21 May 2014 Piano Tuning and Piano Repair

Piano Tuning and Piano Repair

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One of the most commonly asked questions we receive pertains to piano tuning.

A piano is a living, breathing instrument. Over time the sound adjusts based on the conditions around it. Climate, environment, where a piano sits, how often its played, all impact the overall sound quality. And around every six months or so, an adjustment helps keep it in quality condition, creating proper sound for the months ahead.Piano Tuning and Piano Repair

Piano tuning is the process of removing the tuning pins within the piano with a tuning hammer, then setting them to the appropriate tension in order to produce the correct sound.

The action, or the mechanics, of the piano are not regulated or removed during the piano tuning process. The way the piano plays will n0t be chanced. Tuning only refers to bringing the notes back to the correct sound. If the action of the piano had a problem before tuning, it will remain after the process unless repairs are made to correct it.

During the piano tuning process, if a tuner identifies a problem, he will notify the owner of the potential problem either before or during the tuning process. The owner can then decide how to proceed in order to bring the piano back up to full working condition.

Typically, a normal piano tuning process can help maintain a piano’s sound quality if it is tuned about every six months.

If a piano hasn’t been tuned in a year or two, or undergoes dramatic environmental changes between tunings, a tuner will typically perform a “pitch raise”, essentially a double tuning in order to bring a piano back to working condition.

If a piano hasn’t been tuned in years, before you schedule a piano tuning session, it may be wise to have it evaluated first for potential restoration and repair. The evaluator will be able to provide you with detail on how much work it would take to being it back to working order, or give you other options if you desire to have a quality piano in your life.

Have additional questions? The best way to proceed is to give us a call today to schedule the right service for your situation.

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17 May 2014 Restoring Your Vintage Piano: Where To Start

Restoring Your Vintage Piano: Where To Start

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Contemplating restoring your vintage piano? One of the first places to start is determining how old your instrument is. Here in the industry, we use a handful of historical publications that cross reference brand names with serial numbers in order to target the date your piano was produced.

To find your serial number, most pianos have the brand name and serial number inside the instrument near the strings or the soundboard. An upright will have the information just inside the lid, or stamped on the back of the piano. A grand will usually stamp the information near the soundboard. Organs and melodeons are usually stamped inside the cabinet, or will sometimes use a handwritten tag or sticker, depending on the age. Keep in mind that any ages or dates you find within these stamps are likely to be associated with the date the manufacturer went into business, not the date the piano was manufactured.Restoring Your Vintage Piano: Where To Start

If a piano has ever been unprofessionally finished or restored, the original brand information may have been removed. Look throughout the inside of the piano. The inside information usually remains, even if the unprofessional finisher placed identifying material on the outside hoping to increase its value.

Once you find the brand name and serial number, give us a call and we will assist you in determining the age of your instrument.

Age can sometimes correlate to value, though if the piano is unrestored it may only be worth a fraction of its potential. Think of a car sitting in a garage, covered in rust, and nonoperational due to neglect. It has little value. But if its restored to its original beauty, depending on the make and model may provide a tidy sum. Pianos work in a very similar manner.

When a piano is professionally restored, it refers to the process a professional uses to rebuild both the internal and external parts of the piano. Restoration includes rebuilding all of the working parts within the piano, as well as the cosmetic items that give the piano its look and feel.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen the market for vintage pianos increase dramatically in part due to the education and ability to learn more about the process. When vintage pianos sat in storage or an old garage, they were passed along from family to family with little thought of their value. Today, because people care more about value, we have more people interested in restoring their pianos, and likewise more people willing to invest in a quality piano that has quality through and through. If you have a piano and are wondering what your next step is, give us a call today. We’ll help you with the process and give you the steps to take to restore your own vintage piano.

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15 May 2014 7 Things You May Not Know About Piano Restoration Services

7 Things You May Not Know About Piano Restoration Services

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1. Some retail piano stores may tell you your piano isn’t worth restoring. If they only sell new/used pianos, and don’t offer restoration services, they have a vested interest in getting you to buy a new or used piano. The only way to find out truly what value your current piano has, and to discover the best direction you should take for bringing a fully functioning piano into your life is to build a relationship with a piano company that offers all three. They will show you the comparisons, and let you decide what choice is the best for you and your situation.

2. A typical piano has over 12,000 parts to it. When it comes to restoration, the purpose is to bring back the piano to its original quality, using new parts where needed and relying on refurbishing the parts that can be saved.7 Things You May Not Know About Piano Restoration Services

3. We understand that a lot of pianos that we get restoration requests for have sentimental value. And in most cases, every piano has the potential of being able to be restored. If the piano has spent its life indoors, even if its in a garage or storage unit, it probably can be restored. If it was left outside and exposed to the elements, particularly extensive water damage, its generally beyond repair. If you have any questions, the best place to start is with a conversation – give us a call.

