LATEST UPDATE OF THIS PAGE: 2/9/04

Previous Projects

 

56" Knabe Upright #63881 Ribbon mahogany cabinet. Built in 1907. Rebuilt and Refinished by Ray’s Piano Service, Spring 2003 This piano had been previously reconditioned, regulated, rekeyed and refinished, but we arranged to redo the restoration in order to correct earlier problems. Our budget for the restoration was $3,500 not including transportation. IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED: Rebuild—Dismantle. Remove strings, pins, plate. Repair and refinish sound board and bridges. Re-install plate. Install new strings and pins. Rebuild pedal mechanisms. Recondition Action—Clean, re-install hammers (to correct earlier installation), install new bridle tapes, install new damper pads,  tighten screws, replace additional defective parts, rebush keys as needed. Re-install loose and missing ivory keytops. Grind keytops smooth to front edges. Complete Regulation—Install new underkey punchings. Make adjustments to ensure that piano plays like new: key height, key levelling, hammer blow distance, lost motion, letoff,  sustain, spoons. Tune to A-440 Refinish—Reshape keytops to keys, Dismantle, Strip, repair veneer as needed, sand, stain with dark walnut, apply sealer, apply lacquer. SCHEDULE: Signed Service Agreement : February 2003 Shipped from Lordsburg, NM: February 2002 Restoration completed: April 2003 Picked up by owner from Lordsburg, NM: April 2003

 

1907 Knabe Upright --"After" picture:

 

1907 Knabe Upright--Close-up of keys and decal:

 

Pictures of the improvement process taken in our shop:

1 – "Before" picture. A very solid cabinet with some veneer damage, cracks in the soundboard, hammers badly misaligned, many action parts worn, keytops too large, etc.	2 – We dismantled the piano and made a string pattern, to be sent to the string-makers.
3 – We took a digital picture of the serial number. We had a sign-maker produce a stencil of the number, to be installed on the plate with refinishing.	4 – We removed the strings and pins.
5 – After removing the plate bolts, we lifted the plate out of cabinet with our ceiling-mounted winch	6 – We the soundboard and bridges exposed, we were able to make repairs and refinish.
7 – We dried the soundboard by covering it with blankets and placing a heater under it for a number of hours.	8 – We placed wood pieces between the ribs and the frame to return the soundboard to its original "crown" shape.
9 – Using special home-made vices for clamping, we re-attached the soundboard to the ribs with glue.	10 – We installed wood shims in all the soundboard cracks with glue.
11 – We repaired a loose section of the treble bridge.	12 – We installed two home-made handles in the back of the piano.
13 – We stripped all the panels and the cabinet.	14 – We glued and clamped loose veneer.
15 – We applied dark walnut paste stain to all panels and to the cabinet. The owner wanted a finish that would minimize the grain pattern.	16 – After refinishing the soundboard and the plate, we re-bolted the plate in place, installed new understring felt, and restrung the piano with new strings and pins.
17 – Restrung, the rear of the piano's inside looks new again!	18 – When the stain was dry, we applied sealer to all panels and cabinet.
19 – We masked off the restrung "harp" for refinishing.	20 – We placed the refinished panels in storage until dry.
21 – We cleaned the keybed and installed new key cloth and underkey punchings.	22 – We re-installed the keybed and the "bottom board."
23 – We shaped the keytops to the keys.	24 – We lubricated action joints where needed and replaced worn felts.
25 – We installed new bridle tapes.	26 – We reglued a number of damper pads that were poorly spaced.
27 – We removed and reglued hammers that were poorly aligned.	28 – We spaced the dampers to the strings by bending damper wires.
29 – We corrected "key dip," the downward travel of the keys to 13/32" by re-arranging underkey punchings.	30 – We leveled the key heights by re-arranging balance rail punchings.
31 – We installed two finger hinges to guide travel of the music rest panel.	32 – We installed a new lower panel spring.
33 – After re-assembly, we tuned the piano several times.	34 – This Knabe Upright has an unusual music rest on hinges that opens up above the keys.