The Senate Theater

The piano is very dirty all throughout the action, keybed, and frame/soundboard. The level of buildup of dirt and grime is unfortunately beyond what could be accomplished with a vacuum. To facilitate the subsequent services, the interior should be thoroughly cleaned.

At the initial stage of the regulation (see next bullet point) rather than beginning immediately with adjustments, the action will be fully disassembled and cleaned. Each whippen, each hammer, each key, plus the internal frame of the action will be individually cleaned. Each hinge point and bushing pin will be lubricated. Upon reassembly, each assembly point will be properly tightened to ensure proper function. Many, if not most, of the issues that come up with pianos are a results of either infiltrated dirt, sticky pivot points, or loose screws/assembly points.

Additionally, the internal keybed will be cleaned as well as the sound board under the strings. This cleaning is not cosmetic, and is meant to include only those areas that are part of the mechanics of the piano.

The piano does not show any signs of broken parts. The wood is generally good condition, and there does seem to be life left in the felt parts (dampers, hammers, bushings, etc.). However, it is clear that there has not been any maintenance to speak of done in many years. This is not meant as a criticism, as this kind of maintenance is not frequent, but does over time compound and can significantly diminish the responsiveness and musicality of any instrument. The entire action needs to have a full regulation done. There are many different adjustment points (depending on the particular instrument) on each note that must be adjusted for the note to properly play as expected. As is, the action is very “mushy”. It is difficult to generate the full sound that should be possible, and playing with nuance is nearly impossible. Going through each note and adjusting each whippen (the term used for the full mechanical action of each individual key) properly will significantly improve the responsiveness of the keys. Much of this is done with the action removed, but then final adjustments are made when it is returned to the frame of the piano.

The hammers show significant signs of wear and compaction. Over the years, as the piano is played, the area of the hammer that contacts the strings becomes much denser than the surrounding felt, creating a thin, bright and/or harsh tone. it also significantly reduces the musical and dynamic range of the piano.

Therefore, while the action is removed for service, the hammers will also be attended to. Each hammer will be individually serviced with a meticulous multistep process. First, the grooves are sanded down and the surface of the hammers made smooth again. Then, as determined, the felt will be revitalized with abrasives and aeration so the hammers are not only smooth, but soft as well. This results in a significant improvement in the overall tone of the instrument, and much more pleasing to play and listen to. This may be the greatest difference that would be noticed by the listener. it will sound much more like a concert grand piano worthy of the Senate Theater!

With the above work completed, the action is returned to the piano and final adjustments are made to ensure correct alignment of the hammers and to evaluate the dampers (the dampers are not attached to the action, and sometimes this is an area where further needed work may reveal itself once the rest of the action is properly regulated). To conclude the process a full tuning will be done so that the piano is left in fully concert ready condition!

If, within a period of 2 months any adjustments or corrections to the service are noticed and wishes to be fixed, a service call can be done without charge. It is not uncommon to have, as the fully regulated action settles and the piano is played more, small tweaks here and there be needed. Simply reach out and those can be done upon request.

Beyond that, any work done here will be supported as long as I am the last one that has tuned the piano. Sticky keys, mis-adjustments, loose screws in the action, etc., all will be adjusted free of charge at the time of the next tuning for a period of 3 years. If after the initial two month period, any adjustment is deemed needed before the next tuning, a small service call fee will be charged

This “warranty” does not include replacement of any parts, unless the particular part was replaced as a part of this contracted work. (in other words, the piano is still old, and parts may break, no matter how much service is done - so if something breaks, it would be considered “new” work and not support work for this project)