New River Cousins homepage.

apianotuning.com/ Piano tuning homepage.

USED PIANOS FOR SALE.

ITEMS FOR SALE.

SERVICES, TUNING COSTS, LABOR.

A message for you; Tuning your piano.

mail to: hw@apianotuning.com/

(9)
DAMPERS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR PIANO.
With click zoom images, left click for large or small image.

All information written or in images, shown here are for illustration only;
The author can not and will not be held liable for any problems that arise for
following and using this information.
By reading this material you have agreed to hold the author harmless.

(1) TUNING YOUR PIANO.

Has that piano been sitting for years?
If you love your piano have it tuned at least once a year, or it will fall into
a state of neglect, it may take several tuning to bring it back to the original
sound.    It does not matter whether you play it or not it will still go out of
tune.

As a wise man said we need three things to survive, food, clothing and shelter,
anything more is a luxury.  A piano is a  luxury item and like your automobile,
it needs to be maintained and serviced,       if you love your piano, set aside
enough money in your budget to maintain it.    The average tuning cost is 85 to
120 dollars(Tune only), anything else is extra.
Ward Piano Tuning and Repair price is still 50.00       (local tune only) 2008.
Most all minor repair parts are carried with the serviceman     on the same day
of the tuning, at wholesale prices.

In order to keep the strings and working parts in top shape, the piano needs to
be checked and tuned every 6 months or at least once a year.
A neglected piano that has not been tuned for many years, will not hold tuning,
the strings have dropped way below A440,      it may need to be tuned at least
twice, then minimum once a year or it will fall back   into a neglected stage.
A piano that has been sitting for years will need to be tuned, Then wait about
a week or month, for the strings to settle then fine tune it.

If your piano has been sitting for many years and the tuner just tuned it,  it
will probably sound Ok for the first few hours,    then it may start twanging,
depending on how much stretch is left in the strings,         or how low it is.
It will probably require another tuning               after the strings settle.
To sum it up a neglected piano may have to be  tuned about two times     to get
that quality sound you want. So have it tuned every 6 or 12 months.

What makes a piano go out of tune?     The strings are stretching continually,
fast or slow, depending on how much stretch is in them.     The weather or air
drafts will changes it.  The holes in the wooden tuning pin block    swell and
shrink many times during weather changes.  Friction changes it. We play on it. 
When the tuning pins are moved over and over through the years,  it allows the
pins to loosen and slip, especially in very dry weather.   A piano tuned(A440)
has a lot of tension on it, if the tuning pins are loose,  A bump may knock it
out of tune.

Most spinets and consoles go out of tune quicker     than uprights and grands;
Short strings and light frame of the spinet will not hold the tension  nearly
as well.                  Some spinets need to be tuned several times a year.
A piano needs adjustments on the moving parts often, most  can be done during
the tuning.  A spinet takes more time to adjust because the action is down in
a hole.
The grand piano is an expensive piano and may cost more to maintain,  it also
takes up a lot more floor space, and is much harder to move around,    if its
moved very far it may require a professional mover, it requires special moving
equipment, the legs need to be removed,            and it needs to be wrapped.
Mice and moths will get into the piano and eat felts,  mice will ruin a piano. 

If you have a used piano in good shape, consider restoring it before you  buy
a new one.  New pianos are expensive, and often have problems that take years
to iron out, and they may need several tunings in the first three years    to
get the stretch out of the strings,     piano salesmen may not tell you that.
A few older pianos are a higher quality than the new ones.

Water and a piano don't mix, keep drinks and plants        off the top of it.
Water content in the air inside your piano          can cause parts to stick.
It is best to keep the room at an even temperture, but in churches or similar
places, the piano may need a heater that installs inside the frame, and also
a blanket cover.

Unheated rooms, damp rooms, open air spaces, are hard on the tuning,   wood
frame,and pin block,    and will cause the piano to go out of tune quicker.
Leave about 4"    of air space between the wall and piano during the winter.
Do not place a piano in the direct blast of a warm air,    or cold air vent.
Keep it away from an outside door,           and not near a  steam radiator.

When a piano is moved, its a good idea to tune it,   after its moved to the
new location. Any banging, bumping, shaking in  transit will have an affect
on the tuning.

Electronic pianos also give problems and dont sound as good as wood pianos,
if you have a problem with them they are worthless,    unless you send them
back to the factory for repair.

