Our piano reconditioning process

Belly and strings: Your piano's old strings and tuning pins are removed and the gold iron plate is pulled out. Next we carefully inspect and test your spruce soundboard, including nodal testing using an accelerometer and computer software. We take off the old lacquer finish from the soundboard and dry out the spruce wood to bring the moisture content down to 1%, which readily exposes any cracks. We repair and soundboard cracks, seal any ribs which have come loose, and joints at the edges of the case and bracing. If a soundboard has completely failed testing, or shows signs of not being able to be restored, we will install a completely new spruce soundboard. Finally, your soundboard is ready for a new finish which includes numerous coats of lacquer, meticulously applied and hand rubbed between coats to give that new piano look and sound. The iron plate is sanded and prepared for refinishing, by filling deformities, applying sanding sealer, and finally numerous coats of original gold leaf paint are applied and, if appropriate, top coats of clear lacquer finish off the like new appearance of your plate and it is ready to be reinstalled. Your piano's tuning pin block is tested for proper torque and assessed for degeneration. A replacement is built, if needed, including re-drilling to fit your piano and existing tuning pin size. If the old one is still in acceptable condition, we install new strings using a one size larger set of tuning pins. Only the finest German music wire is used for stringing, along with either Mapes American bass strings, or Isaacs semi-hard Canadian bass strings, depending on what best fits your piano's existing sonority, and what sound you would like to achieve.

Hammers and regulation: Your piano action is removed, new parts replaced as needed, all flange pins are checked for proper torque and replaced as necessary and the entire action is regulated back to factory specifications for optimal touch and feel. Finally, a perfect match of felt hammer heads are installed for the sound you are trying to achieve, including either German Abel and Renner heads, Isaacs Canadian handmade heads, or Ronsen American heads. Hammers are carefully shaped and voiced to meet the sound specifications you desire, and to fit the piano's location. Keys are balanced and reconditioned and new keytops are installed to give your piano the look and touch of a new instrument. Sorry, we do not use real elephant tusk ivory in this process.

Refinishing the case: Your piano case is completely stripped, hand sanded, and assessed to determine the best finish available to bring out either the natural grain of the wood, or an applicable black studio finish. Any deformities and damages are repaired and completely hidden. Sanding sealer is applied and finally the process of applying numerous coats of industry standard lacquer begins. We can produce either a high gloss finish or hand rubbed satin finish in your choice of natural wood grain or black satin or gloss finish, either hand rubbed or buffed for optimum results. Original replacement decals are applied to the fallboard above the keys all brass parts including pedals are refinished and hand buffed for hours for a like new gleam. If necessary, originals are replaced. All minute parts such as original felt, rubber stop buttons, etc. are replaced by hand, to give your finished piano the look and feel of its original new condition, along with its top investment value.