Repair

Fixing for perfect sound

Like the old saying goes, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”  If it is broke, I’m here to help.  I have been working with pianos for many years and I know what it’s like to have such a beautiful instrument damaged.  I want to be there to help restore your piano to working condition and offer a value and customer service you have never experienced.  If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will do what I can to see your piano back to it’s original self.

 

Bridge Replacement

Bridges can be repaired or replaced and are cheaper than buying a new piano. Pianos generally have 2 “bridges”: a treble and a bass bridge. A piano bridge is the same as a violin. It is a piece of wood that transmits the vibrations of the strings to the soundboard. A bridge can develop cracks or become unglued from the soundboard. These defects can cause annoying sounds in certain strings, or a “dead” tone, especially in the bass.

Dampers

A piece of felt that touches strings to stop the sound in approximately 1 ½ seconds Did you hear ringing after you let go of the key? The damper itself is connected to a wire that is connected to about 20 other moving parts. Fixing a damper could literally take 30 seconds or require hours of repair, replacement and adjustment.

Field Repairs

The piano “action” is the mechanism that strikes the strings to produce a sound. A piano has thousands of parts, mostly of wood, felt and leather that “can” wear out or break. Amazingly parts from a 1900 vintage piano to a newer 2001 piano can be replaced. Some times parts cost $0.25 or $$$ and fixing a part deep inside the piano takes time. I ask you to pay me the time it takes to fix the broken part and let me tell you the honest cost from a piano supply house for the actual price.

Hammer Reshaping / Replacement

Piano hammers are designed to have a rounded top resulting in a precise striking surface. After a piano has a few years of use the hammer tops become flattened with string grooves cut into the hammer surface. The grooves cause a harsh, unclear tone in the piano and the flattened surface can cause strings to break. To fix this condition the hammers are reshaped.

The piano action is taken out of the piano and the hammers are filed to the proper shape. This procedure takes a few hours to do depending on how worn the hammers are. Very little hammer material is taken off the hammer top so this procedure can be done a few times in the life of the hammer. The action needs to be adjusted (regulated) somewhat after reshaping the hammers because the hammer distance from the strings changes. Usually hammer reshaping is done as part of a regulation job.

Benefits of reshaping/replacing piano hammers: 1) The piano has a clearer, sweeter tone. 2) Strings are less likely to break. 3) The proper shape of the hammers provides an optimal foundation for precise piano regulation.

Parts

Major components of the grand and upright pianos are the cabinet/rim, the soundboard and bridges, the hammers, strings, and pins and the action. The customer calls and says “I have a sticky key” and usually the action is the culprit. There are over 30 parts for each key that can be adjusted, fixed or repaired.

Pedals

Need adjustments or hear a squeek? Look at all of the components: Piano Pedals for either Uprights and Grands, Hardware, Lyres, Braces, Platforms, extenders, Brackets, Buttons, Props, Springs, Pedal Covers just to name a few.

Repairs

The piano is a musical instrument with parts that allow the action to function properly. Take your car: You change the oil, rotate the tires and put gas in it to make it work for years. Pianos have the potential to last for “generations” and require care and maintenance so repairing components will keep your instrument fully functionally for years to come.

Trap Work

The trap-work on some Grands and Uprights looks like it has been in hibernation for years. Some times the pedal mechanism is not worth replacing but I suggest at least stopping the squeaks and improving the function.