4. By definition, any piano that isn’t new is used. But differentiating between a used and a restored piano usually comes down to the piano’s origins. The Golden Era of the piano was around the turn of the 20th century. Before radio and television became the mainstay of the home, pianos were usually front and center for every family. Piano playing skills were a mainstay, with almost every generation taking up the ability at some point in their lives. With the great depression and the subsequent generations finding other activities to venture into, and mass production making its way into our society, we soon found an abundance of pianos in all price and quality levels. And at the same time not everyone choosing to play.

So in general, a used piano will be 40 years or less. A restored piano or a piano that is viable for the restoration process is usually older than 40 years, was hand-built, and contains details and fine quality workmanship that makes it something to be fully appreciated now and in the future.

5. If you want a piano with history, you can request buying a restored, vintage piano rather than looking at new or used. Many pianos come with stories, and we understand if you have your heart set on something specific. If you have a brand, make or model, we will do our best to find exactly what you are looking for.

6. Restoration isn’t synonymous with replacement. For instance, part of the restoration process is the art of voicing the hammers. If a hammer is worn, it won’t produce quality sound. It takes skill and patience to file each hammer back into working condition, so that it produces the correct sound when it makes contact with the wire.

7. Strings are not created equal on a piano. Every piano uses its own size and style – using the wrong size can cause configuration problems, causing the sound to be distorted. A quality restorer understands this and always uses the right tools and products for the brand, style and size of the piano being restored.

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10 May 2014 Piano Restoration Is It A Do It Yourself Project?

Piano Restoration Is It A Do It Yourself Project?

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I have a family friend who is downsizing and asked if I wanted their old piano. Its been down in their basement in storage for years and hasn’t been played or tuned during that timeframe. I have young kids that I would love to have learn to play, and this seems like a great way of getting a piano for them. Should I do it? Can I clean it up and make it playable on my own, or should I hire a professional piano restoration team instead. I played piano myself as a child, but that’s been years and I’m not sure I have what it takes to make this a do it yourself project and make the piano functional as well.

Some things are easy do it yourself projects. And some things aren’t. Piano restoration falls into the latter category. Here’s why.Piano Restoration Is It A Do It Yourself Project?

First of all, a piano has many different parts, each that have to be in good working order for it to be a playable instrument. Sure, you can play a piano even if its wildly out of tune, but will you have an enjoyable experience when nothing sounds quite right to your ear? Its hard for anyone to learn or appreciate music in that situation.

The first determination is to find out what works and what doesn’t. Soundboards tend to dry out, shrink and crack as they age, especially if they are in an environment they aren’t well suited for and has varying temperatures and humidity levels throughout the year. Keys can be worn, strings can be broken or missing, rust can be set in place, glue joints can be coming apart. In short, there are many things that may be wrong, and if you don’t have the knowledge or skill to look for the underlying problem, fixing it is an impossibility.

Your first hurdle is often the moving process. It isn’t like a chair or table you can pick up and put in the back of a pickup truck and drive back to your home. Depending on the size of the piano, you could do serious damage to the piano or even to you, the movers, if you attempt it on your own. Piano movers are always recommended as they have the experience to get it safely from one location to the other.

Piano restoration can be something as simple as restoring the case in which the piano resides, to something complex like restoring the entire piano, inside and out. Cost varies depending on the amount of work that needs to be done, and the type and style of piano we’re working with. The only way to truly know what work needs to be performed is to view the piano itself.

Would your family friend be open to having a piano restoration consultant come out and look at the piano before you consider the move? It’s the only way to determine what value the piano holds for you and your family.

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9 May 2014 Upright Piano Restoration: Is It Time?

Upright Piano Restoration: Is It Time?

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Do you have an old upright piano you are considering restoring? No matter how long its been since you played it, you can bring it to its original condition once again.

If you have have been contemplating a restoration for your upright piano, but have been holding back because you weren’t sure of the process, here are a few guidelines to show you what is possible during the restoration process, and how your piano will look when the work is complete.

For most pianos that come in for restoration, they have specific problems that either make the piano unplayable, or simply an eye sore because of missing or broken parts.

The most important part of restoration is keeping the piano at historically correct specifications while maintaining as much of the original parts as possible.Upright Piano Restoration: Is It Time?

If a piano is old, worn, and materials have deteriorated over time, certain parts will most likely be replaced: felts, leather, strings – these will be replaced to make the mechanics of the piano top quality.

If the cabinet is still in good shape, as much of it as possible will be maintained. A great restorer will focus in on keeping the wood as original as possible, while focusing in on adding molding, carvings, and other details to match what still exists. When completed, it will receive a high quality lacquer finish to give it beauty and shine.

