Pitch Raising
Any piano if at all possible should be tuned to concert pitch for at least three reasons. One, it will be in tune with most other instruments thus making it accompaniment possible. Two, the tone will be at its best, sounding brighter with more "lif... more
Action Recentering - Part 1
The movement in piano actions becomes sluggish due to the centre pins corroding and binding on the cloth bushings in the flanges. In laymen's terms the action develops "arthritis" and becomes so stiff, the instrument becomes unplayable. In certain... more
Action Recentering - Part 2
The action is first cleaned thoroughly with an airgun with the aid of a brush and set up on the bench for dismantling. All the parts are numbered in pencil from bass to treble. Hammers are numbered on the small square portion on the top of th... more
Cleaning Copper Wound Strings
Over a period of time the copper wound strings on a piano develop a dead tone. Impurities lodge between the windings which cause the strings to lose their flexibility. The normally bright coloured copper gradually turns black, which comes off in a... more
Effect of Water on Selected Piano Components
The microscopic absorbent cells that make up wood are capable of holding substantial quantities of water. It is common knowledge that wood swells when exposed to moisture, causing piano parts such as keys, to stick. If the piano is moved into a... more
Lubricating Flanges in Piano Actions
Over a period of years, the action in a piano becomes sluggish and the reason can usually be attributed to the binding of the centre pins with the cloth bushings in their associated flanges. The problem can be likened to the piano equivalent of arthitis... more
