Piano cracked soundboard repair

Theres been numerous attempts made to save cracked soundboards and the test of time after the repair has proven these procedures to be a waste of time. The pinblock must not be cracked or splintered at all, and tuning pins must be tight. Piano care and repair table of contents, repair, restore, and tune your piano. The bridge is a wooden piece between the soundboard and the hammers, helping to maintain the piano in tune for reasonable time. A common myth is that any piano with a cracked soundboard is either junk or too expensive to repair and should just be taken to the dump.

The soundboard needs repair repairs estimated at 1k, but the cost of repairs would be comparable to buying a very basic newer used upright from a piano store, and the sound quality of this piano would be much better. This is a more expensive repair depending on how big your piano is and how many cracks need repair. This type of repair, along with the cracks, are often done as part of a piano rebuilding or restoration project because it requires the strings to be removed before the repairs are done. Cracked soundboard over the years, soundboards can crack for a variety of reasons. Even in this case, a quick and easy repair may be done using little. They never crack, but they are slightly dead or muffled. I didnt say that a crack renders a piano worthless, i implied that as the piano would need a soundboard repair and a full restring it would mean it was probably beyond economical repair bearing in mind the chance that it may crack again elsewhere. In extreme cases, cracked boards can produce a buzzing sound, but this can be corrected through repair.

A family friend has had one stored in his shop for about 4 years untouched and decided to ask. Sadly, the cracked soundboard ploy has generated countless dollars for unscrupulous piano technicians over the years that use it as a scare tactic for financial gain. If you have a high quality piano we can probably effect the repair. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and. I have wanted a grand piano for as long as i can remember. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild. Our technicians are experienced in regulation, restringing, repining, refinishing, soundboard services, and hammer services.

One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked board. Yet when the crack deepens and the soundboard has more extensive damage, the only way the sound can be preserved is to remove the soundboard from the piano and replace it with one that closely mimics the original construction. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. I know that the piano is just junk to a serious pianist, but id like to try and repair it and have it tuned. Soundboard replacement which requires duplication and again the piano has to be completely apart for this so you would be getting new strings and pin block too. Cracked soundboard repair tutorial acoustic and hollowbody.

The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. In a traditionally made, solid spruce soundboard, the crown is maintained by. Northeast piano service piano tuning, repair,and restoration 45276236 ma 8607250045 ct. This wooden piece should not be out of position, warped or cracked. First of all, dont buy a used piano without having a tuner inspect it first. You are carrying around a wooden box made of exotic hardwoods measuring anywhere from about. But in the early 1900s, steinway and sons introduced their diaphragmatic soundboards. Piano pinblock restoration piano pinblock restoration piano pinblock restoration. I going to try to fix a crack in the soundboard of my chickering while i have the strings off. Piano owners survival guide piano parts catalogue catalog.

When manufactured, the soundboard has built into it a curvature or crown. Couple that with age and the soundboard panel doesnt stand a chance of doing its job after many decades of this. Even in this case, a quick and easy repair may be done using little more than wood wedges and screws in order to prevent extraneous noise. Move testimonial projects harp diagram cabinet steinway console sale replace hammers. Piano restoration rebuilding refinishing repair connecticut ct. As long at the sound board hasnt come unglued from the ribs, there is a good chance you wont even know the difference.

Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. Thats a lot of money to invest in an unknown quantity. Even then, a cracked plate can be repaired, by the right person, using the right materials but of all piano repairs, repairing a cracked plate is by far the most risky, due to the enormous tension from the strings. In grand pianos, this condition is a little more serious mainly. Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano repair. Rebuilding, for the most part, involves a completely disassembling inspection repairing parts that are in need of repairing, including the replacement of all worn, damaged, or deteriorated.

Repair history gallery intro player pianos masonhamlin sale repair cracked lid. The dowel rod that held this hammer somehow snapped in twoperhaps there was a flaw in the wood, or perhaps the key was just struck too hard. Usually the piano involved is older than your g2, and ribs have separated from the soundboard adjacent to the crack these must be reglued. Lack of humidity is your main problem with cracked soundboards. Piano repair piano defects and damaged fixed during piano.

