New vs. Old
New vs. Old Pianos
There have been great, mediocre and terrible pianos manufactured in the last 100 years. Age is not a reliable indicator of quality. The best pianos ever built are built today. Virtually all concert halls, recording studios and broadcast facilities either have late model pianos or are working to acquire new ones. All of the technologies involved in building a piano, especially wood curing and processing and metallurgy, have improved over the past 100 years. There are some fine older instruments, but they are not better than the best pianos built today.
Pianos are 80 percent wood, and therefore are subject to the effects of moisture over time. In the dry climates they shrink, in the humid climates they mold and rust, and in the snow belt they shrink in the winter and swell in the summer, causing cracking and warping. The action, or mechanical part of the piano, is subject to wear and deterioration.
However, there are many cases where a good used piano is better than a lesser grade new piano. The critical elements are:
- the Pin plank
- the Plate
- the Action
- the Hammers
Rebuilt Pianos
A piano that has been properly rebuilt may offer performance close to that of a new piano. Unfortunately, most rebuilt pianos have not been properly rebuilt. Rebuilding is required when the pin plank dries out and constricts, causing the tuning pins to become loose and rendering the piano un-tunable. The pin plank is a multi-laminated plank of wood about 2-1/2 inches in depth
- behind the plate in an upright piano and under the plate in a grand piano
- into which the tuning pins are driven. There only proper repair for a failed pin plank is to remove the plate and replace the pin plank. If the plate hasn't been removed, the piano hasn't been rebuilt.
While the plate is out, the soundboard can be repaired if necessary. It is usually not necessary or advisable to replace the soundboard if it still has sufficient down bearing, has maintained it's crown and the cracks are not too severe. The plate and soundboard should be refinished while the plate is out of the piano. It is advisable to refinish the case at the same time. However, a piano does not have to be refinished to be considered rebuilt.
When the plate is removed, the action (key and hammer assembly) is also removed. Action rebuilding may not be necessary. Occasionally, only regulation (adjustment) and voicing are required. Hammers may need to be replaced or only voiced. Complete action rebuilding involves replacing and calibrating thousands of expensive parts. The older the piano, and the more use it has had, the more action work likely to be needed. In general, actions need to be rebuilt with new parts about every 25 years..
A piano that has been completely and properly (including action) rebuilt and refinished is likely to be as expensive as a new piano. Less than 50 shops in the US are capable of doing this work properly. Being a good tuner is not evidence of having the capability to be a great rebuilder. Because of the many skills and disciplines involved, it takes a team of specialists and many outside contractors to properly rebuild a piano. And, they are likely to insist upon proper compensation for their work. It is important to be aware of the credentials of your technician, to be sure that he or she is capable. If you find a rebuilt piano at a very low price, you can be reasonably sure that the work was not completely or properly done. Generally, it costs between $20,000 and $35,000 to rebuild a piano with authentic parts.
The greatest mistake a consumer can make is to attempt to save money by purchasing a piano and attempting to supervise the restoration themselves. They almost always spend more money and experience more frustration than if they had just bought a proper piano at the start. They are almost never satisfied with the end result and almost rarely end up with an instrument worth what they paid. If you want a rebuilt piano, it is best to find one that has already been rebuilt, hire an independent expert to evaluate it and make a decision on its aesthetic appeal and cost relative to new instruments. Of course, if you have a family heirloom, you may well want to have it professionally restored or rebuilt. Given the economic realities of the market place, it is not economically viable to restore brands other than Steinway for resale.
A few rules of thumb:
* It is almost never economically viable to rebuild uprights.
* If someone tells you a piano has been rebuilt, ask a lot of questions.
* If it doesn't say Steinway on the plate, it's probably not worth rebuilding (from an economic perspective).
* Antique pianos are like antique cars - they're fun to own and drive on Sundays, but impractical for daily use.