LATEST UPDATE OF THIS PAGE: 2/9/04

Previous Projects

 

49 1/2" Clarendon Upright #106782

Dark Walnut, Built in 1925, Restored by Ray's Piano Service, Fall 2003

IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED:

Rebuild—Repair soundboard, refinish soundboard & bridges, restring and repin.

Recondition action—Complete cleaning, install new hammers, tighten action screws, replace all defective parts.

Regulate—all adjustments to ensure that piano plays like new, install new underkey punchings, tune to A-440.

SCHEDULE:

Picked up from Richland, WA : June 2003

Restoration completed: October 2003

Delivered to Richland, WA: October 18, 2003

After-delivery check and tuning: April 27, 2004

BUDGET:

This piano was a "family heirloom," brought across the US by train when the family moved from the Midwest to Washington. Our budget for the entire restoration project, including pick-up and delivery, after-delivery tuning, and 1-year guarantee on all improvements, was $4,200 plus taxes.

 

1925 Clarendon Upright -- "After" picture, taken in the owner's home after delivery:

 

1925 Clarendon Upright -- "Before" picture:

 

Pictures of the improvement process
taken in our shop

 

1 – We dismantled the piano and removed the bass strings, to be mailed to the string-maker for duplication.

2 – We stripped the original finish from all panels.
 

 

3 – We stripped the finish from the cabinet.

4 - We stripped the old finish from the bench and repaired the loose joints.

 

5 – We unbolted and removed the plate.

6 - We repaired the soundboard with wood shim and refinished the soundboard.

 

7 – After cleaning it, we re-bolted the plate onto the piano frame.

8 - We reglued veneer where it had loosened, then stripped and sanded all surfaces. We stained all outside surfaces of the piano with dark walnut stain and applied sealer and clear lacquer.

 

9 – We completed dismantled the action as the first step of the reconditioning process.

10 - We installed new hammers.

 

11 – We installed new bridle tapes.

12 - We installed new treble dampers.

 

13 – After giving the lacquered finish on the cabinet enough time to dry, we installed new strings and pins.

14 - We reassembled the action, tightening all screws and lubricating moving parts. Now the action is ready to be returned to the piano for the regulation process and final tuning.

 

15 – We re-installed the keybed and the legs.

16 - We had the pedals rechromed by a local replating firm and rebuilt the "bottom board."

 

17 – Before replacing the keys, we regulated the hammer blow distance.

18 - With the action in the piano, we installed new bass dampers.

 

19 – We removed the original black keytops and replaced them with new ebony tops.

20 - We buffed the ivory keytops on our machine buffer using special buffing compound.

 

21 – We cleaned the surface of the keybed and the nickel pins, and installed new keycloth and balance rail punchings.

22 - We repaired a cracked key.

 

23 – We regulated key height and leveling, and then conducted all additional regulation adjustments: capstans, let-off, key dip, damper wires, damper spoons, pedals.

24 - We tuned the piano four times in the weeks prior to delivery.

 

25 – We delivered the piano to the owner's home in Richland, about 300 miles from our shop. Because of the distance, we agreed to return and complete the "after-delivery check and tuning" on a weekend several months after delivery. We took our camera with us, and took this picture of the piano in the owner's home.

26 - Close-up picture of the decal and the new keys. This piano now looks and plays "like new" again!