LATEST UPDATE OF THIS PAGE: 2/9/04

Previous Projects

 

48" Columbus Five-Octave "Musette" #1252 Oak cabinet. Built approx. 1920. Reconditioned by Ray’s Piano Service, Winter 2002-2003. Our budget for this project was $1650, including pick up and delivery, after-delivery tuning, and 1-year guarantee on all improvements completed by Ray's Piano Service. Our low price for this rebuild project was possible because of the "miniature" size of the instrument. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED: Rebuild—Destring. Remove plate. Repair and refinish sound board. Install new pinblock. Re-install plate. Install new strings and pins. Recondition—Clean interior. Install new hammers, install new bridle tapes, install new damper pads,  tighten screws, replace additional defective parts, rebush keys as needed. Rebuild pedal mechanisms. Install new plastic keytops. Install new casters. Provide refinished oak bench, legs shortened to match keyboard height. Complete Regulation—Install new underkey punchings. All adjustments to ensure that piano plays like new, tune to A-440 SCHEDULE: Picked up: January 2003 Restoration completed: March 2003 Delivered: April  2003

 

1920 Columbus "Musette" 5-octave piano - "After" picture, compared to a full-size Kimball Upright:

 

1920 Columbus "Musette" 5-octave piano  - "After" picture:

 

Pictures of the improvement process taken in our shop:

1 – We dismantled the piano.	2 – The old pinblock was so rotten that the tuning pins were no longer able to hold pitch.
3 – We refinished the plate and sound board.	4 – After re-bolting the plate to the soundboard and the pinblock, we drilled the pinblock.
5 – The new pinblock is attached to the frame above the soundboard.	6 – After installing understring felt, we installed new strings and pins.
7 – We cleaned the pedals and other metal parts, then reassembled the "bottom board."	8 – We reassembled the side walls and the keybed.
9 – We installed new casters.	10 – We completely dismantled the action.
11 – Ready for installation of keyframe, keys, and action.	12 – We cleaned the dampers before re-attaching them to the damper rail.
13 – We replaced all defective butt squares.	14 – We replaced several missing hammer springs.
15 - We installed new hammers.	16 – We installed new treble damper pads.
17 - We installed new bass damper pads with the action in the piano.	18 – We removed the original keytops.
19 - We glued new keytops to the keys and filed the edges.	20 – We conducted a complete regulation: adjusted hammer blow distance, key height, lost motion, letoff, key dip, dampers, spoons.
21 - We tuned the piano several times in our shop before delivery, in order to establish tuning stability.	22 – The lid can be raised, to increase the volume of the music. This tiny piano is a real novelty!