While soundboard cracks are obviously undesirable, and in some cases can cause serious problems. 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. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. Smaller cracks may not impact your pianos sound enough to warrant repair. Repair cracked soundboard soundboards what you hear is what you. Reconditioning only focuses on the parts of the piano that are highly damaged and in high need of repair for the best or desired performance. Unless you hear strange noises, you might not need to repair a cracked soundboard. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. A basic repair for this in an upright piano is to insert glue between the soundboard and the ribs closest to the crack and draw the soundboard back to the ribs either by screws or by some other method. Highly trained piano technicians at bradfield have the experience to knowhow to use the correct chemicals and materials and ensure your piano stays safe and undamaged. A piano restoration expert can usually make the repair quickly with effective results. Oct 25, 2018 a piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer.

Paul dewalts piano replaces piano pinblocks when they. Oct 31, 2009 you need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. The good news is that this has nothing to do with the tuning. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly. If you own a piano that is due or even overdue for quality refinishing, repair or restoration of any kind, from abington to yantic, to lakeville to kent to sandy hook to monroe, your piano repair is as close as the entrance to your local interstate highway.

The pianos action is the mechanism that causes the felt hammers to strike the strings when you play a key. If you already own a piano with a cracked soundboard, dont despair. From cracked keys to worn hammers and strings, there are a number of parts that may need to be repaired during the course of a pianos lifespan. If you notice a soundboard crack in a piano you are looking to buy, be sure to have a qualified piano technician look at it first a good idea to begin with when buying a used piano. Unless you have repaired a cracked soundboard before, we recommend contacting a professional. When an original soundboard needs restoration, we evaluate the board to ensure structural integrity, hand sand it and repair any damage utilizing our special methods. The piano was given to me, so i dont have any money invested in it.

After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. Press a key, and a small hammer strikes a string held in tension over a soundboard. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. We can also tune or move your piano in greater austin and further. If the crack is small, but wide, it can be cleaned. One type of soundboard that is highly resistant to cracking is a laminated soundboard essentially a piece of plywood found mostly in lower end pianos. Make sure its not cracked and that the ribs, pins, and bridges inside arent cracked or broken.

A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. They can provide insight on how to best preserve your pianos sound and give pricing for a soundboard repair or replacement. Soundboard repair oxford piano service piano tuning. There are 88 of these hammers, most of which strike three strings at once. If the crack is small and doesnt buzz, theres no need to fix it. One of the main pieces of a piano is the soundboard.

All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. When installing a shim repair the crack is opened, scraped and enlarged. A cracked soundboard the thin board stretched across the frame of a piano whose role is to amplify sound seems to be everyones greatest fear. It can be sealed to stop the buzzing, but to cosmetically repair, the strings must be removed and the crack must be shimmed and relacquered.

On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. Soundboard find a professional piano company or piano technician, that will repair the soundboard of your piano. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and repair. I am a player piano repair man and all of the pianos i work with were made before 1930. 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. A strip of wood is then forced into this gap and glued.

The case is very distressed, the soundboard has a crack in it which you can see as a dark line running from the upper left area of the picture down toward the lower right with the grain of the wood. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than could be produced by strings alone. Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process. Many cracked soundboards can be easily repaired, but unless there are other problems with the board, these repairs are usually cosmetic. Yet when the crack deepens and the soundboard has more extensive damage, the only way the sound can be preserved is to remove the soundboard from the piano and replace it with one. Nov 01, 20 brazilian pianist, eliane rodrigues, literally taking the performance below the stage. Cracks can be repaired, retaining the original soundboard. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. I havent had any issues with cracking at the repair site. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. Cracked soundboards are actually quite common, especially in this climate. The piano forums are an online community of piano lovers including piano industry professionals, concert artists, recording artists, technicians, dealers, manufacturers, and thousands of enthusiastic amateur pianist.

Cracked piano bridges are repaired using a router and new maple piano bridge capping material. Cracks and rib separations are usually repaired at the same time the piano is restrung. The crack in the soundboard is actually the least of the. Nov 29, 2011 i am a player piano repair man and all of the pianos i work with were made before 1930. A cracked pinblock can be replaced, and a cracked soundboard can certainly be repaired or replaced. Cracks in the soundboard are common in older pianos and can cause buzzing, loss of volume, and poor sustain. Tune sales fractured fairytale2 harp design hammond spinet sale repair chipped ivory. Acoustic soundboard acoustic pro advice howtos upkeep february 2014.

