Although i am not a professional musician, i learned a lot about the art of piano tuning and piano mechanics. Here at piano artisans, we have over 50 years of player piano restoration experience. Square piano tech a dedicated resource guide for the. Antique and vintage piano tools martin shepherd piano. If your tuner wont tune it for you, consider selling it and getting a piano that is more conventional. Joe is one of the few registered piano technicians to be part of the the piano technicians guild. Our wool temperament strips are manufactured by sutherland felt in michigan.
Call joe today for a free prepurchase consultation or. The original square piano technical resource website, accurate and informative wow, it has been a year and a half since out last real update. We offer moving from any location to our shop for restoration and then arrange for delivery following. Its ornate victorian case makes very pretty furniture but it also makes a terrible musical instrument for 21stcentury playing and practicing. I have to say, ive never come across anything as cool as reblitz. When pianos are regularly tuned it may be possible for the tuner to resolve. Piano artisans focuses on bringing our you the best the piano industry has to offer.
Piano technician and pianist fred sturm has translated montals book, in both its original 1836. Recommended books on piano tuning piano tuning tune a. We restore dozens of player piano systems per year, with each restoration taking approximately 250300 hours. Most piano tuning pins are actually tapered slightly toward the tip, with flattened sides. The table below provides an overview of some of the many facets of restoring antique pianos at shaffer pianos and illustrates why pianos should be restored in a shop and not a customers home. If a piano is an antique or has sentimental value, it may be worth investing in the restoration. This piano has many identical features to those of erard. They have special tuning, regulation and repair problems which are well covered in this lesson. The old square grand piano, while not too common, still exists and may be encountered at any time. Player piano restoration piano tuning piano storage.
Antique piano sales homestead piano tuning and repair. Dennis kurk has many years of experience tuning pianos and restoring them. The square piano, or square grand, as it is sometimes called, looks like a rectangular box on legs see illustration, and was very popular as a home piano during the 19th century. There are a lot of really great pianos out there that, with a little tuning and maintenance, are still new enough to give several good years of use. I have gone to piano guild meetings and read alot of piano tuning books. Medium forte is enough to hear the beats and set the tune. There is no need at all for this in a square, and banging away is sure to shorten the life of something important. Dont waste money and time on a piano thats not worth it, unless you have such a strong emotional or sentimental attachment that you dont mind the price tag. A simple and accurate method for amateurs dover books on music. Although the internet provides a significant amount of information regarding traditional grand and upright pianos, there seems to be a substantial lack of credible information and resources.
American factory is the finest and largest stocked piano supply company in the world, manufacturing bass strings, custom made hammers, all fabric parts and a separate machine shop that manufactures the schaff hale tools that are utilized worldwide. The books can be delivered to brazil and any other part of the world as they are downloadable. Player piano restoration is both a science and an art. American piano restoration square grand piano rebuilding. The newest square grand pianos are now at least 125 years old, most much older. Weve been rebuilding and restoring pianos for over half a century, melding the latest in sophisticated technology with old world craftsmanship. Piano tuners for some reason cannot communicate things well. To schedule a piano tuning or repair thru our website, simply fill out form to the right and you will be contacted during our weekday service hours. The antique piano shop is restoring parts of our musical.
Forms submitted during other times will be answered within 24 hours during the week and weekend requests will be contacted on the next business day. Jan 04, 2014 as part of the piano regulation process it is important to square and space the piano keys. Suitable for broadwood squares and grands of the era, as well as other makers pianos. Mar 01, 2020 the square piano, or square grand, as it is sometimes called, looks like a rectangular box on legs see illustration, and was very popular as a home piano during the 19th century. Of course no cost for that, just the net price of the books. Expert piano restoration antique restoration services nc. The antique piano shop is restoring parts of our musical heritage with. He is an associate member of the piano technicians guild. Call 4042902072 or stop by our location in fayetteville, ga today.
The present book is the outgrowth of a course of instruction, used. At the antique piano shop, we specialize in restoring rare and obsolete pianos and organs for individuals who desire to preserve their heirloom instruments. The most extensive section of the book is devoted to a wide range of repairs, for the square pianos of the late 18th and. Piano restoration player piano rebuilding piano tuning. The best books on piano repair and adjustment in the world are written by. Due to the age and unique design of square grand pianos, their restoration is generally more specialized and complex. Antique piano restoration is a very specialized craft that takes a lot of time, patience, and attention to detail. Nov, 2014 and if the piano has sat unused for years, the only way to gauge its health for sure is to tune it and see if it holds a tune. Our piano tuning hammers, heads and tips are all manufactured by ams piano tools in illinois. To say that things have been busy in south carolina does not really describe what has been going on. Antique and vintage piano tools, just as the pianos, generally reflect an oldworld attention to detail.
A rare five octave french square piano with a well preserved interior. Cree fischer paperback 514 x 8, 201 pages 17 lessons starting with notes on the general construction of the piano, regulating and repairing, setting the temperament, the study and practice of piano tuning, and also tuning and repairing reed organs. In the square piano, which has but two strings to a key, the continuous mute cannot be used and you will be obliged to tune both strings in unison before leaving to tune another interval. Our rubber mutes come from schaff piano supply in illinois. As part of the piano regulation process it is important to square and space the piano keys. Piano tuning book and cd for beginners by dennis e. Bought this a present for my hubby who has just bought an old grand piano with a view to. Action has new dampers, straps, felt and reshaped hammers. John is a graduate of the school of piano technology for the blind in vancouver, washington and has been working in the field for approximately 5 years.