(2) LOOKING FOR, OR BUYING A PIANO.
There are four kinds of pianos; The spinet, console, studio,  and grand.
There are two basic styles of pianos,                grands and uprights. 
Grand are horizontal,        the strings are laid out flat to the ground.
The upright or verticals piano strings are stretched up and down,   at an
angle.

What are the different piano sizes?         Measure it before you buy it.
Grand pianos range in size from 5' to 10' 1" in length.  smaller sizes is
called  a baby grand,        the largest size  is called a concert grand.
You need a lot more floor space        for a grand piano than an upright.
   
Upright pianos are categorized by height.      All uprights take up about
the same floor space.            All uprights are approximately 56" X 24"

The smallest upright vertical piano is a spinet,    which is 36-39" high. 
Console upright pianos are 39-42".     Studio uprights are 42" or higher.

What is the difference in  sound between  a small piano and a large one?
The Spinet piano has short strings,     as compared to a larger upright;
The shorter strings and smaller body don't   sound as good as the larger
piano which has longer strings and a larger body;        Also the spinet
action sits down in a hole, which makes it much harder to work on,    it
may cost more for repair labor.

What are the pros and cons of an electronic keyboard?
Pro; It don't need tunings; Its light weight makes it easy to move around.
Cons; You need electric power to operate it; If it needs repairs you have
two choices, 1 throw it away,   2 send it back to the factory for repair.
Electric pianos don't sound as good as wood pianos.

If you buy a new piano, Ask the seller about: The warranty,  it should be
for at least 5 years. Usually the warranty covers 1 tuning when delivered.
Pianos need to be tuned every 6 or 12 months,   if not, the piano will go
into a state of neglect, it will have to be tuned several times to get it
back to a quality sound.
A common warranty does not cover tuning.     It may not cover the finish. 
Is the delivery covered in the price? Does the bench goes with the piano? 
Does the seller have repair and maintenance technicians          on hand?
Tell the dealer you want it cleaned before it's delivered,      and tuned
afterwards (moving may make the piano go out of tune).

Before you buy a used piano:
Take someone with you who knows pianos, and how to spot one that needs a
lot of repairs. Its better to pay a piano tuner a small fee to check it for
you, than it is to get stuck with a lemon.  Its hard to find most problems,
even for an experienced person.

Test the keys and pedals, make sure the keys, pedals and hammers don't stick
or squeak.
Press down on the sustain pedal and release it on all the keys, make sure it
kills the sound when its released, the dampers felts may be leaking.
Sometimes a key may be broken, it can be repaired, but in most all cases not
replaced.

(3) PIANO BENCHES.
Battered and beat up benches can be repaired,    new benches can be bought
that match in color.

(4) KEYTOPS.
On some pianos the keytops may be missing or loose. Or they may be chipped
or discolored.  New keytops can be ordered and installed. The keys are not
interchangable, from one piano to another.    If a key is broken it can be
repaired.  Ward piano tuning, can repair old keys and install new keytops
for your piano.

(5) OPEN IT, LOOK BEFORE YOU BUY IT.
Opening an Upright, Console or Spinet.
Most piano's have a top which can be just lifted up,  without removing any
screws; Some are held by a snap; Some piano top lids  have screws or allen
wrench bolts holding the top on, located on the back,  just below the top.
Some lift up from the side and have pins in the hinges,   its best to pull
the hinge pins and set the top off on this type piano.

The front panel or  music desk is held by clips or screws    on each end,
inside the top, the bottom edge may be held in place by a peg,       just
unfasten the clips or remove the screws and lift it out.
On some uprights the front panel may swing out to a reading position when
the key cover is opened, and has a clip on each end that sits on a peg in
each end. Lift the top lid and look down in there behind the panel, if so
just lift the panel out and off.
Some pianos especially uprights, have a pin that you pull out on each end.
The kickboard (panel above the pedals, and below the keyboard)     can be
removed by compressing the clip(s) at the top,   the bottom edges will be
in peg holes or a groove. 

(6) TUNING PINS.
The tuning pins are located at the inside rear  top of the piano, and the
strings are wound around them. The tuning pins    are screwed into a hard
maple wood pinblock,     with age this wood becomes worn and the pins may
slip in the wood causing the strings to drop. The only way to tell if the
tuning pins are loose is to turn them with a tuning hammer.

Piano's with loose pins will not hold a tuning very long,      if at all,
depending on how loose they are.
 
