Des moines and central iowa piano tuning and repair by deford piano tuning and repair. I bother to give the model number of the guitar so you can look them up online. A simple method to repair, regulate and voice a piano. A cracked soundboard often causes ribs to become loose, which can produce a buzzing sound. I,m wondering how to repair the cracks, what type of glue. New york city,westchester,long island,connecticut,new jersey. Cracks in the body of your solid top acoustic guitar are often cause by physical damage to the guitar or shrinkage due to a lack of humidity. You also have to take into account that the results you have after replacing the soundboard might be dramatically different than the original piano. A strip of wood is then forced into this gap and glued.
The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. A cracked soundboard often causes ribs to become loose, which can produce a buzzing. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. When choosing whether to repair or replace your soundboard, its important to consider the level of damage. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places. Solid top acoustics are more sensitive than laminate top guitars, and will require more care. Thats why its essential to conduct regular maintenance and repair of your soundboard. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me.
Even then, a cracked plate can be repaired, by the right person, using the right materials but of all piano repairs, repairing a cracked plate is by far the most risky, due to the enormous tension from the strings. Acoustic guitars are largely made of wood and react to their environment. Pianos inside out a comprehensive guide to piano tuning. Most pianos on the east coast have cracked soundboards. One would hope that the soundboard would be trained into shape by that time, however. Cracked soundboard repair tutorial acoustic and hollowbody. Usually the piano involved is older than your g2, and ribs have separated from the soundboard adjacent to the crack these must be reglued. Greeb, the proper repair for the soundboard crack, if warranted, is a spruce shim. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. The reality is quite different, as most malfunctions on the piano are easier to mend than they look at first sight. Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano. It is also one of the main reasons that a cracked soundboard will buzz when played at certain frequencies. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked.
The term cracked when referring to piano parts needs to be clarified to assess the level of severity. Photo essay of the procedure for repairing chipped ivory keys. As a piano ages, its soundboard dries out and often develops small cracks along the lines of the wood grain. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild.
One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked. Once you get to the point where strings need to be removed, the labor charges go up. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. This is generally an indication that the bridge plate is worn and the ball ends of the strings are no longer anchored to the base of the bridgeplate preventing them from rising into the bridgepin holes. One of the main pieces of a piano is the soundboard. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. Unless you have repaired a cracked soundboard before, we recommend contacting a professional. If the crack is small and doesnt buzz, theres no need to fix it. Piano keys are connected to a hammer that strikes a string to create the note see reference 2. A cracked soundboard because traditional soundboards are multiple boards glued together, this soundboard can become cracked in temperature or humidity fluctuations. This is very common in older pianos and sometimes causes buzzing on specific notes. Shown on the above right, the stripping agent was left to penetrate into the pinblock of the piano. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. When a piano is restrung it is normal for the soundboard cracks to be filled with.
Nov 29, 2011 a question came up on another forum about the possibility of repairing the cracked sound board on a 1929 braumuller baby grand piano. Soundboard replacement is not a requirement for most pianos but if your piano is lacking tone and resonance in the high treble or anywhere else, it may be time to replace your soundboard. Good observation skills and a good dose of patience backed with some technical knowledge. Cracks in the soundboard are common in older pianos and can cause buzzing, loss of volume, and poor sustain. Sloppy work can have deleterious effects on the performance of a piano. Soundboard repair oxford piano service piano tuning. Sometimes fine pianos, especially from the 1960s through the 1980s, have design flaws and workmanship issues that when repaired, will make them better than new.
Piano care and repair table of contents, repair, restore, and tune your piano. The repairing of cracks on the soundboard is merely a cosmetic work and does little if anything to restoring the soundboard performance. At the age of 10 he accomplished his goal of playing it in recital. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked board. These cracks cause buzzing and lack of power in the instrument. A cracked pinblock can be replaced, and a cracked soundboard can certainly be repaired or replaced. In some cases, this can be fixed by a technician resecuring the ribs. How a piano looks is a major attraction to piano owners. Rates and answers to piano service, tuning, repair. I know that the piano is just junk to a serious pianist, but id like to try and repair it and have it tuned. His voicing of the hammers made all the difference in containing the large sound of a concert instrument without losing the vibrancy of a live performance. Jul 25, 2012 soundboard cracks can be very minimal. Usually, cracks in a pianos soundboard does not mean the end of its life.
Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process. A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. The way a piano plays is not affected by normal piano tuning. This has become a popularly adopted technique for repairing soundboards. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more.
Soundboard find a professional piano company or piano technician, that will repair the soundboard of your piano. Antique and traditional piano soundboard and pinblock repair. A question came up on another forum about the possibility of repairing the cracked sound board on a 1929 braumuller baby grand piano. It really only needs to be done if the crack is large wide and long enough to cause the soundboard to buzz or if if the sound of the instrument is adversely affected by the crack. There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. It takes an experienced rebuilder to determine if a soundboard needs replacement. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than could be produced by strings alone. You can glue the board back onto a rib, if they have separated, but that is a much more entailed process. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. Things the piano technician will say occasionally you will hear the piano technician say that something is cracked in the piano. Problems can occur within the key itself, causing the key to sound wrong or make no noise at all. Piano sound board repairing cracks the sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano.
