custom height, even custom hardware can be made for you, all within a weeks time. the body can easily be picked up by one person, and moved from gig to gig without worry of a cheap plywood shell breaking. My pianos are made from solid wood, and braced internally with wood bracing and special locking joints. Contact me if you or anyone you know, might be interested in ordering one. BASE models start at $500! not like the others selling for $2,000-4,000 dollars. Even the "cheap ones" are $1,300, and they look nothing like a real Baby Grand, nor do the flap and wings work. Mine can be for someone who loves the look of a baby grand, but doesn't want to spend the money. OR for the gigging musician who needs the flair and flash of having a stage grand piano with them, without rental fees or big trouble in shipping or assembling one. CONTACT ME AT: Film@NYFilmStudios.com THESE PHOTOS BELOW ARE OF THE VERY BASE MODEL (Retro Legs, also comes with regular wood pianos legs), They only get nicer from there. AND YES WE DO Curved body's as well as angled. For that Steinway Look. We can also make full size Grand Pianos Shells as well. http://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano2.jpghttp://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano3.jpghttp://www.newyorkfilmstudios.com/giuseppepugliesepiano1.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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