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. It is important to note that a cracked soundboard does not mean your piano is. Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions. If you already own a piano with a cracked soundboard, dont despair. When choosing whether to repair or replace your soundboard, its important to consider the level of damage. However, soundboard cracks have no effect on a pianos ability to hold its tune. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. It should be remembered, however, that it is the strings, and not the soundboard, that originate, by their vibratory motions after they have been struck, the sound which the soundboard amplifies. From sticking keys to broken strings, or loose tuning pins to a cracked and buzzing soundboard, grand purpose piano will come to your location, evaluate the problem, and offer immediate solutions.
I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. When a crack develops, the spruce of the sound board warps and pulls away from the cross ribs. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. The piano with new unvarnished soundboard and pinblock completely removed. 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. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. However, in many cases cracked soundboards go unnoticed because it usually does not influence the sound. A large, fullsize upright piano has longer strings and a larger soundboard than a baby grand piano. As a general guideline to keep the instrument alive, the piano should be tuned at least two times every year. Loose ribs should be drilled, doweled, and glued adjacent to the crack. Without it, a piano would sound about as loud as an electric guitar that is not turned on.
Im not a technician, but a search for cracked soundboard will show you that many discussions have been had about whether a cracked board will affect tone the general conclusion. Cracks and rib separations are usually repaired at. Repair of rib separations can usually be done at reasonable cost without rebuilding the piano. Many older pianos have arrived at the point where replacing the tuning pins with larger pins will not result in tuning pins that are tight enough to hold the strings at pitch. After glueing the new soundboard into the piano, the cracked pinblock is removed as tuning pins were slipping, causing strings to go out of tune. A good quality soundboard can l ast 100 years or more. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. But with two slight variations in the piano tuning schedule, you will help extend the life of the piano and help reduce the chances of a cracked soundboard and bridges, as well as maintenance costs. Piano tuning is exactly what it implies the tuning pins will be moved with a tuning hammer, and set to the appropriate tension in order to produce the correct sound. Oct 25, 2018 a piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano service.
After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. A cracked pinblock can be replaced, and a cracked soundboard can certainly be repaired or replaced. The pinblock holds the tuning pins tightly so that the piano can be tuned. The pinblock holds each string ensemble with tuning pins. It is important to note that a cracked soundboard does not mean your piano is ruined. One of the main pieces of a piano is the soundboard. A cracked soundboard because traditional soundboards are multiple boards glued together, this soundboard can become cracked in temperature or humidity fluctuations.
Usually, cracks in a pianos soundboard does not mean the end of its life. Cracks in a piano soundboard are common and often are not sufficient reason to replace a soundboard. The way a piano plays is not affected by normal piano tuning. Thus, the soundboard of the piano acts just as does the parchment head of a drum or the thin steel diaphragm of the receiver element in a telephone.
When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece. The soundboard is crowned near its center and is supported by numerous ribs underneath. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. T he pianos that have their soundboards replaced are often vintage pianos or pianos that have been exposed to adverse conditions. New soundboard, bridges and refinished plate from an 1896 steinway model a grand we rebuilt. In extreme cases, cracked boards can produce a buzzing sound, but this can be corrected through repair. Sadly, the cracked soundboard ploy has generated countless dollars for unscrupulous piano technicians over the years that use it as a scare tactic for financial gain. If that bad, cracked, lost crown, a new board may be needed. Usually the piano involved is older than your g2, and ribs have separated from the soundboard adjacent to the crack these must be reglued. Rates and answers to piano service, tuning, repair. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more importantly the.
This drying out process eventually could lead to a split occurring along the grain somewhere on the soundboard. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. A pianos soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano. I provide onsite, concertquality piano tuning, regulation, voicing, and installation of piano humidification systems. Ask about it at your next tuning or when scheduling your. When a piano develops cracks from old age, the cracks can cause buzzes. Cracked soundboards are actually quite common, especially in this climate. Soundboard repair oxford piano service piano tuning. A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. In fact, the action or mechanics of the piano are not regulated or removed during the course of normal piano. With proper maintenance and tuning, even a soundboard with cracks can be maintained for years. It would also be a mistake to install new strings over cracked bridges and a cracked soundboard as it will affect the tone adversely for years to come. Soundboard cracks demystified south jersey piano service.
I havent had any issues with cracking at the repair site. You also have to take into account that the results you have after replacing the soundboard might be. Repair cracked soundboard soundboards what you hear is what you. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and repair. There are certain things you should know about soundboards. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. First of all, dont buy a used piano without having a tuner inspect it first. In fact, this scare tactic is often used by piano dealers to discourage restoration and preservation so that they can sell a new piano to the unsuspecting client. Q i think my piano has a cracked soundboard, so it cant be tuned. Brigham larson, registered piano technician, dispels the myth that a broken soundboard always means a piano is no longer playable.
The soundboard is what allows the piano to project its sound. 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. This is repairable if the piano is worth the cost of the. If there is something wrong here, that has a much more influence on the sound. Piano restoration oxford piano service piano tuning. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. Contrary to what the name implies, a soundboard is not a single board. When manufactured, the soundboard has built into it a curvature or crown. Many cracked soundboards can be easily repaired, but unless there are other problems with the board, these repairs are usually cosmetic. On upright pianos, you have to lift the top and look above the tuning pins. How to inspect a used piano before buying pianobuyer. Soundboard cracks and rib separations can sometimes be ignored, but.