If ivory is present, we will attempt to restore whenever possible. Ivory is now outlawed from purchase due to the Endangered Species Act, but if it exists in your piano and it is fixable, every attempt will be made to use it. If not, faux ivory will be used in its place.

In all piano restorations, the soundboard is repaired and refinished to guarantee you a quality sound. New action pieces are used whenever appropriate, such as shanks and hammers, strings and turning pins. Upright piano pinblocks are plugged and re-drilled as needed to increase the integrity of the final instrument.

Above all, care is given to the entire instrument throughout the process. And when you see the final piano in your home, moved and tuned with care, you’ll once again be proud of the piano that has been a big part of your life up until this moment, and has years of life left to give.

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3 May 2014 Piano Restoration: What If My Piano Has Ivory Keys?

Piano Restoration: What If My Piano Has Ivory Keys?

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I’ve been contemplating piano restoration for a long time now. I have an antique piano dating back to my grandmother. The problem is I know it has ivory keys. If I bring it in for restoration, what will happen to the ivory? I know ivory isn’t used anymore, but I would like my piano to remain as original as possible.

We get questions like this all the time. And the topic of ivory keys is a hot topic when it comes to pianos.

First of all, lets talk about ivory and how you can tell if its real.

As a part of the endangered species act, buying or selling ivory is illegal. Ivory comes from the tusks of elephants or in some cases walrus, and is taken in illegal, and often brutal ways.

Most pianos made up until 1956 used a thin covering ivory veneer over the top of the wooden key. Keys are not solid ivory.

Pianos built after this time will not have ivory on them.

To tell if your keys are made from real ivory, you can perform a simple test. Heat a needle with a flame from a lighter or candle. Stick the heated end into the key. If it melts into the key, its plastic; if it doesn’t go in, its ivory.piano-restoration-what-if-my-piano-has-ivory-keys

Ivory keys are almost always made up of the front, the head and the tail. If you shine a light at an angle across the keys, you will see a thin parting seam between the head and the tail with a wood-like grain to it. Ivory becomes rough when soiled, which suits many pianists because they don’t like to play on slippery keys.

If you have ivory keys, they really don’t have much value because of the legality issues. If your piano has ivory keys, it is important that you have CITES paperwork that proves what type of animal and scientific name of the animal used, as well as age, what date and what manufacturer was used in production. You can request a permit directly from the US Fish and Game Department if you plan on selling, or will be moving across state lines. If you can’t prove it, your piano could face a fine or confiscation by the US Fish and Game Department.

If you are debating about the best way to approach restoration, you have two options. If your keys are in good shape and you have the proper paperwork, they can remain intact. If they need to be replaced, we can replace them with simulated ivory or plastic key covers that provide you with a new look and feel to your treasured piano.

Have more questions? We would be happy to answer all of them, and show you how your antique piano can become a beautiful addition to your home once more.

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30 April 2014 Antique Piano Restoration

Antique Piano Restoration

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Antique Piano RestorationIf you have an older piano in need of repair, there are many things you can search for when looking for information on how to go about it. Antique piano restoration, piano refinishing, piano repairs, or even piano refurbishing are all common terms in the piano industry.

But no matter what you call it, it all leads to the same outcome. It’s the process of bringing a piano back to a playable and serviceable condition.

Before you begin, start by asking yourself one question. Is the piano worth the cost of the rebuild? In most cases, the answer is yes because not only does it take into account the condition the piano will be in after the restoration, it may also have sentimental value as well.

What are the benefits of piano restoration?

  • In many cases, the cost or repairs and/or restoration will be far less than what you would pay for a brand new piano of equal quality.
  • If your piano is antique, the piano casing and style is probably no longer available. In many cases the wood is far superior to wood used today, and in order to maintain the old look and feel, which may match your home’s décor, restoration may be the best option.
  • If you own an antique piano, chances are it has some sentimental value to it. Yet no matter how much sentiment it carries, if it isn’t playable, it doesn’t have much value. Restoration will increase its intrinsic value all around.
  • If you are trying to live green and be friendlier on the environment, restoration is the way to go. To care for something that’s already in our homes rather than sending it to the landfill will always be a savings overall.
  • Many older pianos have been hand crafted, and therefore have details that only can come from being made individually by hand. Those loving details can be saved and highlighted during a restoration process.

Each piano restoration is unique to the individual piano that is being restored. It may contain a component of rebuilding, reconditioning, or even just general repair, depending on the extent of damage.

To get a better understanding of what we could do with your antique piano restoration process, give us a call today. We’re happy to answer all of your questions as you consider this highly detailed process.

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