During restoration, the soundboard will be dried in a special drying room. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. From the 7 years old pictures of the body and mechanics, the restoration seems to have been very well completed even if the parts are not all steinway parts. Any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. We use the exact same closegrain alaska sitka spruce, from the same suppliers as steinway new york and steinway hamburg. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music. The ribs run perpendicular to the grain of the soundboard, and therefore perpendicular to any cracks. Yet when the crack deepens and the soundboard has more extensive damage, the only way the sound can be preserved is to remove the soundboard from the piano and replace it with one that closely mimics the original construction. There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. It is bigger than the baby grand size, but smaller than a concert piano. The soundboard is responsible for the legendary steinway tone. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce.
When they tested it with db meters, they found that the piano with a crack in it did just as well as a new piano with a perfect sound board. The more constant you can keep the humidity, the more stable you can keep your piano. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. 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. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. Finish stripped and answered by a verified musical instrument appraiser. When you play, the soundboard amplifies and radiates a large volume of sound into the air.
It is a tricky clamping job, as planks want to swim. The ribs beneath the soundboard must be firmly attached at all points to avoid buzzing. 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. This is an example of a significant crack in the soundboard of a small baby grand piano. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. Cost of a steinway piano price chart and buyers guide. I disagree that if there are cracks in the soundboard that it would be better to leave it for museum. If the crack is small and doesnt buzz, theres no need to fix it. I am asked often about soundboard cracks, and often by people that have heard its a death sentence for the piano, or that it means the piano cant be tuned. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. The significance of soundboard cracks on pianos roberts pianos.
His latest release, sun of goldfinger ecm, finds him in a cooperative trio with guitarist david torn and percussionist ches smith. Choose from some a huge selection of the best worldwide piano brand names. Dorset pianos restored, steinway sales, used uprights. Jazz alto saxophonist tim berne is the frontman for the jazz quintet tim bernes snakeoil. Steinway does not sell or provide soundboards because each one must be custom fit to the exact dimensions of the piano cabinet. Grand purpose piano specializes in steinway restoration and all other fine instruments. The soundboard could be the least of the pianos problems. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway piano from learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the used steinway market. Nov 29, 2011 if the crack is loose on the ribs, it may buzz, but there is a repair for this as well. If you crack open the lid of either your grand or upright piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood behind the iron plate that runs the. Small enough to fit nicely into almost any room, this piano is handcrafted using the same materials and techniques that go into making steinway concert grand pianos.
Soundboard piano store new and used pianos for sale. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. 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. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and repair. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. The wood used to build steinway pianos is dried and seasoned for approximately 2 years before ever being used to build a piano. And just like a human heart, the soundboard of a steinway can be replaced by another one, but the essence of the pianos soul remains, and so does its indelible identity as a piano from whichever vintage or decade it came.
Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib. 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. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1 duration. It can crack due to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. Soundboard seeks out inspiration, hones in on the creative process, parses influences, and attempts to diagnose artistic greatness. Steinway grand piano s155 at 155 cm in length, this baby grand piano was introduced in the 1930s and features the powerful and rich tone of a much larger piano. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more. Jun 26, 2012 the soundboard helps amplify the sound of the strings and if it is badly damaged the piano wont sound right. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than. Berne speaks on finding your groove in improvisation from his home in brooklyn, new york, with soundboard producer. Used steinway pianos average 48% of the current msrp prices. A soundboard is made up of many planks, which are planed and fitted one to another extremely precisely, to ensure a strong glue joint that is never to come apart.
After decades of constant pressure from the strings and varying environmental conditions, the soundboard inside of a steinway piano can crack, become loose from the supporting ribs and it may lose its crown. In fact, our senior soundboard craftsman spent the first 30 years of his career making soundboards for steinway. Once you get to the point where strings need to be removed, the labor charges go up. And just like a human heart, the soundboard of a steinway can be replaced by another one, but the essence of the piano s soul remains, and so does its indelible identity as a piano from whichever vintage or decade it came. Shimming a soundboard is a fairly easy task for a rebuilder. Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your piano faster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. Our restored steinway pianos and instruments of other fine makers have become the. What makes piano sound like a steinway, or a baldwin, or a bluthner. He speaks on the genius of cole porter and takes us on a deep dive into his original arrangements. This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly.
As discussed in the steinway article, a crack in a soundboard is not detrimental to tone and is more cosmetic than anything. Energy is transferred from the strings to the soundboard, thus driving points are created. The new stringing and soundboard look to have been well completed with quality parts. Feb 20, 2018 there was a large crack in the soundboard. Soundboards vary in size depending on how large the piano is. But in the early 1900s, steinway and sons introduced their diaphragmatic soundboards. The sound of the steinway piano is one of power, warmth, richness and color the result of many exclusive features, including the diaphragmatic soundboard. Epoxy soundboard crack repair pianotech piano technicians guild.
You simply cannot fetch the quality of tone from a new soundboard that you can from an older soundboard that has aged with. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. A celebration of cole porter finds connick playing piano, singing, orchestrating, arranging and conducting. These threats are targeted toward any seller of a used steinway piano, including private individuals and musicians attempting to sell their piano. The soundboard is one of the most essential parts of your piano. The piano forums are an online community of piano lovers including piano industry professionals, concert artists, recording artists, technicians, dealers, manufacturers, and thousands of enthusiastic amateur pianist. The soundboard, which is the large wooden board you can see from the back of an upright piano or from underneath a grand, has ribs glued on it to strengthen it. Because the pianos soundboard is made of thin sheets of wood, it is one of the most vulnerable parts of the piano. The significance of soundboard cracks on pianos youtube. So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crack or perhaps many cracks.