The soundboard is one of the most essential parts of your piano. On the other hand, if the bridge, shelf, and soundboard are coming loose from each other, and if there are bad splits in the bridge pin rows, and the bridge shelf is all cracked, and the piano is very old, repairs may not be worth performingthe more problems there are, the greater expense to repair, as with any aspect of the pianos condition. Contrary to what the name implies, a soundboard is not a single board. T he pianos that have their soundboards replaced are often vintage pianos or pianos that have been exposed to adverse conditions.

Do cracks in a pianos soundboard mean the end of its life. 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. What to look for when buying a used piano duration. This is an example of a significant crack in the soundboard of a small baby grand piano. In fact, this scare tactic is often used by piano dealers to discourage restoration and preservation so that they can sell a new piano to the unsuspecting client. Repair of rib separations can usually be done at reasonable cost without rebuilding the piano.

It takes an experienced rebuilder to determine if a soundboard needs replacement. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more importantly the. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. I bother to give the model number of the guitar so you can look. The pinblock holds each string ensemble with tuning pins. This can be shimmed not a problem, unless inspection reveals a whole lot of other problems. Cracks in a piano soundboard are common and often are not sufficient reason to replace a soundboard. Secondly, dont worry about a cracked soundboard unless a tuner tells you to worry. Replace piano hammers piano moving, tuning and repair in. Cabinet polishing can be a simple half of a day project or a multi day comprehensive service if there are deep scratches and gouges to repair. Cracks and rib separations are usually repaired at. For your piano to be considered for this repair you must email or send the manufacture, model, size, serial number, and photos of all damage and areas for repairs.

The sides of the crack are touching or almost touching, but are displaced vertically about an eight of an inch. It should be remembered, however, that it is the strings, and not the soundboard, that originate, by their vibratory motions after they have been struck, the sound which the soundboard amplifies. Ask about it at your next tuning or when scheduling your. For a piano to sound its very best, all of its components need to be working properly. We have a very nice steinway 1910 a3 and yes, we had some cracks shimmed by a tech form the. However, if this type of soundboard is not made properly, is exposed to dry climates for long periods of time, or not cured properly, it can and will receive cracks which in many cases are difficult and costly to repair. Most being 1921 and most with cracked sound boards. Jul 03, 20 a basic repair for this in an upright piano is to insert glue between the soundboard and the ribs closest to the crack and draw the soundboard back to the ribs either by screws or by some other method. Order piano parts and tools from our catalogue catalog. Repair by welding is not an option because it requires heating a localized.

At bradfield piano, our experienced technicians apply advanced repair techniques to mend soundboard cracks and restore the. Shimming produces a crack between the shim and the soundboard right at the glue line. From memory, the glue saturated wood doesnt move the. Id like to have it tuned and learn to play it, however, it has a cracked sound board. I bother to give the model number of the guitar so you can look them up online. Jul 25, 2012 you need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. Move quote rental fractured fairy tale harp diagram2 action broken leg repair pet damage. If an instrument has a pronounced rattle or buzz when played, a deep crack may have split the soundboard into different pieces. Sometime during the life of an average acoustic guitar, it will likely develop at least a small crack. This has become a popularly adopted technique for repairing soundboards.

Soundboard cracks demystified south jersey piano service. Cracks are bad but pressure ridges are not cracks but actually the opposite and i consider them good. This usually will eliminate the offending noise when the piano is played. Often, depending on the size, location, and nature of the crack, it will make no difference at all in the pianos sound. 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 piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. It is also one of the main reasons that a cracked soundboard. Nov 30, 2009 a solid soundboard is commonly used in piano soundboard construction. Using the highest quality materials and methods, the nuernberger piano company offers a range of repair services to restore your instrument to its original condition or better.

Many vintage steinway and sons grand pianos and upright pianos exhibit cracking and. It seems to hold pitch fine and actually sounds pretty good. Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. The only thing that i am bothered by are the 3 or 4 cracks in the soundboard.

Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Some shops build their own soundboards, they are done with individual boards in a press on a 60 ft radius, soundboards are slightly arched. When you play, the soundboard amplifies and radiates a large volume of sound into the air. These cracks are usually roughly the width of a penny or wider. I took it home and fixed the crack, and now i have a nice mahogany guitar that i picked up for a song. Soundboard cracks pianotech piano technicians guild.

Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. The better the soundboard performs this function, the better the soundboard is. 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. These pictures illustrate a horrifying soundboard repair performed on a.