Some basic standards our organization utilizes in our daily practice:
Standardized Tuning Methods.
* First and foremost every one of our tuners is taught to only use a quality high end, high torque tuning wrench. It's the most important way to baby a instrument and prevent stressing out the pins and string windings.
* When fine tuning a piano we always reset the string tension across the board of the piano evenly.
* When we bring a piano up to concert pitch we only use factory style tuning techniques keeping the tension on the pianos bridges and the sound boards arc {crown} even across the board for maximum tone and stability.
* We never slowly bring the piano up gradually by several fine tunes that slowly stretch the piano into pitch. This method creates uneven tone and tension across the bridges and can stress out, warp, and even crack a pianos harp if done in a short period of time.
Regulating the atmosphere of a piano that does not hold tune long:
A piano that doesn't hold tune long is almost always subject to unstable atmosphere conditions which cause the wood to constantly acclimate to the changing environment which offsets the tuning. The only situation where it is not the atmospheres fault is when a poor tuner has loosened individual pins and pin reinforcement must be done to undo the damage. The only way to fix a atmosphere based problem is to regulate the atmosphere in the room the piano is located within. Replacing the piano will only continue the problem over time and is a expensive solution to the prolong the problem.
*Central Heating, Fire Places, Wood Stoves, and Dry Climates! If the room gets very dry in the winter a heavy duty 1000+ sq foot humidifier will need to be run near the piano (not next to or under!) in the winter season. Additionally a skirt can be installed covering the sound board from the outside atmosphere and water containers can be added inside a upright piano or on the shelf located above the rear leg on a grand piano under the sound board.
* If direct sunlight is hitting the pianos soundboard heating it during the day and cooling it at night the piano has to be moved out of direct sunlight or heavy blinds must be put up to block the sun from heating the pianos soundboard.
* If the piano is subject to breezes or drafts from windows housing vents or constantly opened windows and doors the sound board should be protected with a spandex fabric skirt stapled on behind the soundboard on the rear frame or with a wooden board that will block the heavy winds made by a air vent. Air vents can be blocked, diverted, or covered as well and intake vents should be avoided all together.
*If the piano is in a small room that rapidly changes temperatures through out the day the door to the room should be left open to create a steady environment equal to the rest of the house.
* If the piano is placed in front of a heating unit a wooden plywood board should be placed between the piano and the unit to absorb the excess heat and protect the sound board from cracking and constantly acclimating.
* If the piano is located on a outside wall it should be moved 8-10" away from the wall during the winter season.
* If there is high moisture levels a dehumidifier will need to be run in the room to stop the pianos wood from swelling slowing down internal parts.
Standardized Restringing Method:
* When restringing a piano we only use high end custom ordered bass stings and high quality appropriately sized treble stings. Low end home made bass strings are not endorsed by our organization and are what we consider a very short term replacement. Splicing original bass strings is acceptable when appropriate.
Restoring a pianos pin block or loose pin:
* We never use size 3 or bigger pins.
* When restoring a pin block or loose pin we prefer to remove the pin and put it back in with a hard wood shim. This is not only the historic method but also reinforces and babies the pin block where a over sized pin can stress it out and compromise its ability to hold tune long..
* Pin-tite a rosen based liquid can be poured into the individual pins and will restore and lock in moister into the wood causing to hold tune tighter.
* We do not endorse or use glycerin based pin tighteners as they comprise the wood and will make the pin block eventually completely unusable. Pin blocks with jumpy pins while tuning have been doped with glycerin and must be immediately treated with pin tite to save the pin block from drying out and cracking. In this case the piano pin tite should be used ever 5 years to ensure the piano maintains its ability to hold tune.
* CA glue causes the pins to gain mass and is highly toxic when used on a piano. For both of these reasons we discourage the use of CA glue as a pin tightener.
Repining A Piano
* We only repin using factory standard size 2 tuning pins (or size 1 on appropriate models) with a torque of 140+pds torque. This can be achieved by ether installing a new tuning block or individual wood shims. Size 3, bigger, or any alternative will not be utilized and possibly removed and replaced with size two pins when applicable. We do not repin a piano with out keeping or replacing the wooden pin bushing,
Fixing a cracked sound board.
DISCLAIMER: A piano with a cracked sound board has been exposed to extremely dry conditions and the atmospher needs to have moister added to insure new cracks do not appear over time.
* If preferred the piano can be exposed to a 50% humidity environment for one year which will close the cracks before sealing them.
* We only utilize a high end wood epoxy to seal a crack in the sound board. The hard rosen of a epoxy will add on to the pianos reverberation qualities while connecting all board completely allowing it reverberate as one unit as opposed to several planks vibrating when large cracks are present.
* Wood shimming is allowable as a filler for larger cracks included with a wood epoxy thou a one year exposure to a proper environment is preferred.
*Bolting planks into the support beams or using a wood runner to cover the cracks will dull the sound and not get the piano to reverberate at its fullest volume and is discouraged and removed once properly fixed with a epoxy.
Regulating Methods:
We only utilize uniform regulation in our practices unless a specific part mandates slightly off uniform adjustments. We do not regulate every piano to Steinway standards as every piano is not designed like a Steinway and has their own unique and appropriate settings that will be evaluated and regulated by the technician on a case by case bases.
HOW TO VISUALIZE A PIANO'S PINS SET TO FACTORY STANDARDS.
(size 3+ pins will have no bushing or a very thin stretched bushing compared to the size two factory standard pin shown.)