Steinway artist vijay iyer is an american jazz pianist, composer, and fourtime downbeat magazine artist of the year who was released over 20 albums covering diverse musical terrain. Comparison between two restored steinway model o grand pianos duration. View our reconditioned quality steinway grand piano sales, restored to the highest standards in our shop. Jan 04, 2014 it is what is called an old style model a steinway grand piano. Handcrafting each steinway requires up to one full year creating an instrument of rare quality and global renown. Over 70 years ago, steinway patented its soundboard for pianos, continuing its tradition of superior craftsmanship, innovation and sound. But more importantly, what makes the tone of a piano. A grand guide to buying a used steinway piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used steinway pianofrom learning about how a steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a steinway a genuine steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the usedsteinway market. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. Once your steinway grand piano is in our hands, we begin the restoration process by disassembling the instruments cabinet and parts.
Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. If the driving points of the ribs and panel and bridges are not lined up to the strings, then a mismatch occurs resulting in energy loss. It can crack if not kept at consistent humidity levels. When purchasing a piano check as much of the soundboard as you can see carefully for cracks. As an aid to those buying a used steinway, i have listed below all models of steinway pianos made in new york city since the firms inception in 1853.
Without worrying about the sound board at all money may easily be better spent on a new piano. But theres yet another steinway innovation that truly sets steinway pianos apart from the rest of the crowd. Jul 25, 2012 soundboard cracks can be very minimal. A piano restoration expert can usually make the repair quickly with effective results. The vibration is transferred through the bridges to the soundboard which greatly amplifies the tone. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places.
The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano service. The soundboard provides the sound that makes your piano unique. A crack is only going to get bigger and will affect the tone and overall sound of the instrument. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. To me, the rim is the soul and the soundboard is the heart. Sons legal counsel issues a policy letter on december 11, 2018 regarding used and preowned steinway pianos replete with threats.
If the soundboard needs to be replaced, we will hand craft it to steinway s specifications. We are a piano restoration business which was established in 1953. Soundboard cracks demystified south jersey piano service. I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. The soundboard truly is the lifeblood of the instrument. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. Oct 25, 2018 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. The soundboard, bridges, ribs, pinblock and other wooden parts show no hints of even a tiny crack. They spoke about the album to soundboard producerhost ben finane editor in chief at steinway s awardwinning online music magazine from the steinway. The soundboard is the heart and soul of the piano as it provides the instrument with its full and rich sound.
Depending on the condition of your grand piano, we will remove the instruments cast iron plate and refinish the pianos soundboard. Soundboards can be fixed, but only by removing the strings and plate and rebuilding the piano. No crack around bridge pins or dislocation of the bridge pins or on the bridge. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Nominally, if the piano is worth it the scant information above, i would judge no, you remove the plate, widen the crack to a vshape, insert and glue a vshaped spruce strip and scrape not sand the repair level. Lindeblad mastercraftsmen have the time and experience to custom shape each soundboard to the manufacturers specifications, tapering it from the crown to the rim. Piano soundboards chernobieff piano restorations home. If the crack is small, but wide, it can be cleaned and a soundboard shim can be installed fairly simply. Not surprisingly, steinway remains the choice of 9 out of 10 concert artists, and countless pianists, composers, and performers around the world. If there is a distinct buzz when notes are struck quite firmly, this can also be an indication of a cracked soundboard. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked.
Each and every piano cabinet is unique and different. Oct 25, 2018 the ribs run perpendicular to the grain of the soundboard, and therefore perpendicular to any cracks. The soundboard is such an important part of the piano that in parts of europe it is illegal to put the name of the original piano manufacturer on the front of a piano with a replaced soundboard. What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board. When a soundboard loses crown, the piano will not sound as it was designed to sound. World class steinway piano restoration lindeblad piano. For this reason, a crack in the soundboard reduces the soundboard s 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. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano. The strings produce the sound but the soundboard amplifies and accentuates it. Im thinking from your question that you propose to glue the sides of the crack together and expect them to stay, but i hope that im reading you. Owning a steinway is a common dream among most serious pianists.
So, while a crack in a soundboard may not, in itself, cripple a soundboard, it is a sign that something is beginning to happen or has already happened. In fact, the nature of the soft spruce wood a soundboard is made of needs to be able to expand and retract with changes in heat and humidity. Preowned steinway, yamaha, kawai and quality american made pianos. Kurt weissman is continuing the series on soundboard repair. Our pioneering handcrafted methods are still employed today to ensure our uncompromising standards of quality, in turn ensuring that the steinway piano remains the peerless instrument of uncompromising expression. However, in many cases cracked soundboards go unnoticed because it usually does not influence the sound. While soundboard cracks are obviously undesirable, and in some cases can cause serious problems. So much can be wrong with used pianos, cracked frame, split soundboards, worn parts, split plank all of which can make a piano useless. Since this list has never before been published, i have, for the record, given a much more complete list than most piano. This is very common in older pianos and sometimes causes buzzing on specific notes. Old piano if they have not been maintained are probably not worth the cost. Would sound get affected because of cracked sound board. The companys growth led to the opening of a factory in new york city, united states, and later a factory in hamburg, germany.
It will not have the breadth of tone or the length of decay that it was designed to have. Cracks in the soundboard can therefore affect the sound of your piano in a negative way. On some grand pianos, the number is stamped in the soundboard underneath. Her brass hardware and copper bass strings have beautiful lustre. Replacement plates are available for steinways if they are sent back. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked board.