The hammer rail is a vital action part which should receive attention in any upright piano restoration. The hammer rail functions to hold the hammer head / shanks at the proper distance from the strings (a measurement referred to as the "hammer blow.") The hammer rail is cushioned with a thick layer of felt (hammer rail felt) which silently catches the hammers / shanks upon release. The hammer rail on your piano needs attention at this point.

For the piano owner who wants to maintain his / her piano but doesn't want to throw good money away on work that's unnecessary, the question of whether or not the piano needs to be tuned is an important one. As a responsible owner you would like your piano to sound its best, especially if children are taking lessons on it. A piano that is in tune will invite one to play, even when the music is on a beginner's level. A piano that is out of tune will discourage even an avid student from sitting down to practice. So, as a non-technician, how do you know if your piano is out of tune and needs the attention of a tuner? Fortunately, you don't need to be a technician or an accomplished piano player to be able to decide whether or not your instrument need to be tuned. Apply the following 4 basic tests to your own piano and you will know whether it is in tune or out of tune. If it is out of tune, it's time to call your tuner / technician to schedule a service appointment.

The proper touch on your piano depends on it being regulated. To
many pianists, a piano's touch is as important as its tone. Touch refers to the efficiency and responsiveness of the mechanical action of the piano, and is what is responsible for giving a piano its full range of power from the silkiest of pianissimos to the crashing double forte. When a piano begins to lose its mechanical efficiency, it is said to have gone out of regulation. This article describes the process of regulating a baby grand piano.

As an owner of a grand piano, you have the good fortune to be able to play and enjoy the piano of choice for many musicians. With proper maintenance, a quality grand will give outstanding performance for generations of musicians. The tone and touch of a grand piano set it apart from other types of pianos. Since the design of the grand piano was perfected early in the previous century, no matter what the age of your instrument, you certainly have the "top the line" when it comes to performance and sound. This article reviews routing maintenance of grand pianos.

As an owner of a vintage, upright piano you have the privilege of playing music on an instrument that was built around the same time that the first Model T Fords were roaming the countryside! With proper maintenance, upright pianos a century old or even older may be enjoyed daily, and have the potential to perform and sound as beautiful as the day they were built. "Planned obsolescence" was definitely not an idea that had occurred to the builders of these wonderful instruments! They were built to last! This article describes routine maintenance for vintage upright pianos.

As an owner of a studio piano (a vertical piano 44 - 48" in height)* you have the privilege of playing an instrument that is capable of providing top quality performance and sound while occupying no more of your valuable floor space than a spinet or a console. With proper maintenance, a high quality studio piano will be a delight to play, providing a responsive touch and a rich tone, particularly in the bass (where many shorter vertical pianos tend to be weak
in nature).

As the owner of a spinet piano you have the advantage of playing on an authentic acoustic piano which is conveniently sized - approximately the same dimensions as a digital piano. A spinet is often a good option for the home owner or apartment dweller who doesn't have an abundance of space, but who wants a real piano to play. With proper maintenance, a good quality spinet piano can be a reliable instrument that provides years of musical enjoyment.

The hammers on your piano have reached the point where routine
maintenance in the form of filing off the outer wear layer would be of benefit. The result would be heard in a crisper, cleaner tone more like what the piano sounded like when it was in the showroom as a new instrument. Wear and tear on a set of hammers is measured by the depth of the cut marks in the striking surfaces (impact point) of the hammers. This article describes the process of filing hammer heads.

A beautiful set of genuine ivory keytops on a vintage piano is becoming more and more of a rarity. Many ivory keysets on older instruments have suffered from wear and tear over the years, and are not particularly attractive. Bringing an original set of ivory back to "factory-fresh" condition is at times possible when done by the professional technician, but it can be very time-consuming, and the
techniques involved to do the work correctly are painstaking.
The keytops on your piano are to the point where something could be done to enhance their appearance. This article describes the steps taken to replace ivory keytops on your piano.

Many spinet pianos manufactured during the 1950's and '60's were outfitted with plastic parts which after decades of use are beginning to weaken and break. One of the most common of plastic parts to fail is what's known as an elbow - an integral part of a number of models of spinets. The elbows in your piano are beginning to break, rendering a note useless
each time it happens. This article describes how I would approach replacing plastic elbows in your piano.

The back structure of the vertical piano needs to be rock solid in order to hold the 18 or more tons of tension exerted by the strings of the piano. The cast iron plate, the pinblock and the back framework of the piano all work together to hold this tension in check and provide a stable foundation for tuning. This solidly built structure can, however, develop problems later in the life of an instrument as essential glue joints weaken with the passage of time. This article describes the steps needed to repair a separated back on a vertical piano.

A piano with a beautiful and durable set of keytops is more likely to be appreciated than one with a beat-up set of keys. The luxurious feel of top-quality keytops invites one to sit down and play the piano. On the other hand, when old keytops have become discolored, chipped or broken off altogether, playing the piano becomes more of a pain than a joy. This article describes the process of replacing the keytops of your piano.

For piano keys to have that "new piano" feel a quality set of key bushings is essential. Felt bushings are to piano keys as piston rings are to the pistons of an automobile engine. Without piston rings, pistons would clatter loosely and ineffectually inside their cylinders. Likewise, without key bushings, the wooden key-
sticks would clatter against the keypins which serve to keep the keys on track. When bushings are worn and hardened with age, or have loosened and dropped out of place altogether, keys are wobbly, giving the piano a distinct "old piano" feel. The key bushings of your piano have reached the stage of wear and tear where it would make an appreciable difference in the feel of your piano to have them professionally replaced. The following information is offered in order to support your decision whether or not to have the keys of your piano rebushed.

Hammer butt (or hammer rail) springs perform an essential function
in the action of the vertical piano. Each time a note is played, the hammer must swiftly return to rest position. The hammer butt spring is responsible for this task. Although these springs are simple in design and typically need no maintenance over the life of a piano, they can be easily bent or knocked out of position.

The following commonly asked questions have been answered to give you the information you need in order to decide whether or not to have hammer butt springs of your vertical piano replaced individually or as a set.

For a piano to hold a stable tuning, it's essential that the tuning pins are tight. While there are other factors (such as fluctuations in humidity) that have an impact on the longevity of a tuning, a tuning pin that is loose to the point where it slips and turns in its hole will cause the individual note involved to sound horribly out of tune. This article discusses a professionally apply pin treatment to remedy this situation.

The Achilles heel of Yamaha, Kawai and other Asian-made pianos is a hammer butt assembly that relies upon a small braided cord to hold an essential spring in check. After years of use, this cord is prone to breaking. We discuss how to repair this common issue.

Although the hammers on an upright piano are extremely durable, they do deteriorate over time, and at some point need to be replaced. Worn hammers may cause the tone of a piano to be harsh and unpleasant and can also make it difficult to control the keys to produce the music you love. The hammers on your piano are worn to the point where replacement would help bring back beauty and richness to the tone of your instrument.

Grand Piano Regulation - Expert piano service and repairs by our Hudson Valley piano technicians

Maintenance for your console piano

Replacing Hammers on your Grand Piano