Services

Below are a list of services provided by Galbraith Piano Services.

Tuning

Piano tuning is the most important part of my services. On some pianos, however, more work has to be done in order to acheive the best tuning possible.

Regulation

The piano action is the mechanical component of a piano. A piano is made up of a cast iron plate and a mechanism that strikes the strings called the action. The action is made up of the keys and a system of moving parts that translates the energy from the keys into movement of the hammers that, in turn ,strike the strings. When a piano is new, the action is adjusted so that it will produce the best feel and response that the piano is capable of.

Over time as the action wears in, the felt compacts and the hammers wear, tone and the touch of the piano may start to decline. When this occurs it is time to look at regulating the action and voicing the hammers. Depending on how far the instrument has been allowed to decline this job may take just a few hours or a few days. So in simple terms regulation is the adjustments that are made to make the piano perform at its best.

Signs that regulation is overdue:

    Keys seem to go down too far or seem too shallow
    Uneven touch from one note to note
    It is difficult to play softly and still have the notes sound
    Notes do not repeat quickly
    Notes continue to ring after the key returns
    Pedals squeak
    Piano has developed a harsh metallic sound
    Keys rattle, action is excessively noisy

Voicing

As a piano ages, the hammers can develop deep grooves where they come in contact with the strings. The hammers may also flatten out, which causes the piano to sound harsh or metallic. If the hammers are not too worn or too ancient,  they can be filed to remove some of the felt and restore the original shape. This procedure will always improve the sound of the piano to some extent . Sometimes, however, the hammers are too old and worn to produce satisfactory results. When this happens its time to look at replacement.

Replacing old hammers with a set of new, high quality hammers can suddenly bring a piano back to life. Installing new hammers also involves voicing, as they may sound too harsh or too soft when they are first installed. It is very rare for a set of hammers to have an even tone throughout the piano until they have been voiced. All new pianos have had some voicing done to the hammers in the factory.

When a piano owner is looking at having new hammers installed in their piano, it is important to ask the technician about voicing as it is often overlooked and can make all the difference to the end result.

Repairs/Restoration

Repairs can range from clicking noises, to broken strings to replacing ivories on the keyboard.

 Clicking noises can be caused by either a loose hammer head, to a worn out piece of cloth inside the action, or even a loose part inside the action, or a loose key top.

If you are wondering if you have any broken strings, you might not have any sound at all when the key is struck, or you might just hear a much lower tone from the note compared to its neighbor. If any of these symptoms occur, then you might have a broken string. If it is a bass string, however, then the repair would have to involve splicing the old string. If that does not work, then ordering a new string is necessary.

When ivories are missing or chipped, then you may want to consider asking if you can have it replaced. This involves finding another one that will match and gluing it on properly. Never attempt this repair on your own. Ivory, much like wood, will bow from the moisture of the glue if it is not glued and clamped correctly.

Restorating pianos can be a touchy subject. First, you require a piano that is worth restoring, which could include replacing parts, refinishing the cabinet, and/or restringing the instrument. Unless the piano is very sentimental to the customer, then that can be a different story. Memories from an old piano are something that you would want to treasure, especially if it belonged to a cherished loved one.

• Pedals squeak
• Piano has developed a harsh metallic sound
• Keys rattle, action is excessively noisy