Lipp, Richard Pianos
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Lipp uprights have a very rich tone and well angled bass strings. As the bass is so resonant it can sometimes be a problem damping them sufficiently and new springs and felts may need fitting.
This 85 note upright is often straight strung. The bass strings will therefore be shorter than on an overstrung but there are advantages as the damping is more even and the tone also.
This 5ft piano is the most common Lipp grand. It is very well made; occasionally the bass break point is weak, but this is the only real defect normally encountered. Restores will with excellent touch and tone. NB perhaps 2% of small Lipp grands are simplex action; best to check before buying.
Make: Lipp, Richard
Made in: Stuttgart, Germany
Made by: Lipp; modern ones by Bentley Piano co
Rating: 55-90. 1885-1935 restored ones nearly all rating 75-90. Some pre-1885 with lower rating. Modern pianos using the Lipp name not rated here.
Estimated Number In UK: 6,000 or one in 500. About 10% grand 90% upright. Nearly all 1890 – 1935. From 1985 the Lipp name was used by British and later by Chinese companies.
Year and serial number:
1880 – 9780<br>
\n1900 – 20480<br>
\n1920 – 36670<br>
\n1940 – c42900<br>
\n1960 – 44350<br>
\n1985 – 50001 Lipp name used by Bentley, UK<br>
\n1993 – 50220 Lipp name used by Whelpdale, Maxwell and Codd, UK until about 1995. Later pianos made in China but have no resemblance to the original.
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Similar ratings
Higher rated
- Waldstein (China) - 45-58
- Russel (and Russell) (London, UK) - 45-58
- Moore and Moore (Stoke Newington, UK) - 50-58
Slightly lower rated
- Archibald Ramsden (London, UK) - 42-52
- Bord (Paris, France) - 45-52
- Amyl (London, UK) - 40-50