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What
is the difference between reconditioning and rebuilding?
Reconditioning generally refers to overhauling the piano
without replacing parts. It includes things like regulation, hammer reshaping, key rebushing. Rebuilding, which is sometimes
done along with refinishing, can involve replacing strings, tuning pins, pinblock, hammers, action, etc. A rebuilt piano should
play and sound as well as when the piano was new.
Is it worth rebuilding an old piano?
Because rebuilding
is such a huge job, it is often questionable whether it is worth doing to an average or lesser quality piano. Certainly if
a piano has sentimental value or if the owner wants it to play at its best, I will be happy to do the work. But in most cases,
a complete rebuild is done to pianos with better quality names. It may actually cost less to buy a brand new piano then to
rebuild and refinish an older one. (This is primarily because of cheaper labor overseas.) Many older pianos are of poor quality
and never sounded that good to begin with; a few older pianos still sound great after 75 years, even without a complete rebuilding.
How can I tell if a piano has been rebuilt?
It is difficult for an untrained eye to determine how much
work has been done to a piano. Often the piano has had less work done then people think. I've seen many pianos that were supposedly
"rebuilt", when all that was done is keytops and a paint job.
What is involved in rebuilding a piano?
For a complete rebuild, the piano is taken completely apart. The strings are removed, as well as the tuning pins.
Then the cast iron plate must be lifted off. This weighs several hundred pounds and requires an engine hoist. The pinblock,
which hold the tuning pins under enormous stress, should be replaced with an exact duplicate. The bass strings have to be
custom made to precisely fit the piano. The soundboard gets repaired or replaced if necessary and refinished. The plate (harp)
also gets refinished. The action is taken apart and parts are replaced. The key bushing felt is replaced. When everything
is put back together, a great deal of adjustment (regulation) and many tunings are needed to stabilize the piano. The entire
process can take a few months.
Is a complete rebuild always necessary for older pianos?
There are different
schools of thought on whether it is always advantageous to replace everything. Some old soundboards sound better to me than
some new ones. Even old hammers can sound good sometimes if they have enough felt left. I'm not a believer in replacing everything
on a piano just because it's in the shop. However, parts that could fail in the future (such as a pinblock) are better off
being replaced once a piano is taken apart.
Is real ivory still available?
Ivory has generally not been
used since the 1950's. Some people prefer the feel of genuine ivory, as it is more porous than plastic. If a few ivories are
missing or chipped, I can replace or repair them. If two many are damaged or missing, I can replace with either plastic or
legal pre-ban ivory. I also offer bleaching of yellow ivories.
What if a piano has a cracked soundboard?
Cracks in a soundboard do not normally effect the sound of the piano. However, if the soundboard becomes unglued from the
ribs, it may develop unpleasant noises. More than anything, it is an indication that the piano is too dry. Sometimes cracks
will disappear when the humidity rises. Cracks can be repaired during piano rebuilding, although this is done partly for cosmetic
reasons. During the soundboard repair, the board is reglued to the ribs wherever there is separation occuring. This will prevent
noises that can occur in an old soundboard.
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