Standardized Tuning Methods.
* First and foremost every one of our tuners is taught to only use a quality high end, high torque tuning wrench. It's the most important way to baby a instrument and prevent stressing out the pins and string windings.
* When fine tuning a piano we always reset the string tension across the board of the piano evenly.
* When we bring a piano up to concert pitch we only use factory style tuning techniques keeping the tension on the pianos bridges and the sound boards arc {crown} even across the board for maximum tone and stability.
* We never slowly bring the piano up gradually by several fine tunes that slowly stretch the piano into pitch. This method creates uneven tone and tension across the bridges and can stress out, warp, and even crack a pianos harp if done in a short period of time.
Regulating the atmosphere of a piano that does not hold tune long:
A piano that doesn't hold tune long is almost always subject to unstable atmosphere conditions which cause the wood to constantly acclimate to the changing environment which offsets the tuning. The only situation where it is not the atmospheres fault is when a poor tuner has loosened individual pins and pin reinforcement must be done to undo the damage. The only way to fix a atmosphere based problem is to regulate the atmosphere in the room the piano is located within. Replacing the piano will only continue the problem over time and is a expensive solution to the prolong the problem.
*Central Heating, Fire Places, Wood Stoves, and Dry Climates! If the room gets very dry in the winter a heavy duty 1000+ sq foot humidifier will need to be run near the piano (not next to or under!) in the winter season. Additionally a skirt can be installed covering the sound board from the outside atmosphere and water containers can be added inside a upright piano or on the shelf located above the rear leg on a grand piano under the sound board.
* If direct sunlight is hitting the pianos soundboard heating it during the day and cooling it at night the piano has to be moved out of direct sunlight or heavy blinds must be put up to block the sun from heating the pianos soundboard.
* If the piano is subject to breezes or drafts from windows housing vents or constantly opened windows and doors the sound board should be protected with a spandex fabric skirt stapled on behind the soundboard on the rear frame or with a wooden board that will block the heavy winds made by a air vent. Air vents can be blocked, diverted, or covered as well and intake vents should be avoided all together.
*If the piano is in a small room that rapidly changes temperatures through out the day the door to the room should be left open to create a steady environment equal to the rest of the house.
* If the piano is placed in front of a heating unit a wooden plywood board should be placed between the piano and the unit to absorb the excess heat and protect the sound board from cracking and constantly acclimating.
* If the piano is located on a outside wall it should be moved 8-10" away from the wall during the winter season.
* If there is high moisture levels a dehumidifier will need to be run in the room to stop the pianos wood from swelling slowing down internal parts.
Standardized Restringing Method:
* When restringing a piano we only use high end custom ordered bass stings and high quality appropriately sized treble stings. Low end home made bass strings are not endorsed by our organization and are what we consider a very short term replacement. Splicing original bass strings is acceptable when appropriate.
Restoring a pianos pin block or loose pin:
* We never use size 3 or bigger pins.
* When restoring a pin block or loose pin we prefer to remove the pin and put it back in with a hard wood shim. This is not only the historic method but also reinforces and babies the pin block where a over sized pin can stress it out and compromise its ability to hold tune long..
* Pin-tite a rosen based liquid can be poured into the individual pins and will restore and lock in moister into the wood causing to hold tune tighter.
* We do not endorse or use glycerin based pin tighteners as they comprise the wood and will make the pin block eventually completely unusable. Pin blocks with jumpy pins while tuning have been doped with glycerin and must be immediately treated with pin tite to save the pin block from drying out and cracking. In this case the piano pin tite should be used ever 5 years to ensure the piano maintains its ability to hold tune.
* CA glue causes the pins to gain mass and is highly toxic when used on a piano. For both of these reasons we discourage the use of CA glue as a pin tightener.
Repining A Piano
* We only repin using factory standard size 2 tuning pins (or size 1 on appropriate models) with a torque of 140+pds torque. This can be achieved by ether installing a new tuning block or individual wood shims. Size 3, bigger, or any alternative will not be utilized and possibly removed and replaced with size two pins when applicable. We do not repin a piano with out keeping or replacing the wooden pin bushing,
Fixing a cracked sound board.
DISCLAIMER: A piano with a cracked sound board has been exposed to extremely dry conditions and the atmospher needs to have moister added to insure new cracks do not appear over time.
* If preferred the piano can be exposed to a 50% humidity environment for one year which will close the cracks before sealing them.
* We only utilize a high end wood epoxy to seal a crack in the sound board. The hard rosen of a epoxy will add on to the pianos reverberation qualities while connecting all board completely allowing it reverberate as one unit as opposed to several planks vibrating when large cracks are present.
* Wood shimming is allowable as a filler for larger cracks included with a wood epoxy thou a one year exposure to a proper environment is preferred.
*Bolting planks into the support beams or using a wood runner to cover the cracks will dull the sound and not get the piano to reverberate at its fullest volume and is discouraged and removed once properly fixed with a epoxy.
Regulating Methods:
We only utilize uniform regulation in our practices unless a specific part mandates slightly off uniform adjustments. We do not regulate every piano to Steinway standards as every piano is not designed like a Steinway and has their own unique and appropriate settings that will be evaluated and regulated by the technician on a case by case bases.
HOW TO VISUALIZE A PIANO'S PINS SET TO FACTORY STANDARDS.
(size 3+ pins will have no bushing or a very thin stretched bushing compared to the size two factory standard pin shown.)
