Evaluating a piano can be a daunting task. When acquiring a piano there are many factors to consider. PIanos are mysterious creatures and even the most seasoned of musicians can lack a true understanding of the mechanics that lie beneath. Nonetheless, there are some basic guidelines one can follow along with identifying several red flags […]
Read moreTier 1 Pianos: Bechstein Bluthner Bosendorfer Erard Fazioli Forster August Grotrian Hoffman (Made by Bechstein) Mason & Hamllin Sauter Schimmel Steingraeber Steinway & Sons Tier 2 Pianos: Baldwin –Acrosonic Baldwin Baldwin Hamilton (not as good) Boston Brentwood & Sons Essex Estonia Kawai Knabe Mathushek Petrof Schultze Pollman Seiler Sohmer Charles Walter Weber & Co (American) […]
Read moreI see pianos of all types, sizes, shapes, colors, old, new, pristine, beat-up, you name it. Some hold their tuning freakishly well between visits. I am always amazed by this. While other pianos can’t seem to stay in tune even during the course of my tuning visit. Why the vast discrepancy in tuning stability from […]
Read more
Doing some philanthropy by tuning and repairing the pianos at my son’s elementary school. Music is the gift that lasts a lifetime.
Read morePiano lessons are a rite of passage for children from all walks of life. But a large majority of students just don’t stick with the lessons long term. Why is this? The number one reason I have heard over the years is, “He/she is not practicing enough so we don’t think it is justified to […]
Read more
There are some technicians who just care about one thing: getting the piano to work with the bare minimal amount of time investment. This attitude sacrifices craftsmanship. Some think that with piano repair, craftsmanship doesn’t matter. Who cares, right? Most of these repairs are inside the piano and you can’t even see them. WRONG! Craftsmanship […]
Read moreTo quote Aristotle: “The whole is more than the sum of its parts.” This is a statement that certainly rings true in the field of piano service and maintenance. To put it simply, the little things matter. The following is a list of some of the little things I do when servicing a piano for […]
Read more
It is of the utmost importance that a piano technician give the piano a pre-tuning inspection before starting any work. Many beginning or inexperienced tuners will just go right to work without giving the piano a thorough inspection. A GRAVE mistake which could translate into disastrous results. Check the age of the piano and identify […]
Read more
Has your piano broken a bass string? You have two options – you can ask your piano tuner to either replace the string entirely, or to splice it back together. The picture above shows how Austin’s Piano Service has used a special knot to splice a broken bass string together. What are the benefits of piano string splicing? […]
Read more
Solutions for pianos that are subject to inconsistent humidity The piano pictured is a 5′ Baldwin baby grand from 1925. The piano is located in a New Jersey church and was not holding its tuning well. Many churches in the New York / New Jersey area have difficulty with pianos maintaining their tuning because of drastic changes […]
Read more
Regulating the piano for Duke’s Southern Table of Newark, NJ. Duke’s is a neo-soul food restaurant with healthier versions of the standard soul food fare. They also have live music on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays for brunch. We are banishing the gremlins from this piano. Arrghh!! This problem causes a hindrance in urinating or in […]
Read more
It takes a piano tuning specialist to tune and repair the Mason and Hamlin Screw Stringer piano. This particular beast is from 1894. What makes the Mason & Hamlin piano different from other pianos? Unlike most other pianos, which have tuning pins coming out perpendicular from the plate, the Mason & Hamlin piano strings are […]
Read more