Even in this case, a quick and easy repair may be done using little. Strings also stress the pinblock which has to be replaced when it wont stay in tune. Are you curious about how to restore a piano thats been sitting in your basement or storage unit unused. The better the soundboard performs this function, the better the. Having your upright or grand piano restored may be the perfect opportunity to renew the surface finish, since your. At the piano market, we provide the best in local piano repairs for any components or brands that you have. The plate was not removed before refinishing, and the stripping agent was left to bleed into the soundboard area of the piano above left. Was an old piano passed down to you, and youre not quite sure how to make it playable. I was under the impression this was pretty much a wasted effort. West system epoxy adding fillers to our extremely popular and effective west system epoxy can greatly expand the number of applications for piano repair. The soundboard needs repair repairs estimated at 1k, but the cost of repairs would be comparable to buying a very basic newer used upright from a piano store, and the sound quality of this piano would be much better. Dealing with this crack will depend on a number of things, including whether the bottom is closed or not. Cracks and rib separations are usually repaired at the same time the piano is restrung.
In fact many, if not most, pianos will eventually develop some cracking in their soundboards. Piano rebuilding is as much about making the instrument looks nice as it is correcting mechanical deficiencies. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. Servicemen from kawai dealers or the company itself can repair the piano if under warranty. Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. The significance of soundboard cracks on pianos youtube. For your piano to be considered for this repair you must email or send the manufacture, model, size, serial number, and photos of all damage and areas for repairs. If the crack is small, but wide, it can be cleaned and a soundboard shim can be installed fairly simply. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly. From keeping your instrument in tune to knowing that it will last a lifetime, you need professional maintenance options now. Campbell piano shop has kept the bechstein concert grand we use for the classically alive music series in top shape for the many artist we have heard. If the piano doesnt already have a damppchaser, i include one in my proposal.
The simplest and easiest is also the most temporary. Piano repair piano defects and damages repaired examples of piano problems we have solved. These are very important because they are the foundation of the piano personality in producing a good musical tone. If you have a high quality piano we can probably effect the repair. How to repair a crack in a solid top acoustic guitar our. West system epoxy manufacturers and distributors of piano. In this case the problem is made worse because the bridgeplate is also cracked and collapsed upward into the area of the soundboard. Piano repair piano defects and damaged fixed during piano. Some pieces, however, are costly to repair and in some cases would take rebuilding the entire piano to complete. Mar 20, 2015 are you curious about how to restore a piano thats been sitting in your basement or storage unit unused.
The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than. And when its time to search for piano repairs, it doesnt always seem easy to find a convenient store nearby. In this case, consult with a professional piano technician. If splits in the soundboard do produce certain rattling or vibrating sounds, it is enough to place a wedge in the crack, otherwise, one must send the piano to a factory or repair shop to have the sound board replaced or properly repaired. Shimming produces a crack between the shim and the soundboard right at the glue line. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. The third method is simply to heat the soundboard thereby driving out excess moisture that is a major part of the cause of the most severe soundboard warp. They can provide insight on how to best preserve your pianos sound and give pricing for a. He stays uptodate on all things piano by being an active member of the piano technicians guild the song chariots of fire inspired andrew to begin piano lessons.
Soundboard 981279178 call now 981 show phone number. Repair cracked soundboard soundboards what you hear is. Soundboards must be perfectly balanced to eliminate any sound interference. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. Any piano with a little age on it will have a cracked soundboard, and any piano that is restored by any piano shop can have soundboard issues corrected and addressed properly. Originally designed for the boat building and repair industry, west system is also perfect for the piano industry.
Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions. When installing a shim repair the crack is opened, scraped and enlarged. Sometimes repairs are needed on parts, especially piano keys. Do cracks in a pianos soundboard mean the end of its life. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks.
He received his piano tuning and repair diploma from the piano technician academy. In europe if you replace the soundboard on a piano you are legally not allowed to put the name of the original manufacturer on the instrument. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1 duration. Smaller cracks may not impact your pianos sound enough to warrant repair. Cracks in a piano soundboard are common and often are not sufficient reason to replace a soundboard. When an original soundboard needs restoration, we evaluate the board to ensure structural integrity, hand sand it and repair any damage utilizing our special methods. Piano repair piano defects and damaged fixed during.
It is somewhat hard for me to admit that, since i hold high the value for good sound and functionality above appearance, but it is a fact. From memory, the glue saturated wood doesnt move the. Cracks can be repaired, retaining the original soundboard. The simple answer to the question is that all pianos differ, and the rates will vary. Order piano parts and tools from our catalogue catalog. There is a crack in my pianos sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. Piano tuning is exactly what it implies the tuning pins will be moved with a tuning hammer, and set to the appropriate tension in order to produce the correct sound.
So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack. I took it home and fixed the crack, and now i have a nice mahogany guitar that i picked up for a song. Years of vibration and climate changes can cause the soundboard s pieces to split at the seams. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. When the soundboard has received extensive damage, i. I bother to give the model number of the guitar so you can look them. Piano soundboard cracks and pressure ridges, the difference.
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