Other piano makers followed suit with many different conceptual designs. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano service. Move testimonial projects harp diagram cabinet steinway console sale replace hammers. Heart of the piano the gershwin initiative website. The soundboard could be the least of the piano s problems. Yaeger, a piano dealer from waterford, continue reading. We use the exact same closegrain alaska sitka spruce, from the same suppliers as steinway new york and steinway hamburg. When they tested it with db meters, they found that the piano with a crack. Appraisal services steinway piano gallery of naples. Used pianos certified used pianos steinway yamaha new.
In original condition, a magnificent piece of history and work of art. Soundboard replacement is not a requirement for most pianos but if your piano is lacking tone and resonance in the high treble or anywhere else, it may be time to replace your soundboard. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Its always best to hire a registered piano technician you know or who has been recommended by friends. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. Thats why, when it comes to repairing a piano soundboard, hiring a knowledgable, proven technician is worth the investment. A pianos soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano. The soundboard is what allows the piano to project its sound. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. The ribs run perpendicular to the grain of the soundboard, and therefore perpendicular to any cracks. Without worrying about the sound board at all money may easily be better spent on a new piano.
Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places. Any piano with a little age on it will have a cracked soundboard, and any piano that is restored by any piano shop can have soundboard issues corrected and addressed properly. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. So much can be wrong with used pianos, cracked frame, split soundboards, worn parts, split plank all of which can make a piano useless. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. Once you find a piano you love, let piano technician to give it a thorough exam. Old piano if they have not been maintained are probably not worth the cost. The soundboard could be the least of the pianos problems. After purchase, make sure you protect your instrument by keeping humidity levels between 35 and 65% and you should be ok. German harpsichord by maendlerschramm, munchen piano.
This is when the board should be fully inspected and its condition evaluated. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. Finish stripped and answered by a verified musical instrument appraiser. The soundboard helps amplify the sound of the strings and if it is badly damaged the piano. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. In the early 1900s, steinway and sons introduced their diaphramatic sound board a board that stands at around 58. Timeline steinway history the unofficial history of. To me, the rim is the soul and the soundboard is the heart. Soundboard piano store new and used pianos for sale. Soundboard is badly cracked but salvageable all mechanism parts in tact and original. The term cracked when referring to piano parts needs to be clarified to assess the level of severity. Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. If the soundboard needs to be replaced, we will hand craft it to steinways specifications. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks.
Dorset pianos restored, steinway sales, used uprights. Preowned steinway, yamaha, kawai and quality american made pianos. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. You need someone who is expert at soundboard repair.
Oct 25, 2018 a piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and repair. Although a cracked soundboard may not be easily spotted by an amateur, it may be very serious and require major rebuilding. Repair cracked soundboard soundboards what you hear is what you. We accept pianos from institutions, piano technicians, and retailers, as well as from private owners. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway pianofrom learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the usedsteinway market. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music. The soundboard is, of course, a vital part of the piano as it is the transducer of the sound. Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your piano faster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. If you crack open the lid of either your grand or upright piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood behind the iron plate that runs the. In this video, i show the glue joint between the soundboard and rim. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard.
It is more a repair for a piano that is incredibly special or expensive, such as a concert grand steinway or bosendorfer that has a soundboard in really bad shape but is still worth restoring. The companys growth led to the opening of a factory in new york city, united states, and later a factory in hamburg, germany. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway pianofrom learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the usedsteinway. Feb 20, 2018 there was a large crack in the soundboard.
Filling soundboard cracks with puddy is a cheap way to keep them from buzzing for awhile. Nov 01, 20 the garage piano the story of a steinway piano full piano documentary duration. From the beginning, piano makers in europe and the united states h ave sought out the heartwood of old growth sitka spruce for making the highest quality, best sounding soundboards the reason for seeking out old growth timber is because of the. Jul 25, 2012 you need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. I have a customer with a yamaha g2 grand about 30 years old. The soundboard is crowned near its center and is supported by numerous ribs underneath. Soundboard poorly installed soundboards must fit perfectly tight to the pianos rim, while the underlying ribs must fit tightly into the rib notches. Things the piano technician will say occasionally you will hear the piano technician say that something is cracked in the piano. Any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. Lindeblad mastercraftsmen have the time and experience to custom shape each soundboard to the manufacturers specifications, tapering it from the crown to the rim. The garage piano the story of a steinway piano full piano documentary duration. Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your pianofaster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. Move quote rental fractured fairy tale harp diagram2 action broken leg repair pet damage.
