If the soundboard needs to be replaced, we will hand craft it to steinways specifications. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. Lindeblad mastercraftsmen have the time and experience to custom shape each soundboard to the manufacturers specifications, tapering it. What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board. Its always best to hire a registered piano technician you know or who has been recommended by friends. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and.
View our reconditioned quality steinway grand piano sales, restored to the highest standards in our shop. Move quote rental fractured fairy tale harp diagram2 action broken leg repair pet damage. At steinway, our guiding principle is building to a standard, not a price. Any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. The soundboard could be the least of the piano s problems.
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. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. Proper crafting of a pianos soundboard is one of the essential parts of the manufacturing or rebuilding process. Some parts, such as the proprietary steinway soundboard, are simply not available to other piano restoration companies or individuals. Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your pianofaster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. Good technology and craftsmanship have always been a part of building a steinway piano. Without worrying about the sound board at all money may easily be better spent on a new piano. Repair cracked soundboard soundboards what you hear is what you. This tightness helps maintain the soundboards crown its roundness. Thats why, when it comes to repairing a piano soundboard, hiring a knowledgable, proven technician is worth the investment. The wood used to build steinway pianos is dried and seasoned for approximately 2 years before ever being used to build a piano. Although a cracked soundboard may not be easily spotted by an amateur, it may be very serious and require major rebuilding. We are a piano restoration business which was established in 1953.
A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more. A pianos soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano. When purchasing a grand piano dont buy one with a cracked soundboard, a pressure ridge or 2 is all right. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than. Replacement plates are available for steinways if they are sent back. Its because of what i know about steinway piano construction. 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. This is very common in older pianos and sometimes causes buzzing on specific notes. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. The soundboard is, of course, a vital part of the piano as it is the transducer of the sound. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. At bradfield piano, were committed to delivering the best service possible and exceeding customer expectations. You want to treat your piano like the treasure it is.
When they tested it with db meters, they found that the piano with a crack. To me, the rim is the soul and the soundboard is the heart. Steinway does not sell or provide soundboards because each one must be custom fit to the exact dimensions of the piano cabinet. A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. For this reason, a crack in the soundboard reduces the soundboards ability to amplify the vibrations of the strings only in relation to how much of the surface area the crack reduces the vibrating area of the board. 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. 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.
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. Proper crafting of a piano s soundboard is one of the essential parts of the manufacturing or rebuilding process. Nov 01, 20 the garage piano the story of a steinway piano full piano documentary duration. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. 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. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. The term cracked when referring to piano parts needs to be clarified to assess the level of severity. Tune sales fractured fairytale2 harp design hammond spinet sale repair chipped ivory soundboard repair. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano. Take caution with rebuilt steinways faust harrison pianos.
German harpsichord by maendlerschramm, munchen piano. Things the piano technician will say occasionally you will hear the piano technician say that something is cracked in the piano. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. Soundboard piano store new and used pianos for sale. Soundboard seeks out inspiration, hones in on the creative process, parses influences, and attempts to diagnose artistic greatness.
Heart of the piano the gershwin initiative website. Nov 29, 2011 old piano if they have not been maintained are probably not worth the cost. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. The companys growth led to the opening of a factory in new york city, united states, and later a factory in hamburg, germany. In fact, our senior soundboard craftsman spent the first 30 years of his career making soundboards for steinway. Preowned steinway, yamaha, kawai and quality american made pianos. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music. What is the difference between a grand piano and a baby grand piano. Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions.
Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your piano faster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places. But theres yet another steinway innovation that truly sets steinway pianos apart from the rest of the crowd. 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. We use the exact same closegrain alaska sitka spruce, from the same suppliers as steinway new york and steinway hamburg. 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. Restoring a soundboard piano restorations steinway. Once you find a piano you love, let piano technician to give it a thorough exam. The piano strings pass over the bridge, and the bridge transfers the string energy into the soundboard. World class steinway piano restoration lindeblad piano.
There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. This is when the board should be fully inspected and its condition evaluated. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and repair. Timeline steinway history the unofficial history of. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano service.
Used pianos certified used pianos steinway yamaha new. A cracked soundboard is an issue, but based on how badly is cracked will determine what kind of repairs are needed. 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. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music company. 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. Often, sellers will cover this part of the piano with felt to hide the damage. 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. Yaeger, a piano dealer from waterford, continue reading. I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. In this video, i show the glue joint between the soundboard and rim. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly.
In the early 1900s, steinway and sons introduced their diaphramatic sound board a board that stands at around 58. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. I have a customer with a yamaha g2 grand about 30 years old. Here are common used piano problems an appraisal will uncover cracked braces make it impossible for a piano to keep tune.
Soundboard is badly cracked but salvageable all mechanism parts in tact and original. Other piano makers followed suit with many different conceptual designs. We accept pianos from institutions, piano technicians, and retailers, as well as from private owners. Repair of rib separations can usually be done at reasonable cost without rebuilding the piano. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. 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.
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. Oct 25, 2018 a piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. 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. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. Finish stripped and answered by a verified musical instrument appraiser we use cookies to give you the best possible experience on our website. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild.
The soundboard is crowned near its center and is supported by numerous ribs underneath. Dorset pianos restored, steinway sales, used uprights. So, according to steinways website, the soundboard is a large wooden diaphragm with a wooden bridge centred on its top side. Jul 25, 2012 you need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. 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. Feb 20, 2018 there was a large crack in the soundboard. Soundboard poorly installed soundboards must fit perfectly tight to the pianos rim, while the underlying ribs must fit tightly into the rib notches. There is a myth still around that a piano is ruined if it has cracks in the sound board. Move testimonial projects harp diagram cabinet steinway console sale replace hammers.
When manufactured, the soundboard has built into it a curvature or crown. Filling soundboard cracks with puddy is a cheap way to keep them from buzzing for awhile. The garage piano the story of a steinway piano full piano documentary duration. You need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. It is bigger than the baby grand size, but smaller than a concert piano. The soundboard helps amplify the sound of the strings and if it is badly damaged the piano. Finish stripped and answered by a verified musical instrument appraiser. Appraisal services steinway piano gallery of naples. Soundboards vary in size depending on how large the piano is. Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. The soundboard is what allows the piano to project its sound.
I have a 1917 steinway grand piano i might like to sell. 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. In original condition, a magnificent piece of history and work of art. So much can be wrong with used pianos, cracked frame, split soundboards, worn parts, split plank all of which can make a piano useless. Without an ample crown the soundboard doesnt have adequate power so the sound it projects is weak and of limited tone. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs.
685 171 1087 1600 446 618 574 1266 886 958 1062 346 253 1368 426 185 1090 341 422 1259 1161 1582 435 728 559 81 259 1280 1416 1149 1191 598 772 134 649 660 586 253 705