WHEN PURCHASING A USED PIANO ALWAYS BRING A PIANO EXPERT!
Call FORT GREENE MUSIC SCENE for estimates and appraisals!

Although many people know how to play the piano, very few know anything about it’s mechanism or how to care for such a complicated and sensitive instrument, which has between 8,000 and 12,000 parts! Picking out a piano that is just right for you or your child can be confusing. There are many different types of pianos to choose from and there are approximately 9,000 brands in the United States alone!

Beware of freebies! There is a reason why people give away their old pianos! Picking out a piano is like picking out a car. If someone gave you an old car that had been sitting unused for years wouldn’t you have a mechanic inspect it first to see if it’s at least safe and sound to drive? At the very least it would need a tune up! And you wouldn’t be surprised if you had to put a thousand dollars into it first, would you? Well, you may get lucky and end up with a wonderful piano that you and your family can enjoy, but here are just a few of the things that could be wrong with a used piano:

1. Plate – May be cracked or broken which cripples the piano musically and renders it useless. Avoid!

2. Sounding Board – May be cracked or worse yet, may have lost its crown to become tonally deficient. Avoid!

3. Ribs – May be broken or pulled away from the soundboard. Avoid!

4. Bridges – May have lost proper bearing, be broken, split, or cracked, necessitating a major expense. Avoid!

5. Tuning Pins – May be loose, may have been previously pounded, may require oversized pins, may require a new pin block. Avoid like the plague!

6. Pin Block – May be split and is very costly to repair. Since this is concealed, experienced judgment is required. Avoid!

7. Strings – Bass strings may be “tired and tubby” totally devoid of tone, requiring replacement or at least a good twisting in hopes of bringing some tone back.

8. Piano Wires – May be rusty and brittle and will most likely break during tuning. Before any real tuning can be done these will probably need to be replaced.

9. Action – May be literally worn out, rendering piano useless. Thousands of tiny parts will have to be replaced and rebushing may also be required. A complete regulation of the action requires much time of an expert and is expensive when properly done.

10. Hammers – May be worn out and will at least require filing or may have been improperly or over-filed, requiring replacement, another costly repair.

11. Trap Work – The internal leverage controls of the expression pedals may need complete overhauling.

12. Tuning – Pitch may have dropped requiring a pitch-raising. Once the piano is moved into your home, expect to have it tuned several times.

13. Refinishing – Many people learn the hard way that refinishing a piano is not a do-it- yourself project. You will have to leave this to a skilled craftsman, another expense.

14. Top lids – On a grand piano may not be attached and could come crashing down injuring anyone in the way.

15. Legs – On a grand piano may barely be attached to the tremendous body it is holding up, an unsafe condition! Pianos weigh between 500 and 1,000 pounds!

ALWAYS USE A PROFESSIONAL PIANO MOVER TO AVOID INJURY TO YOURSELF AND OTHERS AS WELL AS TO YOUR HOME AND YOUR PIANO!

Call FORT GREENE MUSIC SCENE and we will recommend our piano mover!

Piano Tuning is the process of adjusting the strings in a piano, so these strings will produce the correct sounds of a musical scale. There are about 220 strings inside a piano. A cast iron frame supports these strings. The tension of these strings must be minutely adjusted to produce the correct sound. The large wooden diaphragm behind the frame is known as the soundboard and the lengths of hardwood connecting the strings to the soundboard are called bridges. The soundboard receives tone by way of the bridges and amplifies the sound of the strings. String vibration is converted into soundboard vibration. Bass strings used on the lower register and piano wire, used in the middle and upper registers, are held in place by tuning pins. These large pins are screwed into a pin block, composed of many layers of hardwood. By turning these pins, you can adjust the strings, therefore adjusting the pitch or sound.

The need for piano tuning varies, depending on humidity, temperature, quality of the pin block, if the piano has been moved and how often the piano is played. In general, it is a good idea not to put your piano up against a radiator, or near a window. Extreme changes in humidity and temperature will affect the tension of the strings, which will change the sound or pitch. If the strings have dropped below concert pitch of A-440 (that’s beats per second) the piano will need a pitch raising to bring the strings back up to pitch. Usually, a four-hour block of time is booked. Pianos that have been neglected for years may require a series of tunings. If the tuner suggests a second or third tuning, it is wise to keep your appointments. This way, the tuner can fulfill his/her goal of making your piano sound it’s best.

Piano Repair is the craft of screwing, gluing, adjusting, repinning or replacing any part of the piano that may not be functioning properly. As an example, when you play one key, it takes 50 different parts inside the piano to sound that one note. The key lifts the wippen, that raises the jack, to drive the hammer, to strike the string, which produces a sound. At the same time, the damper is lifted off the string, to allow the string to vibrate. These mechanical parts of the piano as a whole, are called the action. Any of these different parts could be broken or loose, causing a key to stick or not play at all, and may be the reason for a buzzing, rattling, ringing or just an “off” note. These parts are made up of materials such as wood, metal, felt, buckskin and in some cases, plastic. When they cannot be fixed on the spot, new parts need to be ordered. These parts are purchased from the technician, who will order them specifically for your piano. After the initial evaluation of the piano, the technician will advise the owner of work to be done and parts to be replaced.

Piano repair requires a great deal of skill and patience. Depending on the nature and scope of the repairs, it may take several visits to complete the job, during which time the piano may be unplayable. With older pianos, during the tuning or repair process, the possibility of breakage exists. The technician cannot be held responsible for broken parts or delays due to such occurrences. However, the technician will do his/her utmost to complete all work in a timely manner. Therefore, once work begins, it is imperative that arrangements be made for the technician to have access to the piano and that appointments are kept to complete the job.

When scheduling a tuning appointment, please consider how much activity there will be in your home on that day. Please do not schedule an appointment on the same day as a construction crew is renovating your kitchen or on a day you’ve decided to host a dinner party or a play date with the neighborhood kids! Optimum working conditions means optimum performance for the tuner. When tuning a piano, we are not just listening to the sound of a note (what YOU hear) but to sound waves and subtle vibrations as well. A tuner can be easily distracted by household noises such as running water, fans, vacuum cleaners, blenders, washing machines and dishwashers. As well as other noises like talking, a baby crying, a dog barking, radio and television. Please be prepared to accommodate the tuner during the agreed time. If necessary, it is common practice to allow the tuner into your home on a day the house will be empty so he or she can work without distraction. In the case of school auditoriums, churches or theatres: do not schedule a tuning at the same time as a rehearsal or a sound check! Please have time set aside for the tuner to finish before the choir, cast, or sound/lighting crew arrives! Piano tuning requires concentration and your cooperation is greatly appreciated.