Construction, Tuning and Care of the Piano-forte: A Book for Tuners ca.1887

 

 

 

 

Available online and gratis.

 

 

Tuning and Care of the Piano

(For general interest only. Not a recommendation. In the public domain)

Modern Piano Tuning and Allied Arts by W.B. White ca.1917

 

Available in various formats online.

Gratis.

 

Modern Piano Tuning




(For general interest only. Not a recommendation. In the public domain)



The Hamburg Steinway D.

 

 

Ragna Schirmer - Brahms Rhapsody op.79/2

My favorite tools: Portable Grand Action Dolly.

 

This handy item makes in-home, in-piano regulation, voicing and repair all the more easy. 

 Action slides smoothly in and out of the keybed.

 

Available to the trade only from:

 

Piano Dolly

 

 

My favorite tools: Digital Micrometer

 

 

 

 

 

Indispensable in piano repair.

 

I prefer the non-LED readout.

Available from numerous sources,
both in and out of the trade.
 

Market share: Who is trying to take it from you?

 

A memento from the unhappy days in advertising and marketing.

 

Who is trying to take market share away from us, and succeeding?

 

Piano techs in our town?

 

Nope.

 

Who, then?

 

If you have to ask,  you'll understand why they've been so successful at it.

 

 

Tuning in the showroom

 

 

 

One of the few instruments in the world that can well-receive equal temperament.

Piano Tech and the Kingdom of the Crystal Grand.

 

Coming soon to theaters everywhere!

Our Harpsichord: Gone but not forgotten.

Mission Impossible : The Piano Guys (Movie)

Vintage ad: Piano Tuner, St. Louis, MO



Norman Rockwell: The Piano Tuner

 

 

 

 

 

These prints do not come up for sale too often.

This one is for sale today at etsy.com

 

Link



Fazioli Tunings in Equal Temperament: Concert Etude: Un Sospiro (Liszt) and Claire De Lune (Debussy).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First recording:

Fazioli F212  6.11 prepped for performance by the late

 Jerry Pace, piano technician

in
Equal Temperament.

 

 Recorded before a live audience
 at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ca. 1996.

Concert Etude:
Un Sospiro
Liszt

Julie Cheek, pianist

From the CD
Julie Cheek in Concert
Special Edition Fazioli Serial No. 500

Recording engineer:
(unattributed)

Aired on NPR
"Performance Today"
___________________


Second recording:

Fazioli F228  7.6 prepped for performance by

 Bob Widding, piano technician,

in
Equal Temperament.

 

 Recorded before a live audience at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ca. 2000.

Claire De Lune
Debussy

Julie Cheek, pianist

From the CD
Julie Cheek Classical Favorites

Recording engineer:
Grady Trimble

__________________


For more information:

www.fazioli.com

www.juliecheek.com

 

Recent find: My 8th Grade Recital Program (1964)

 

 

The Rachmaninoff  Prelude is me. As I recall, at 13 years old my hands

were so small that I had to "roll" some of the chords. It took all year to learn it.

 

 

 



My favorite tools: Universal jack escapement tool.

 

"Two thumbs up."

A great time saver!

 

 

Available to the trade only from:

 

 

www.schaffpiano.com/

My favorite tools: Pliers for those tricky Viennese actions. "Essential" is an understatement!

 A.

B.

 

 

Capsule pliers for Viennese piano actions are available in two varieties. These pliers are essential tools for working on Viennese actions. A. is used to open capsules to remove and replace hammers. B. is used to space and travel hammers by bending the capsule stems.

 

Available to the trade only from:

 

www.pianofortesupply.com/

 

 

 

My favorite tools: "The Stringer" replaces curtain rod!

 



A handy tool from Piano Tek looks very much like this thin brass curtain rod. Called "The Stringer," the tech simply inserts piano string. Loop-ready! Great time saver for replacing broken string in the usually difficult places.

 

(Years ago, many techs actually used curtain rods for this.)


Available to the trade only from:

www.pianoteksupply.com/

My favorite tools: Hart replaces a chopstick!

 

The Hart "through the string" 9" grand voicing tool for fine voicing of individual hammers.  Easy
 access to hammers without pulling out the action. Replaceable needle is held by a set screw.

 

(Before the advent of this amazing tool, we'd make one from a chopstick, needle, thread and glue.)

Available to the trade only from:

www.pianoteksupply.com/

Paolo Fazioli playing his pianoforti

 

Paolo Fazioli playing his pianoforti

With Paolo Fazioli measuring the crown on a used Steinway D.

Paolo Fazioli and piano technician measure the crown on a  used Steinway D.

 

(As suspected, it was flat.)

 

 



Fazioli Tunings in Equal Temperament: Prelude in Bb Major (S. Rachmaninoff) and Air with Variations (G. Handel).



First recording:

Fazioli F212  6.11 prepped for performance by the late

 Jerry Pace, piano technician

in
Equal Temperament.

 

 Recorded before a live audience
 at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ca. 1996.

Prelude in Bb Major
Opus 23, No. 2
S. Rachmaninoff

Julie Cheek, pianist

From the CD
Julie Cheek in Concert
Special Edition Fazioli Serial No. 500

Recording engineer:
(unattributed)

Aired on NPR
"Performance Today"
___________________


Second recording:

Fazioli F228  7.6 prepped for performance by

 Bob Widding, piano technician,

in
Equal Temperament.

 

 Recorded before a live audience at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ca. 2000.

Air with Variations (Harmonious Blacksmith)
from Suite in E Major,
HG II/i/5
G. F. Handel

Julie Cheek, pianist

From the CD
Julie Cheek Classical Favorites

Recording engineer:
Grady Trimble

__________________


For more information:

www.fazioli.com

www.juliecheek.com

 

Fazioli F212 6.11 Tuning in Equal Temperament: Sonata in C Major (Scarlatti).

 

 

Fazioli F212  6.11 prepped for performance by the late

 Jerry Pace, piano technician in Equal Temperament.

 

 Recorded at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock ca. 1996.

Sonata in C Major
Longo 104
Scarlatti

Julie Cheek, pianist

2.27

Our 1936 Baldwin Hamilton

Our 1936 Baldwin Hamilton grand piano is ALL original. Still in good shape. Proving that even a second tier piano will last a lifetime and more when properly constructed and cared for.

Advice to New Piano Technicians: How to build your business.

CD ROM is no longer available but pdf can be viewed here:
LINK 

Floor tuning trials and tribulations.

"Yes, there's the salesman and prospect doing the Piano Hop Boogie, followed by the couple with five hyper kids playing "musical benches" with a cacophony of "Heart and Soul." At the other end of the store, an unannounced visit from a music minister has the Allen blasting Widor so loud that the walls feel like Jericho about to tumble." - BW

How to tune pianos blog

Link:

 

HOW TO TUNE PIANOS BLOG

Piano Accessories

Website:  Piano accessories

Donate to Piano World Forums: Piano World Forums

Identifying a counterfeit grand piano

Just because a "rebuild" is tagged as either this brand or that doesn't make it so.

At least two red flags are indicated on this one. Can spot them?

What else should you look for?