Tuning pin repairs   can make the tunings last much longer and save a lot
of money in tuning cost. Major repair involves;
(1) Removing and replacing the maple pinblock.
(2) Install new pins, about two sizes larger.
(3) Repairing the loose pins with epoxy(last hope for a cracked pinblock).
(4) Simple repairs are to lay the piano on its back and dope the pins with
a glue liquid, called pin dope. This will not work on a cracked pinblock.
Ward piano tuning can make tuning pin repairs for you.

(7) STRINGS.
The sound of piano strings over the years changes,  they get rusted up and
dirty;    They can be cleaned but they will  never sound like new strings.
Some piano's are still playing with strings at   least a hundred years old.
Very seldom do they break,    but when they do its very hard on the nerves.
When a string breaks on your piano, roll it up and leave it in the bottom of
the piano,     the tuner will need to use it as a guide for the replacement
string.   Replace a broken string as soon as possible, it will damage   the
hammer mechanism by playing it with a broken string. The piano          has
approximately 241 strings,      about 10 notes (heavy bass strings),      1
string per note, and has about 16 notes with 2 strings per note,   the rest
are 3 strings per note. If a string breaks in the one string per       note
section, the hammer then will travel too deep,    or far, causing strain on
 the hammer and its moving parts.      If a string breaks in the two string
section, it will cause the hammer to twist sideways,  resulting in a broken
hammer shaft, damage to the  wrist pin, or busted wood around the pin, also
The face of the hammer will wear off sideways.
Ward piano tuning can make strings repairs for your piano.

(8) HAMMERS.
Hammers heads are covered with hard felt, after years of use, the    strings
will wear deep grooves in the felt,    which feel like they are grabbing the
strings instead of the strings bouncing off the hammers.    The older hammer
surfaces will become more flat, instead of slightly rounded;   Which results
in a poor tone quality.  Look at the hammer rail,  all the hammers should be
resting on it. Check the striking distance,   strike a key and hold it down,
the hammers should bounce back         and stop about 7/8 inch from strings.
check the letoff or escapement,    press the key slow, all the way down, and
hold it down, when the hammer trips back,   it should be about 1/8 inch from
the string. If not, then it may need ajusting, Its a little hard to estimate
the distance if the hammers are badly wore.

Grand hammers.
Look down in the hole on top,     strike the keys one at a time, the hammers
should bounce back from the string, about 3/4",  press it slow,      let the
hammer touch the string, the hammer should be right in the center,  with the
same margin on each side, sometimes the hammers will hit on the side,   even
missing some of the strings, and will need alignment.
Ward piano tuning can ajust, repair or reshape the hammers for your piano.

(9) DAMPERS.
The dampers stop the strings from ringing. The felt must be soft to settle on
the string or strings to stop all the ringing. As dampers age, the felts
become hard and will not dampen correctly.
The dampers are designed to make the strings stop ringing, so it     will not
clash with another string that is ringing. The dampers may need ajusting,  or
they may need replaced. The dampers may be too loose, or too tight.  Also the
damper spring may be broke or missing. 
Ward piano tuning can repair or replace the dampers for your piano.

(10 SOUNDBOARD.
The soundboard is the amplifier for the piano. located in the back behind the
harp. It is a dome shaped piece of wood with wooden ribs on its back.  older
soundboards the ribs may begin to come off the board itself, and cracks will
appear in it. It can be repaired, if the sound board has lost its dome shape,
It will affect the tone and sound.
Ward piano tuning at this time can make minor repairs on the soundboard.

(11) PIANO ACTION.
The action is the moving parts between the key and the hammer.     There are
over 50 parts involved in the playing of one  note.   There may be repair or
ajustment required for some of these parts depending on the condition of the
piano. An action on an old piano that has been adjusted  correctly feels and
plays smoother.    

Regulation adjustment or action adjustment                is the same thing. 
Most parts inside the piano are cushioned with felts,     over the years the
felts change size and shape, when that happens,        the parts movement is
affected and the key does not work as easily, if at all.
Clicking noises in the action is a sign of missing felts, bouncing hammers is
a sign of bad busckskins,        worn hammers with deep grooves in them need
reshaping.

Ward piano tuning can make adjustments on your piano action and keys  during
a normal tuning in most cases.    Ward piano tuning and repair can repair or
overhaul the piano action for you.

(12) BRIDLE STRAPS.
Bridle straps are short ribbons of cloth that jerk the hammer back,  and will
keep the key assembly from hanging down when the action is removed.       Old
bridlestraps become brittle and will break easily. If some are bad and broke,
then they all are bad, and will soon break.  Missing bridle straps need to be
replaced.  Ward piano tuning can install new bridle straps on your piano.

