Piano soundboard crack repair cost

I going to try to fix a crack in the soundboard of my chickering while i have the strings off. Determining the feasibility of restoring a piano takes research. Often, depending on the size, location, and nature of the crack, it will make no difference at all in the pianos sound. Cracks and rib separations are usually repaired at the same time the piano is restrung.

You should ask yourself about the value of a new piano of a brand similar in quality. 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. Aug 06, 2014 this is my first rodeo guys, but i am quite proud of the results. 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 piano s condition. Id like to have it tuned and learn to play it, however, it has a cracked sound board. Piano faqs, tuning cost, sticky key, piano worth, piano. One of the main pieces of a piano is the soundboard. When manufactured, the soundboard has built into it a curvature or crown. I have a customer with a yamaha g2 grand about 30 years old. And, modern glues used in piano making today last much longer than the animal glues used in the past.

Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. Was an old piano passed down to you, and youre not quite sure how to make it playable. First of all, dont buy a used piano without having a tuner inspect it first. The naysayers that believe one must keep the original soundboard of an instrument at all costs are unrealistic in their expectations and are not facing the basic laws of nature concerning piano soundboards. It is also one of the main reasons that a cracked soundboard will buzz when played at certain frequencies. Cracks can be repaired, retaining the original soundboard. This is repairable if the piano is worth the cost of the repairs. And improvements to a piano can easily be made over time, as the players ability advances. If that was the case he should just purchase a rebuildable core cost effectively and start from scratch. 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. 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. Otherwise it was in great shape so we adjusted the price and made the deal. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack or perhaps many cracks. You can discuss the task with local musicians, piano store clerks, or on internet forums.

West system epoxy adding fillers to our extremely popular and effective west system epoxy can greatly expand the number of applications for piano repair. Buying an acoustic with top crack smart bargain or roll of. American and european pianos were built to the highest quality specifications by top tier craftsman. Now you can upload photos with your repair estimate request. The crack in the soundboard is actually the least of the problems in repair, and is more cosmetic than anything. There are a very few belly men technicians specializing in soundboard repair who do excellent work replacing soundboards.

Cracks in a piano soundboard are common and often are not sufficient reason to replace a soundboard. It will almost always require a full evaluation of your piano by a repair and restoration expert before you have a true idea of its cost and potential value. Having been around wooden musical instruments my whole life, if the repair is done properly it should be good as new. Jones pianorepair, rebuild, restoration, tune, move. Unless you have repaired a cracked soundboard before, we recommend contacting a professional. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. If splits in the soundboard do produce certain rattling or vibrating sounds, it is enough to place a wedge in the crack, otherwise, one must send the piano to a factory or repair shop to have the sound board replaced or properly repaired. They can provide insight on how to best preserve your piano s sound and give pricing for a soundboard repair or replacement. Lackofhumidity cracks and impact cracks are without a doubt the two most common types.

It is possible to force it upwards and repair the crack, but results and duration may be iffy. With proper maintenance and tuning, even a soundboard with cracks can be. A cracked pinblock can be replaced, and a cracked soundboard can certainly be repaired or replaced. I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. I have proven here that anyone can either flip a guitar for a profit, or pick up a nice instrument for themselves to play on an extreme budget. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. New york city,westchester,long island,connecticut,new jersey. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked. However, if your warranty is up or you have an older piano, keys can be repaired using a few simple steps. Check out the price list then describe your repair for us and well get you a live estimate. Cracks are bad but pressure ridges are not cracks but actually the opposite and i consider them good. A new pinblock can be installed when the strings are replaced. Smaller cracks may not impact your piano s sound enough to warrant repair.

Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. But, they add too much weight to the sound board, and several cracks could cost quite a lot. After all if one was to change the soundboard, he would opt to change everything else. You need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. If the new soundboard that is to be installed, is duplicated to the exact standards of the original soundboard being removed, then the piano will sound as it did when it was new. Nov 29, 2011 if the crack is loose on the ribs, it may buzz, but there is a repair for this as well. Cracked soundboard repair tutorial acoustic and hollowbody. 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. They just keep a dampit in the instrument all the time to keep the crack closed. Tuning is the best way to thoroughly assess piano tone and touch and to detect any mechanical problems. 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.

Servicemen from kawai dealers or the company itself can repair the piano if under warranty. Luckily, an excellent solution came about several years ago which is just now beginning to become standard in piano restoration. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. I took it home and fixed the crack, and now i have a nice mahogany guitar that i picked up for a song. Once you get to the point where strings need to be removed, the labor charges go up. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. The value of a used piano will never be, in cost, of a comparable new one. That would all cost way more than the local maker would ever bare. I dont think there are rebuilders out there who are putting new sound boards in. The crack was huge and look like the grand canyon running the length of the soundboard parallel to the bridge. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. Buying an acoustic with top crack smart bargain or roll. In this case, consult with a professional piano technician.

The sides of the crack are touching or almost touching, but are displaced vertically about an eight of an inch. However, if the soundboard becomes unglued from the ribs, it may develop unpleasant noises. Apr 19, 2016 when a crack is larger and causes the wood to warp, the sound quality will be affected significantly, and you will likely want to repair the damage. 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. Nashville piano rescue is full service and does make house calls on basic repairs, we also do piano cleaning, key top replacement, brass polishing, string replacement and full rebuilds, refinishing. Piano manufacturers will not guarantee a pressure ridge, they can be found even on many new pianos still sitting on the dealers showroom floor. The customer asked in advance if i knew of someone who could repair such a crack. More than anything, it is an indication that the piano is too dry. I bother to give the model number of the guitar so you can look them. In this video, i show the glue joint between the soundboard and rim.

