| |
Why choose us?
Because we have extensive experience in the rebuilding of vintage instruments like Steinway,
Mason Hamlin, Chickering, Knabe, Baldwin, and many fine European instruments, because we customize each and every job to your
own personal tastes and requirements, and because we will work within your framework and provide the information you
need to best achieve your goals.
Our two primary goals are excellent and expressive tone, and precision action performance. In
achieving those two main goals there are choices to be made: To put in a new soundboard or recondition the old one,
which parts and hammers will achieve the tone and performance goals that you desire, whether to update the engineering and
design or keep the original. It can be daunting for the non technician to understand what all those options are, how
the costs compare, what the likely tonal and performance outcomes will be. We will take the time to make sure
you understand all the options, costs and procedures that we propose to undertake to restore your vintage instrument
to its original condition using traditional methods and designs or modify it, if you wish, to further enhance its performance
and customize it to your own tastes.
Attitudes and approaches
vary with respect to how to deal with 100-year-old designs and technologies, and customer goals do to. While there are
many things we admire about the original designs of the so called great pianos, the evolution of the piano did not stop
in the early 1900's. Today there is a much greater understanding of the acoustics of the piano, scale
design and balance and the elastic limits of materials used in soundboard construction that effect not only predictability
of outcomes but longevity and stability as well. Options for employing new design technologies
now exist that can help to deal effectively and consistently with those areas of the piano that have been a problem in
the past such as clear bass response, consistency in tonal output through the scale, smooth transitions between sections,
a clear treble with good sustain, and the balance between power and a wide range of timbrel dynamics. Depending
on customer goals and attitudes we can use original designs or modify using enhanced performance features. Either way,
we'll discuss the pluses and minuses of and associated costs so that you can make an informed decision.
Rebuild or buy new?
If you've recently ventured into a new piano showroom you can easily
feel and hear the great variation in touch and tonal output even between pianos of the same make and model.
These differences are sometimes attributed to such things as "each piano's individual personality". Often
it reflects the inconsistency with which some pianos are produced. Through years of experience we have found that successful
tonal output and precision action performance can be controlled consistently by carefully analysis, engineering
and treatment and that's exactly what we do. We can maintain those aspects of the original design
that defined the tonal character of the piano to begin with and then engineer each detail of the piano's design to
create balance and uniformity through the scale enhancing the full dynamic range of the instrument. We think
that a properly rebuilt piano can be, and often is, better than a new piano. Why? Because as a designer and rebuilder
we take the time to examine every detail of the piano's design and execution. As much as the design allows we tailor
every aspect of the piano to your own personal taste. We can also design the action specifically for your
own touch requirements and we can do it for less than the cost of a new one.
A typical restoration package
Soundboard
When installing a new soundboard we computer model, analyze and engineer for optimum performance. Changes to
the original design are sometimes made where deemed necessary to improve tonal response and balance through the scale. When
maintaining the original soundboard we carefully repair cracks, rib separations, recondition the panel to enhance
stiffness in critical areas, resurface, repin and renotch the original bridge or install new bridge caps if necessary.
All soundboards, old or new, are finished with traditional hand rubbed varnishes. ScaleEach scale is analyzed and
calculated to insure accuracy of execution and smooth tension, inharmonicity and impedance curves for improved
tonal response and balance. BridgesBridges are either recapped or remade to accommodate the existing or new scales. Original bridges are
repinned and renotched to insure clean and solid terminations.Pinblock For most restringing and all soundboard
replacement jobs, we make, fit & install a new pinblock.Plate Plates are carefully cleaned, filled and sanded prior to refinishing. All agraffes are replaced, shaped
and carefully polished. Counterbearing areas are analyzed for proper angles, reshaped, redesigned or
replaced. Plates are refinished in gold and bronze lacquers with a protective clear coat. Lettering and plate
decals are replaced as is consistent with the original design. Plate mounting systems and support dowels are typically upgraded with
a modern plate suspension system that allows for fine adjustments of the plate height for more accurate downbearing
settings. Strings & Tuning PinsTreble and bass strings are
replaced with the highest quality wire available. Each set of bass strings is custom measured and ordered to insure
absolute accuracy. We use Roslau Premium Wire in the plain wire section. Bass strings are custom made by
the JD Grandt company to our specifications. We prefer traditional blued tuning pins but can choose nickel plating if
the cosmetic requirements of the instrument or the customers demand it.
Action Parts and Hammers
We use
the highest quality Renner action parts whenever possible. Hammers are chosen based on the tonal and performance requirements
of the piano. Selecting hammers is a critical part of the rebuilding job and we take special care to sample a variety
of hammers to insure that there is a good match between string tensions, soundboard response, and hammer firmness and resilience.
The hammers we most often use are: Ronsen Wurzen Felt, Ronsen Bacon Felt, Ronsen Weikert Felt, Renner Premium Blue, Renner Hamburg Steinway, and some Abel Premium hammers.
Each action is individually analyzed for leverage, geometry and alignment, weight and balance, regulation, friction
and damper action interface. Action parts and hammers are then selected for optimum balance, touchweight, feel
and tone. Each action is balanced using Stanwood Touch Design Platforms and protocols.
These include creating a uniform balance weight, smooth strike weight curve, smooth front weight curve, and uniform leading
patterns for controlled inertia. All actions are custom designed for maximum performance characteristics and to each
individual player's requirements both in terms of touch and tone.
New keysets can be made when needed and legal, prebanned, one-piece ivory key covers are available upon request.
A complete action rebuilding includes
changing not only the major action parts but all action felts, backchecks, leather, key bushings, etc. The
action is fine regulated in the piano and installation includes a regulation follow up after the first 100 hours of playing.
Dampers & Damper Action
We make and install a new Renner damper tray assembly with
underlevers when needed. The damper tray is typically modified with a fine adjustment capstan for each damper underlever
for more accurate regulation.
Damper
heads are cleaned, sanded and refinished or replaced if necessary. Guide rails are sized, refinished and rebushed.
Damper
felts are custom cut from the highest quality felt.
Lyre, Pedals & Trapwork
All
felt and leather for the lyre, pedals and trapwork are replaced. Older non adjustable pedal rods are replaced
with adjustable type. Pedals are either polished, replated or replaced depending on condition and need.
Pedal geometry is analyzed and corrected if needed. Casework & Finish All
finishes are recommended to be traditional hand rubbed nitrocellulose lacquer. We work with you and the finisher
to achieve the color and sheen that you desire. We manage all refinishing jobs from beginning to end. All
hardware is polished, replated or replaced as needed.
David Love Pianos 415 407 8320
|