(13 KEYBOARD.
The piano keyboard has 88 keys and 88 notes. The keyboard contains felts, felt
and paper washers, and pins to make it work. The middle of the key rocks on a
pin and felt, the front of the key rocks on a pin and felt.      The keys and
action parts have adjustment screws to adjust the loose motion     out of the
keys and hammers.
Mice and moths can eat the felts and washers out from under the keys,     and
hammers, just one thin missing paper or felt washer will make a difference in
the look and feel of the keytops, also causing unseen strain or damage to the
action mechanism.
CLicking noises in the action are caused by missing felts,     a sign of mice
damage.
Older piano's are famous for mice and moth damage.  If the keys are not level,
or if the keys wobble sideways, its a sure sign of bad felts   (mice and moth
damage).
Mice love a piano, they build nests under the keys,   locking up the keyboard.
Mice and moth damage will throw the keys and action   completely out of whack.
If using rat poison, do not place it on top of the keys,      or in the piano.
Rat poison will fall in between the keys locking the keys up,    mice eat the
poison amd die, usually under the keys, locking up the keyboard, and stinking
up the house.

The keys rock on center pins in the keybed,   sometimes they fit too tight or
too loose causing poor operation of a key.
Worn key pin felts(bushings) in the key pin holes will let keys wobble as they
are used, causing excessive wear on the parts. They can be repaired.
Replacing the felts and key pin bushings, or reshaping the hammers  will throw
the action out of whack, and it must be adjusted afterwards.
You can hear and feel the difference in a piano that has new felts and bushings,
installed.
You can feel and hear the difference in a piano that has the hammers reshaped,
or new hammers installed.
Ward piano tuning can replace the felts, reshape the hammers, do the adjusting,
with a same day tuning in most cases.
Ward piano tuning can install new action parts for your piano.

(14) FOOT PEDALS.
Pianos have 2 or three pedals. The right pedal lowers and raises the   dampers
onto the strings.  The left pedal moves the hammers closer to the strings   in
an upright, creating a softer tone.      The left pedal  in a grand  moves the
hammers sideways thereby missing one of three strings,  creating a softer tone.
The middle pedal on an upright piano may be used to lower a mute cloth between
the strings and the hammers, or used to lift only the bass dampers.    In some
pianos it may not be hooked up. Ward piano tuning can ajust the foot pedals.

Missing or broken foot pedals, is common on some pianos, when moving   a piano
the pedal will hang on the threshhold, step, or other,  instead of lifting the
piano over the obstruction, its shoved forward and broken. The foot pedals are
easily broken. Use a 2 wheel hand truck to lift the end of a piano over
thresholds, when moving it around.
Ward piano tuning can replace and adjust the pedals for your piano.

(15) MOVING A PIANO.
Broken rollers on the bottom of a piano is common on most old pianos,    when
the piano is moved around, the rollers will hang on doorways,  steps or other
objects, instead of lifting the piano over the obstruction,        its forced
forward breaking the rollers;  Broken  rollers will do a lot of damage to the
floor. Most smaller piano legs are not designed to roll them around on,   the
legs will break off.  Moving a piano is very dangerous,     its better to use
professional movers. W hen moving a piano the higher off the ground  or floor
the more dangerous it is.
As in the images above, left;  To move a piano cut two pieces of 2" pvc pipe
24" long, place them in the center of the piano, roll it anyplace,    when it
rolls off one piece bring it around to the front,   keep doing this until its
moved.  Using the PVC pipe keeps it as low as possible to the floor.
You can also move   the piano across gravel, or earth, by using two pieces of
plywood.
The piano is easy to turn over, if it turns over it will be to  the backside,
The harp is located in the rear or back of the upright piano, so thats  where
most all the weight is. 
To load the piano on the truck, lift one end onto the tailgate,     go to the
other end, lift it up and push it in, not hard, dont let    it bump into  the
cab of the truck.  Cover it with a heavy blanket, to prevent damage. Strap it
down good, block it good, make sure it dont roll around. Dont let anyone ride
in the bed with the piano, if it moves, its doubtful they can stop it.
If it turns over it will be to the backside, so with that in mind, block  and
strap it to prevent this from happening.
To move a grand to another location requires special moving equipment, a grand
skid board to strap it to, heavy blankets to wrap it in, straps, and a   piano
dolly. The legs have to be removed also.
For a do it your selfer, moving a grand is a no, no.

BACK TO TOP.
E MAIL