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Piano Restored on Contract with Owner

5'5" Chickering Grand #129825

Mahogany case. Built in 1918. Being restored by Ray’s Piano Service, April-August 2006.

IMPROVEMENTS:

Rebuild—Repair and refinish soundboard and plate. Install new pinblock. Restring and repin. Rebuild, rebush, lubricate pedal mechanisms. Install new damper pads. Install new keytops.

Recondition action—Tighten screws, install new hammers, shanks, flanges. Replace other defective parts.

Regulation—All adjustments to ensure that piano plays like new. Install new underkey punchings. Tune to A-440.

Refinish—Dismantle, strip, repair, sand, apply filler, stain, sealer, lacquer, reassemble.

SCHEDULE:

Pick up—From Lake Stevens, WA on April 20, 2006.

Restoration Schedule--April-August, 2006.

Delivery--To Everett, WA on August 18, 2006.

1918 Chickering Grand --"Before pick-up"

1918 Chickering Grand --"Ready for Delivery"

1918 Chickering Grand --"Happy Owner" -- The owner arranged for delivery to her new home in Everett--just after moving in. Still surrounded by packing boxes, she couldn't wait to try it!

1918 Chickering Grand 5'5"
Pictures of the Evaluation & Improvement Process
taken in our shop:

1 – We dismantled the piano. We noted several areas of damage to the piano's exterior. Improvements will be made during the refinishing process, by extra sanding or replacement where necessary.

2 – Plate lettering indicates the piano's legitimacy. The Chickering brand name has a long and distinguished history in the U.S. since being established by Jonas Chickering and James Stewart in 1823.

3 – The sound board appeared to be close to original condition. We will destring the piano, remove the dampers and the plate and check soundboard crown before proceeding.

4 – The sustain and sostenuto mechanisms are still in good shape. We will remove these parts for reconditioning. The pinblock is split in several places and will need to be replaced.

5 – We placed the piano on our Grand Transporter for easy moving around our shop.

6 – Several original keytops (plastic) are chipped at the front, and they are badly discolored. We will install new plastic keytops.

7 – The action shows evidence of several earlier repairs and replacements. During reconditioning, we will install all new hammers, shanks, and flanges.

8 – The original wippens and back checks show some wear, but we'll replace only those which are defective. These parts can be replaced any time in the future.

9 – We removed the bass strings and sent them to the string maker for duplication.

10 – We prepared a chart showing treble string sizes, for reference with restringing.

11 – We removed the treble strings. For details about conversion of the damper underlevers, click Converting the Underlever Flanges of a Grand Piano.

12 – We removed the plate bolts.

13 – We removed the sostenuto mechanism, the damper stop rail and the damper action from the keybed.

15 – We raised the plate above the level of the rim in order to prevent scratching of the rim when the plate is lifted out.

15 – We lifted the plate out of the piano using our ceiling-mounted winch. For descriptions and pictures of the pinblock replacement process for this piano, click Replacing a Pinblock in a Chickering Grand.

16 – We stripped, scraped, and sanded the surfaces of the soundboard, bridges, and rim, to remove layers of previous finishes and prepare the wood for refinishing. For descriptions and pictures of the refinishing process for this piano, click Refinishing a Chickering Grand.

17 – We arranged the "back action" components on our worktable for careful examination: the dampers, the damper guide rails, the damper stop rails, the damper underlevers with flanges and regulating buttons, and the sostenuto. To improve the functioning of these parts, we decided (1) to replace the damper pads and (2) to convert the underlever flanges.

18 – We arranged the "back action" components on our worktable for careful examination: the dampers, the damper guide rails, the damper stop rails, the damper underlevers with flanges and regulating buttons, and the sostenuto. To improve the functioning of these parts, we decided (1) to replace the damper pads and (2) to convert the underlever flanges.

19 – We cleaned and polished the brass pedals and props.

20 – We rebushed the holes with new felt and re-assembled the pedal lyre.

21 – We re-installed the legs and the lyre in the piano.

22 – We installed a few dampers to test the accuracy of the converted flanges and of the sostenuto mechanism. Before installing the plate, we removed these dampers again. We also removed the bass damper guides to leave plenty of room for the plate.

23 – We re-installed the pinblock.

24 – We re-installed the refinished plate, using our ceiling-mounted winch.

25 – With the pinblock jack and stringing guide in place, we restrung the treble section.

26 – We tightened the plate bolts and screws, then installed understring felt and plate bushings.

27 – Tenor section strings were tied individually to the hitch pins.

28 – After completion of restringing, we "chipped" all strings up to pitch and we tuned the piano before reconditioning the action. The piano will have had several tunings before delivery in August, 2006.

29 – We dismantled the piano action, cleaned the keyframe and pins, and installed new underkey punchings.

30 – We removed the old keytops and installed a set of new plastic keytops.

31 – We shaped the plastic keytops to the wood, using a special jig on our router.

32 – Using the "Spurlock Hammer Hanging Jig," we installed new shanks and hammers.

33 – With regulating weights on the back checks, we regulated key height, levelling, spacing, and key dip.

34 – We installed new leather on the most worn back checks in the mid-section of the keyboard.

35 – Using our Jaras regulating guides, we spaced the repetition levers and jacks, then set hammer blow distance, letoff, drop, checking, and spring strength.

36 – With action regulation completed, we installed the action in the piano to check and refine our adjustments.

37 – We installed the dampers. . .

38 – With regulation complete, we gave the piano its first accurate tuning. Finally, the piano can make beautiful music again! We'll be delivering this piano in about a month--giving us opportunity to assemble the piano and tune it several times before delivery.

39 – We installed and regulated the sostenuto mechanism. When the middle pedal is pressed while a bass note is played, the sostenuto holds up the damper for that note.

40 – We installed the fallboard stop and the action shift stop on the right side of the keybed.

41 – We installed nameboard felt on the fallboard and rebuilt the fallboard support pins, located on the two end blocks. The fallboard now opens at precisely the correct height over the keys.

42 – We polished the fallboard hinge and assembled the fallboard using new screws.

43 – We assembled the music rest, installed the music rest glides on the interior walls, and placed the music rest in the piano.

44 – We assembled the lid, installed the lid props and rubber punchings.

45 – We assembled the bench.

46 – We will check and tune the piano a final time in a couple of weeks before delivery.