There is no charge for verbal repair estimates if a tuning is done. We are not here to reinvent the wheel, or secondguess steinways piano building processes. You can glue the board back onto a rib, if they have separated, but that is a much more entailed process. This can be shimmed not a problem, unless inspection reveals a whole lot of other problems. Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. Are you curious about how to restore a piano thats been sitting in your basement or storage unit unused. I have no training in guitar repair other than watching several youtube videos. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack. If the crack is small and doesnt buzz, theres no need to fix it. Piano technicians at mollberg piano explain procedure. I know that the piano is just junk to a serious pianist, but id like to try and repair it and have it tuned.

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. Repair of rib separations can usually be done at reasonable cost without rebuilding the piano. If one puts a new soundboard in a piano via a respectable rebuilder,one is not gonna salvage the remainder. When choosing whether to repair or replace your soundboard, its important to consider the level of damage.

Secondly, dont worry about a cracked soundboard unless a tuner tells you to worry. How to fix buzzing bass strings on a piano duration. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. A piano restoration expert can usually make the repair quickly with effective results. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. Rates and answers to piano service, tuning, repair.

During the extremely cold weather recently, apparently crack appeared in the soundboard. Some violinists dont even repair cracks in their instruments. Originally designed for the boat building and repair industry, west system is also perfect for the piano industry. If that bad, cracked, lost crown, a new board may be needed. Our full upright piano rebuilding services cost less and retain its value far better than buying a new or slightly used asian manufactured piano. This is a big big job and most pianos are just not worth it. May 03, 2014 kurt weissman of grand purpose piano is restoring this steinway m and in the process of making extensive soundboard repairs. Generally, the more thorough the rebuilding the greater the cost, and the longer one can expect troublefree performance. Greeb, the proper repair for the soundboard crack, if warranted, is a spruce shim. Only after determining the true cost of the repair, can you know what your sentimental attachment is worth.

If so, the crack may have split the soundboard into different pieces. Piano rebuilding costs piano reconditioning restoring. A piano can look like it fell off a truck and still have beautiful tone. Even in this case, a quick and easy repair may be done using little. Piano lessons how to buy a piano what is a sound board. This is a quick and easy fix to a cracked piano bridge. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. The cost, the condition of the existing parts, and the quality of the new parts available will all be important factors in the decision. Nominally, if the piano is worth it the scant information above, i would judge no, you remove the plate, widen the crack to a vshape, insert and glue a vshaped spruce strip and scrape not sand the repair level.

Kurt weissman of grand purpose piano is restoring this steinway m and in the process of making extensive soundboard repairs. The harp is the audio generator and the soul of the instrument. When a new board is installed, it is as the original was. If you have a picture of your guitars condition, upload it to our estimator platform and well be able to get you an even more accurate repair. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano.

There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. It takes an experienced rebuilder to determine if a soundboard needs replacement. Sawing the cabinet to remove the pinblock in a square grand piano is a bit of an extreme measure. Unless you hear strange noises, you might not need to repair a cracked soundboard. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. A piano can look good, but have a hollow tone as in the case of a particle board spinet. As long as the edges of the crack do not make a rattling sound by vibrating, it really isnt that problematic. Mar 20, 2015 are you curious about how to restore a piano thats been sitting in your basement or storage unit unused.

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. Frequently asked questions about piano tuning, piano care, pitch raises, soundboard issues, minnesota climate. Do cracks in a pianos soundboard mean the end of its life. Cracks in a soundboard do not normally effect the sound of the piano. Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process. Dec 21, 2012 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. This is the get to the point page on what repairs and restorations cost on. How to quickly repair cracked piano bridge easy fix. Problems can occur within the key itself, causing the key to sound wrong or make no noise at all. At bradfield piano, our experienced technicians apply advanced repair techniques to mend soundboard cracks and restore the. The heart and soul of your piano is its soundboard. Cracks in the soundboard are common in older pianos and can cause buzzing, loss of volume, and poor sustain. Soundboard repair oxford piano service piano tuning.

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. Antique and traditional piano soundboard and pinblock repair. Oct 25, 2018 any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. When he got here it had a crack from being too dry. Lackofhumidity cracks typically run along the grain of the wood. Jul 25, 2012 soundboard cracks can be very minimal. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano. The most important aspect of soundboard repair is to be certain that the board is glued solid to the ribs. Most pianos on the east coast have cracked soundboards. There are a few ways to go about this, 1 is the shim method which is the cheapest way. Other structural repairs, or repairs to the soundboard, will be expensive and will certainly need to be performed by a professional as it should be with most repairs. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly.

During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. Specializing in used vintage pianos, piano moving, piano refurbishing and disposal of. Like the top of a stradivarius violin, the soundboard is the wood beneath all the strings and plate of the piano which gives it its unique quality of sound. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. In most of these pianos, the piano cabinet would literally have to be sawed apart in order to get the pinblock out. If the crack is small, but wide, it can be cleaned and a soundboard shim can be installed fairly simply. To expect a piano soundboard that is 75125 years old to retain its original crown and cellular structure in the spruce is ludicrous. Any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. Sometimes cracks will disappear when the humidity rises. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape.

A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. The soundboard s 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. Soundboards vary in size depending on how large the piano is. Piano repair costs will be one to several thousands of dollars for the changing of strings alone, if necessary. 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. The better the soundboard performs this function, the better the. Check, repair bridges, refinish the soundboard, paint the plate, reinstall, restring.