Online piano tuning and repair training course american. Hawaii piano tuning honolulu piano tuning tuning hawaii. Expert piano restoration antique restoration services. Square grands tend to bring the worst out in people. Joe has provided full service piano maintenance to the portland oregon market since 1973. Square rectangular grand pianos steves piano service. Tuning is something that should not be done in haste. Antique square and forte pianos may additionally require tuning before major events. The third edition of reblitzs piano servicing, tuning, and rebuilding provides piano technician and servicing programs, pianists, and amateur players and. Unrestored square pianos for sale antique keyboard. Piano tuner piano appraisals piano service antique. Some 19th century square grand pianos used them, but those pianos are found almost entirely in museums nowadays square tuning tips are still available for antique instrument restorers.
Piano repair parts piano showcase piano benches, lamps. Out goal is to help you make the best decision for you and your pianos needs. The book illustrates the various parts of the piano, the functioning and how to repair and re tune if required. A special section is added on general piano repairs with a host of tips and short cuts that can save time and money. Bought this a present for my hubby who has just bought an old grand piano. This particular piano has a beautiful walnut case with ornate carving on the front panel. Solid metal copy of the original broadwood tuning hammer discovered with a broadwood square piano circa 18. Modern piano tuners hammer the notes hard during tuning, to cause the string to settle into place.
A very good book on piano repair and general maintainance. The piano gets new strings with traditional modern tuning pins for tuning stability, and the original pinblock is plugged. A must have for all upright and grand piano owners. I read his book a few years ago and with his help i was able to tune a piano within reason. Most modern pianos made in the past 120 years use a tapered pin and need a standard no. Our tuning tutorial presents an effective but very simplified approach to piano tuning. The lyre, or pedal works, on a square is always wobbling. Appraisals and consultation artisan piano service 2015, 2016. This is one of the reasons why the square piano does not, as a rule, admit of as fine tuning as the upright. His book, piano tuning for beginners, is 18 pages long, 812 by 11 inches. Shortly after this piano was built, piano makers started using iron inside the pianos for support, accompanied by larger, heavier piano strings and larger cases.
They made high quality pianos well worthy of restoration. Be sure to check out the piano technicians tools area too. The square below is a fine example of an 1830s american square piano, it has turned and fluted mahogany legs and pedal foot, thick ivory keytops and a nice flame mahogany veneered case. Testimonials from people who bought the books the e books are well organized and complete. Hi claudio, thank you for your interest in our piano tuning and repair books. The antique piano shop specializes in the restoration rare, periodpiece instruments with a focus early square, upright and grand pianos. Although your pianos tuning pins may appear square at first glance, chances are they really arent. I bought this book after opening up a 70 year old inherited upright with some. We have hundreds of rare and antique collector pianos in our facilities and want to bring these hard and sometimes impossible to find pieces and their movements and woods to the market. Cool toolsthe studley tool chest, antique carpenter tools kinda steampunk. American factory is the finest and largest stocked piano supply company in the world, manufacturing bass strings, custom made hammers, all fabric parts and a separate machine shop that manufactures the schaff hale tools that are utilized. Square rectangular grand pianos piano, repair, parts.
Take the lyre clear off, and take it around to a cabinet maker to repair. Pitch perfect piano, llc is a piano tuning and repair business located in northern virginia, and operated by john pastorius. I have had my piano wrecked by a tuner, and then had to search the area new. I have a much better appreciation for what is going on under the hood to make those piano strings resonate harmoniously. Turnofthecentury piano workshop since the piano continued to evolve well into the early 20th century, parts and. Turnofthecentury piano workshop since the piano continued to evolve well into the early 20th century, parts and supplies may not be readily available for antique pianos. Compatible with most other brands of heads and tips. Although the internet provides a significant amount of information regarding traditional grand and upright pianos, there seems to be a substantial lack of credible information and resources regarding square grand pianos. Fiction hardcover ages children in english books to buy, piano, fiction, children. My father used to tune the steinway concert grand piano in the portsmouth. He is a member of the piano technicians guild of america also. All of our piano tuning hammers are manufactured in the usa. Piano tuning hammers, schaffhale piano tuning levers.
Because of the rarity and potential value of square pianos, they deserve the finest restoration and preservation available. Better to do it with a lot of caution or leave it for a professional. Once you have it mounted back on the piano, put an old book under it to support it better. Professional watanabe tuning hammer with hardwood handle. Here are the photos of the piano from our customer in south carolina. Antique square grand piano restoration shaffer pianos. Save vintage piano tuning tools to get email alerts and updates on your ebay feed.
Unfollow square grand piano to stop getting updates on your ebay feed. As we say in our introduction, its hard to find good explanations for the beginner. Piano tuners will often tell you that antique pianos are worthless or impossible to restore simply because they are not willing to invest the time and attention required to restore them. Extra heavy brass butt plates for replacing broken butt plates on upright pianos.
The player piano restoration process is tedious and exact. Tuning and repairing your own piano paperback august 1, 1984 by jim jackson author. The antique piano shop is one of the first and only shops of its kind that specializes in the restoration and preservation of the square grand piano. Amadeus piano company antique steinway, rare piano collector. Piano tuning and repair for profit, my illustrated eight lesson piano tuning course can teach you to tune and repair pianos and begin earning income for yourself and your family in the shortest time possible.
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