Good technology and craftsmanship have always been a part of building a steinway piano. Repair of rib separations can usually be done at reasonable cost without rebuilding the piano. Without an ample crown the soundboard doesnt have adequate power so the sound it projects is weak and of limited tone. Finish stripped and answered by a verified musical instrument appraiser we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. After decades of constant pressure from the strings and varying environmental conditions, the soundboard inside of a steinway piano can crack, become loose from the supporting ribs and it may lose its crown. When manufactured, the soundboard has built into it a curvature or crown.
Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and. We are a piano restoration business which was established in 1953. Restoring a soundboard piano restorations steinway. If your steinway is in need of restoration services, the only way to ensure that 100% genuine steinway parts are being used is through the steinway restoration center. Soundboard seeks out inspiration, hones in on the creative process, parses influences, and attempts to diagnose artistic greatness. There is a myth still around that a piano is ruined if it has cracks in the sound board. It is bigger than the baby grand size, but smaller than a concert piano. In fact, our senior soundboard craftsman spent the first 30 years of his career making soundboards for steinway. What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board. Tune sales fractured fairytale2 harp design hammond spinet sale repair chipped ivory soundboard repair. World class steinway piano restoration lindeblad piano.
Its because of what i know about steinway piano construction. Take caution with rebuilt steinways faust harrison pianos. This tightness helps maintain the soundboards crown its roundness. Boston pianos incorporate some of the features of steinway pianos such as a wider tail design a feature of the steinway piano models a188, b211, c227, and d274 resulting in a larger soundboard area than conventionally shaped pianos of comparable sizes, a maple inner rim, and steinway s patented octagrip pinblock. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates.
How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. Steinway does not sell or provide soundboards because each one must be custom fit to the exact dimensions of the piano cabinet. We have a very nice steinway 1910 a3 and yes, we had some cracks shimmed by a tech form the steinway factory, who we employed independently. What is the difference between a grand piano and a baby grand piano. Bottom line is, if you are going to replace a soundboard prepare to spend tens of thousands of dollars and definitely hire the best people you can find. A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. Soundboards vary in size depending on how large the piano is. The piano strings pass over the bridge, and the bridge transfers the string energy into the soundboard. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. If you open up the lid of either your upright or grand piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood that runs the down the back or the bottom of the instrument. You want to treat your piano like the treasure it is. So, according to steinways website, the soundboard is a large wooden diaphragm with a wooden bridge centred on its top side. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more. The steinway restoration center is the only authorized steinway piano rebuilder in the world and the only place where you are guaranteed that 100% genuine steinway parts will be used to restore your steinway.
This can be shimmed not a problem, unless inspection reveals a whole lot of other problems. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. After decades of constant pressure from the strings and varying environmental conditions, the soundboard inside of a steinway piano can crack. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly. Nov 29, 2011 old piano if they have not been maintained are probably not worth the cost.
I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. For those whose desire for a used steinway piano is 100% genuine. I have a 1917 steinway grand piano i might like to sell. A cracked soundboard is an issue, but based on how badly is cracked will determine what kind of repairs are needed. And just like a human heart, the soundboard of a steinway can be replaced by another one, but the essence of the pianos soul remains, and so does its indelible identity as a piano from whichever vintage or decade it came.
Proper crafting of a piano s soundboard is one of the essential parts of the manufacturing or rebuilding process. Choose from some a huge selection of the best worldwide piano brand names. Here are common used piano problems an appraisal will uncover cracked braces make it impossible for a piano to keep tune. At bradfield piano, were committed to delivering the best service possible and exceeding customer expectations. Call the piano technicians at bradfield piano today. Some parts, such as the proprietary steinway soundboard, are simply not available to other piano restoration companies or individuals. View our reconditioned quality steinway grand piano sales, restored to the highest standards in our shop. Replacement plates are available for steinways if they are sent back. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than. A view of the cracked soundboard of the gershwin model a as it came off the.
Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. Often, sellers will cover this part of the piano with felt to hide the damage. When purchasing a grand piano dont buy one with a cracked soundboard, a pressure ridge or 2 is all right. The wood used to build steinway pianos is dried and seasoned for approximately 2 years before ever being used to build a piano. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Many cracked soundboards can be easily repaired, but unless there are. This is very common in older pianos and sometimes causes buzzing on specific notes. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music company. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. At steinway, our guiding principle is building to a standard, not a price. Proper crafting of a pianos soundboard is one of the essential parts of the manufacturing or rebuilding process. But theres yet another steinway innovation that truly sets steinway pianos apart from the rest of the crowd.