This wooden piece should not be out of position, warped or cracked. The effect is to widen the crack as far as acoustics are concerned. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that.
Good technology and craftsmanship have always been a part of building a. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked board. At the age of 10 he accomplished his goal of playing. It is possible to force it upwards and repair the crack, but results and duration may be iffy. Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process. 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.
Nov 29, 2011 loose ribs should be drilled, doweled, and glued adjacent to the crack. The bridge is a wooden piece between the soundboard and the hammers, helping to maintain the piano in tune for reasonable time. You also have to take into account that the results you have after replacing the soundboard might be dramatically different than the original piano. Cracks in the soundboard are common in older pianos and can cause buzzing, loss of volume, and poor sustain. There is a common belief that a cracked piano soundboard indicates that a piano. Over many years, solid usually sitka spruce soundboards dry out. He stays uptodate on all things piano by being an active member of the piano technicians guild the song chariots of fire inspired andrew to begin piano lessons.
Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano. At the age of 10 he accomplished his goal of playing it in recital. Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. This can result in cracks and loose soundboard ribs. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano. A section of a european beech pinblock with many laminations. A cracked soundboard the thin board stretched across the frame of a piano whose role is to amplify sound seems to be everyones greatest fear. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly. What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board. Cracks in the soundboard, while unattractive, are not necessarily important.
Piano restoration pricing guide 2019 piano tuning piano. Cracked soundboards piano tuning in edmonton daniels piano. A pitch raise is an initial first tuning to get it up to pitch so that a proper fine tuning can then be done. Unless you have repaired a cracked soundboard before, we recommend contacting a professional. Constant pressure is placed on the board which allows the sound of the vibrating strings to resonate with power and sustain. Proper crafting of a pianos soundboard is one of the essential parts of the manufacturing or rebuilding process. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. Have you been told that your piano is untunable by your tuner or. I am an experienced, professional piano technician helping clients make better music by protecting their piano and providing high quality products and services. The good news is that this has nothing to do with the tuning. Do cracks in a pianos soundboard mean the end of its life. What should you do if your piano has a cracked soundboard. Also, the crack is much bigger than it would appear.
The song chariots of fire inspired andrew to begin piano lessons. Smaller cracks may not impact your pianos sound enough to warrant repair. Cracked soundboards piano tuning in edmonton daniels. Eventually, the tuning pin holes ream out and the piano becomes untunable. He received his piano tuning and repair diploma from the piano technician academy. Some piano owners have been dismayed to learn from their piano technician that their piano has a crack in the soundboard. The greatest factor affecting piano tuning and stability is humidity. New pianos, because of new wood, will crack much sooner, sometimes even within a week after being exposed to very dry conditions. Smaller cracks may not impact your piano s sound enough to warrant repair. This is true, but that doesnt mean that the piano will start falling apart shortly after developing a crack in the soundboard. Piano restoration costs piano tuning piano storage. In fact many, if not most, pianos will eventually develop some cracking in their soundboards.
Cracks can be repaired, retaining the original soundboard. As a piano ages, its soundboard dries out and often develops small cracks along the lines of the wood grain. Even pianos left untuned for many years rarely go out of tune in that manner. The soundboard is made to resonate by the vibrating strings, thus amplifying their sound and transmitting it to our ears. The soundboard in any piano is exposed to humidity and other environmental swings during its lifetime. He stays uptodate on all things piano by being an active member of the piano technicians guild. Piano strings can break, buzz, rattle and make all kinds of strange noises. If the piano doesnt already have a damppchaser, i include one in my proposal. A good friend of mine has had a crack in the soundboard of his 6ft kawai for over a decade and has had no other problems.
When the soundboard has received extensive damage, i. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. The better the soundboard performs this function, the better the soundboard is. I have a fully equipped shop for rebuilding and repairs. Often, depending on the size, location, and nature of the crack, it will make no difference at all in the pianos sound. Do you know what is making your piano sound so tinny. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks.
The crown of the soundboard should be checked before bothering with any of this. Feb 07, 2012 when the soundboard has received extensive damage, i. In most cases, repair can be done at the time of the tuning, yet if the piano is old and the damage is extensive, then affordable solutions will be. A crack in a soundboard actually has very little effect on the tonal quality of the instrument so long as the structure of the soundboard remains solid with the bridges and ribs securely and correctly fastened to the soundboard, with the entire peripheral contact securely fastened into the frame of the piano. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack. Jul 03, 20 the greatest factor affecting piano tuning and stability is humidity. This is very common in older pianos and sometimes causes buzzing on specific notes. 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. It is the large piece of wood below the piano strings that amplifies the volume of the sound emanating from the strings. Dec 21, 2012 as a piano ages, its soundboard dries out and often develops small cracks along the lines of the wood grain.
On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. In some cases, this can be fixed by a technician resecuring the ribs. In europe if you replace the soundboard on a piano you are legally not allowed to put the name of the original manufacturer on the instrument. A cracked soundboard often causes ribs to become loose, which can produce a buzzing sound. Apr 19, 2010 brigham larson, registered piano technician, dispels the myth that a broken soundboard always means a piano is no longer playable. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and. 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. Just about everyone has heard of a cracked soundboard. For example, if a baby grand piano is 5 feet long, at least 12 inches of that length is going to be the keyboard before the strings and soundboard begin. If you notice a soundboard crack in a piano you are looking to buy, be sure to have a qualified piano technician look at it first a good idea to begin with when buying a used piano.
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