Rebuilding vs. Restoration | Piano Regulation And Voicing

Every week, I speak with at least a couple of people who are interested in not giving up on their older piano, but rather bringing it back to a playable condition. There are two ways to do this: Rebuilding and Restoration. Both attempt to restore the piano to its former glory, but the philosophy behind them differs.

Rebuilding can involve anything from an action overhaul to replacement of soundboard, strings, and pin block. Where possible, new parts are used. I say where possible because while the industry became standardized around the 1920s, pianos prior to that often have parts for which it is impossible to find replacements.

For example, we are doing a rebuild right now for a client in Albany, a piano from 1909. The hammer butts and hammer assemblies are able to be replaced, but the whippens (the mechanism which transfers the energy from the key to the hammer assembly) are non-standard and must be reconditioned by cleaning and by replacing leather and felt where possible. 

Rebuilding often gives the best musical results, as newer parts are often superior. However, some people want their piano as true to the original as possible. That is where restoration comes in.

Restoration seeks to use the original parts and historically accurate materials. This will reproduce, as closely as possible, the aesthetic of the time in which the piano was built. This route is most often reserved for pianos which have great historical or sentimental value. It is often cheaper to replace parts than it is to recondition them, as reconditioning is extremely labor-intensive. Thus, the cost of historical restoration of a piano can exceed that of rebuilding by a fair amount.

Whether you are interested in rebuilding or restoring your piano, New York Piano Works is the primer facility for Upstate New York and the entire Hudson Valley. Make an appointment to have your piano evaluated today! www.newyorkpianoworks.com 

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Piano Repair | Piano Finish Repair

“I rescued a piano from a bar in town and it was in rough shape. I called Scott up and he came by to see what he could do. He sorted it all out in a few hours and even swung back by a couple weeks later to make some final adjustments that really brought this piano back to life. I would highly recommend this business to anyone! Thanks!”

— Nicholas Cameron

“It was obvious to me that Scott was highly experienced. He’s incredibly knowledgeable. He responded quickly and scheduling was simple! I couldn’t be happier with his attention to detail. He took the time to explain everything and offered options and suggestions that fit my needs.”

— Dusica Goralewski

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Piano Regulation And Voicing | Piano Humidity Control

Many people are not aware that humidity can have a profound effect on the tuning and performance of your piano. Humidity is a measure of how much water vapor is in the air, relative to the maximum amount of water vapor it can hold (that’s why it’s called relative humidity!).  Your piano is subject to wide swings in humidity. This is particularly true in the Hudson Valley, where the majority of our clients live. In the summer, humidity levels can go as high as 100%, while in the winter, your heating system can drop the relative humidity in your home into the single digits.

What does this mean for your piano? When the humidity is high, the soundboard and bridges absorb moisture and swell, increasing the tension of the strings and forcing the piano sharp. When the humidity is low, the opposite happens - the soundboard and bridges release moisture and shrink, reducing the downward pressure of the strings and forcing the piano flat. This is why almost all piano manufacturers - and your piano technician - recommend that your piano is tuned twice a year. In addition to forcing your piano out of tune, increased humidity affects the action parts, swelling the wood and increasing friction, which can make your action respond sluggishly (a major cause of “sticking” keys).

How can you mitigate the effects of humidity on your piano? There are several options. The absolute best solution is to have your whole house humidity controlled. This involves either attaching a humidifier to your HVAC system or installing a separate humidifier/dehumidifier system in your home. While this is the best solution, it can be very expensive to install and maintain, and is usually cost prohibitive.

The next, and we think best, solution is to install a humidity control system directly in your piano. The Dampp Chaser company, makers of the Piano Life Saver system, is the only company making these systems. Over the past 74 years they have perfected their system and adapted it to work in all pianos. This system maintains the relative humidity of your piano within a few percent of the ideal level of 45% Relative Humidity. A humidistat regulates the humidity, similar to the way your thermostat regulates temperature. If the humidity is high, the humidistat activates low power dehumidifier bars to dry out the piano. If the humidity is low, the humidistat activates a humidifier - a gentle version of that which you might put in a room. Periodically, you must fill the humidifier tank with water. This can be disconcerting the first few times, pouring water into a tube that disappears into your piano!

In grand pianos, the system is installed underneath the piano, in direct proximity to the soundboard. An under cover will aid in the effectiveness of these systems. A dehumidifier bar is installed at either end of the underside of the piano, and a humidifier tank is located in the approximate middle.

In vertical pianos, the system is installed in the lower half of the piano, inside the knee board. There is one dehumidifier bar which runs the width of the piano, and the humidifier tank generally rests on the bottom board. A watering tube extends from the top of the knee board to underneath the key bed.

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Grand Piano Regulation | Piano Regulation And Voicing

Every week, I speak with at least a couple of people who are interested in not giving up on their older piano, but rather bringing it back to a playable condition. There are two ways to do this: Rebuilding and Restoration. Both attempt to restore the piano to its former glory, but the philosophy behind them differs.

Rebuilding can involve anything from an action overhaul to replacement of soundboard, strings, and pin block. Where possible, new parts are used. I say where possible because while the industry became standardized around the 1920s, pianos prior to that often have parts for which it is impossible to find replacements.

For example, we are doing a rebuild right now for a client in Albany, a piano from 1909. The hammer butts and hammer assemblies are able to be replaced, but the whippens (the mechanism which transfers the energy from the key to the hammer assembly) are non-standard and must be reconditioned by cleaning and by replacing leather and felt where possible. 

Rebuilding often gives the best musical results, as newer parts are often superior. However, some people want their piano as true to the original as possible. That is where restoration comes in.

Restoration seeks to use the original parts and historically accurate materials. This will reproduce, as closely as possible, the aesthetic of the time in which the piano was built. This route is most often reserved for pianos which have great historical or sentimental value. It is often cheaper to replace parts than it is to recondition them, as reconditioning is extremely labor-intensive. Thus, the cost of historical restoration of a piano can exceed that of rebuilding by a fair amount.

Whether you are interested in rebuilding or restoring your piano, New York Piano Works is the primer facility for Upstate New York and the entire Hudson Valley. Make an appointment to have your piano evaluated today! www.newyorkpianoworks.com 

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