LATEST UPDATE OF THIS PAGE: 7/31/06

Our Services

 

Rebuilding & Refinishing For our current price of a typical restoration project click OUR RATES

 

Modern uprights, grands and players have been manufactured since the 1880's.  Many pianos built between 1890 and 1940 were extremely solid and reliable when new--well worth restoring!  Rebuilding a piano might include all the action and keyboard improvements mentioned in the section on "Repairs and Regulating," restringing and/or repinning, repairing or rebuilding a bass or treble bridge, installing a new pinblock, and repairing or replacing the sound board.  When a piano is restrung or repinned, it is also possible to remove the plate and to repair and refinish the sound board.  In our shop, we use only high quality new parts, and our major repairs are fully guaranteed for one year (parts and labor).  The cost of rebuilding a piano may vary from as little as $300 for rebuilding a bass bridge to as high as $15,000 for the restoration of a superior name brand grand.     Refinishing is best done when the piano is dismantled for reconditioning or rebuilding.  We strip each part, repair the cabinet where necessary, sand all surfaces, then apply stain and lacquer or a hand-rubbed finish.  When the piano is re-assembled, we correct all regulation adjustments to ensure that the piano is fully restored not only as a choice piece of furniture but also as a fine musical instrument.  Cost of refinishing may vary from as little as $1,000 for an upright to as much as $4,000 for a 6' grand.  We pick up and deliver the pianos we service, and our Service Offer will indicate the amount to be added for moving your piano. To keep the cost down, we ask for your assistance in loading or unloading at your home.     Do you need a piano for lessons or for practicing while yours is being restored in our shop?  Don't hesitate to ask us about the FREE LOAN of a reconditioned piano so that the lessons aren't interrupted.

 

Rebuilding a Grand Piano: An Illustration 1908 Hardman Grand 6'8"

1 – Piano action is completely disassembled for reconditioning.	2 – Damper mechanism and dampers are removed for cleaning and lubricating, and any defective parts are replaced.
3 – Keys are cleaned, keytops are repaired or replaced, cleaned and machine buffed.	4 – Keyframe is cleaned, pins are polished, new underkey punchings and key cloth are installed.
5 – New hammer shank knuckles are installed.	6 – Stringing scale is recorded, plate bolts are removed, plate is placed on blocks and hoisted up, then placed on a table.
7 – Plate is cleaned and understring felts are removed.	8 – Plate bolts are cleaned and polished.
9 – Plate is refinished with gold lacquer.	10 – Piano is covered with a blanket and a heater is placed under the soundboard to dry the sound board and expose any cracks.
11 – The soundboard and bridges are scraped and sanded, and any cracks are shimmed. If necessary, a new pinblock is made and installed.	12 – The soundboard is sealed and refinished with special lacquer, and a new soundboard decal is installed.
13 – The plate is hoisted back into position and bolted into place.  Understring felts are installed.	14 – The piano is restrung and repinned, following the stringing scale recorded earlier as a guide.
15 – New hammers are installed, keyheight is regulated, followed by regulation of hammer height, letoff, drop, and spring tension.	16 – Action is placed in position in the keybed, the dampers are regulated, keydip is regulated, and the piano is tuned to concert pitch.
17 – Music rest, end blocks, keyslip, and fallboard are re-installed.  The piano is tuned several times during the following weeks until tuning stability is achieved.  Now the piano is ready for delivery!	18 – If the piano being rebuilt is also refinished, stripping, sanding, repairs, and refinishing tasks are all completed while the action and plate are out of the piano.