Many potential piano buyers believe they can obtain good quality used pianos for little or nothing. Most often they are very misinformed. Be cautious of free or almost free pianos. There is almost always repair work that needs to be done. There is high demand for good used pianos and many pianos are for sale by private parties. Most of the time, the owner’s idea of quality and value are misinformed and much higher than practical. Before purchasing any used piano from an individual it would be wise to have the piano inspected and evaluated by a quality piano technician. If the current owner is reluctant, find another piano.
Purchasing a piano from a full service professional piano shop can be a good source for quality used pianos. Repairs are made and reconditioning is completed by expert piano technicians. The buyer will get more for their money when purchasing used pianos from a reputable piano shop. Many times warranty, delivery and even tunings are included with a piano purchase from well equipped piano specialty shops.
March 19, 2010 – 10:00 pm
It is often difficult for the average piano owner to determine what type of wood finish was originally applied to his or her own piano. Many types of varnish, lacquer & other material have been used in the past. Setting up definitive rules in cleaning and polishing of all types pianos would be difficult. However, there are some helpful ideas, suggestions and warnings about the care of your pianos finish that we can suggest.
First, avoid anything that contains silicone. Silicone will be absorbed by the finish and can cause the wood to become saturated and difficult to repair or refinish in the future. Second, when cleaning modern high polish and high gloss piano finishes using a damp cloth followed by a dry cloth is acceptable. There are also polishes made especially for these polyester finishes available from most piano technicians and piano stores. We have had good results using Cory piano finish products on all types of piano finishes including polyester as well as lacquer finishes.
When locating your piano in your home try to keep it away from direct sunlight. It will cause the finish to deteriorate; fade and will eventually damage the wood. Direct sunlight can also affect tunings, moving action parts, the pianos pin block and the piano soundboard causing tuning stability issues, cracking, warping and pulling loose from the ribs or case. This damage is sometimes not as noticeable as the color difference in the finish of this grand piano after just a few years of direct sunlight exposure but is just as serious and actually more damaging to the pianos longevity.
Worked on a Grand Piano Company console today. The company was established in 1961 at Morganton, NC. The piano was a console but seemed very much like a spinet. The difference was that the action dropped below the main level of the key bed like a spinet but the keys were angled to drop below the action as well. There was no drop lifter or extension lever with this type action configuration. The action was made by Wood – Brooks in Rockford, IL. The pitch was 115 cents flat but was tunable and able to be brought up to A440. These pianos were originally low cost and easily available to most households. Many times we have had calls from some folks stating they had a “grand” piano but in actuality it was a vertical piano made by the Grand Piano Company. 
The piano plate, sometimes called the frame or harp, is typically made from cast iron due to its high compression strength. The strings of the piano are attached to the plate in conjunction with the wooden frame and soundboard, and which the tension of the strings are supported. Many piano manufacturer’s use the O.S. Kelly company to supply them with piano plates. The company is based in Springfield, Ohio.
The cast iron is acoustically inert and is not readily reactive with other elements so it does not contribute to the sound production of the piano.
A crack or break in the pianos plate is a serious problem and requires special skills to repair, if even possible. A crack in the plate can greatly effect the tuning stability of the piano and could render it useless until a repair is attempted.
When restoring or rebuilding a piano getting correct plate position back into the instrument is crucial. Careful measurements are required before removing the plate from the piano so that proper installation back into the piano can be made.
February 28, 2010 – 9:33 pm
Matching Orange Grand Pianos
It looks like we will see just about any color for a grand piano these days. Matching bright orange grand pianos being played at an Univeristy of Tennessee ballgame. WOW!
