Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. A a piano that has not been regularly maintained can become so out of tune that it is not possible to bring back to its original condition in a single tuning. I inherited the piano and want to keep it in good shape and fix up the major problems. A solid soundboard is commonly used in piano soundboard. When an original soundboard needs restoration, we evaluate the board to ensure structural integrity, hand sand it and repair any damage utilizing our special methods. When the soundboard looses a lot of moisture or absorbs and subsequently lose. The alternate absorption and evaporation of moisture affects the soundboard, and therefore the tone of the piano, to a far greater degree than any crack or accumulation of cracks, yet few persons complain of this or even appear to notice it.
Soundboard and frame on an upright piano important information. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. Restoring a piano is laborintensive, but you can do it yourself with a few tools and furniture restoration supplies. If you do that, most likely there wont be any buzzing. In a top quality piano undergoing a full restoration with restringing, the soundboard would be cleaned possibly stripped back to bare wood and refinished with all the strings off. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano. The environment in which the piano is kept is well outside the control of the rebuilder. Dealing with this crack will depend on a number of things, including whether the bottom is closed or not. When a soundboard loses crown, the piano will not sound as it was designed to sound. It is not advisable to restore your piano by yourself if it is a valuable antique. Soundboard cracks demystified south jersey piano service.
Piano soundboard exists to provide networking opportunities for creative pianists online. Soundboard cracks pianotech piano technicians guild. Lindeblad mastercraftsmen have the time and experience to custom shape each soundboard to the manufacturers specifications, tapering it from the crown to the rim. The making of a piano soundboard an interview with pianos bolduc submitted 3 years ago by pianopricepoint if youre interested in how pianos are made, this is an article about pianos bolduc one of the few independant piano soundboard makers in the world. A pianos soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano. Id like to have it tuned and learn to play it, however, it has a cracked sound board. Solid spruce soundboards swell and shrink with seasonal changes in humidity and, over time, can develop cracks. Find a professional piano company or piano technician, that will repair the soundboard of your piano. Cracking in piano soundboards some piano owners have been dismayed to learn from their piano technician that their piano has a crack in the soundboard. The significance of soundboard cracks on pianos youtube. As a piano technician many people ask me about how to keep the dust off of the soundboard on their grand piano. New york city,westchester,long island,connecticut,new jersey.
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. It sits in the church sanctuary, where the temp and humidity can vary widely. In fact many, if not most, pianos will eventually develop some cracking in their soundboards. The making of a piano soundboard an interview with pianos. 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. Soundboard cracks, whilst not exactly desirable are rarely terminal because sound travels mainly along the grain now im sounding all rex harrison about it and transmission across the grain is done by the bellybars under the soundboard those bars that youll see spaced out across the underside of the board. Sometimes, a piano can function normally even with a cracked soundboard. Buzzing sound coming from a key in an upright piano. However, the movers brought it over last week, i played it, and it sounded bad. A family friend has had one stored in his shop for about 4 years untouched and decided to ask.
Cleaning the soundboard properly is a very fiddly job which takes time, so the technician has to charge accordingly. The ribs are usually made of spruce, sugar pine, or some other kind of soft wood. It is very important to point out that the correct maintenance of a piano avoids structural damages to the instrument and in particular to the soundboard, its weakest and most delicate element, which requires specific temperature and moisture conditions for its stability. Usually the piano involved is older than your g2, and ribs have separated from the soundboard adjacent to the crack these must be reglued. Like the top of a stradivarius violin, the soundboard is the wood beneath all the strings and plate of the piano which gives it its unique quality of sound.
This is a tool designed specifically to use to clean the soundboard on a grand piano. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. They are spaced four to six inches apart, and are glued to the soundboard in a direction that runs at a ninety degree angle to the individual soundboard planks see picture at right. I disagree that if there are cracks in the soundboard that it would be better to leave it for museum. Cracks in the soundboard dont mean its a basket case. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. Steinway does not sell or provide soundboards because each one must be custom fit to the exact dimensions of the piano cabinet. Also, the crack is much bigger than it would appear. Each and every piano cabinet is unique and different. There is a slot in one end of the flat steel that you can put a soft rag through. As a piano ages, its soundboard dries out and often develops small cracks along the lines of the wood grain. In fact, this scare tactic is often used by piano dealers to discourage restoration and preservation so that they can sell a new piano to the unsuspecting client. Fire sucks moisture out of the airand your piano faster than you can say, my soundboard cracked. The results will be a buzzing slightly when depressing certain keys, or.
Our unique method has repaired over 50 plates in the last 7 years with all being tuned to a440 with no failures. If the crack is small, but wide, it can be cleaned and a soundboard shim can be installed fairly simply. The wood used for soundboards must be light and reverberant. 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. I think hubbards books cover soundboard repairsprobably the little pamphlet, not the big book. All stringed instruments have some type of soundboard most are built directly into the body of the instrument, such as the violin or the harp. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. Just curious what, really, is the big deal about a cracked soundboard on an older piano. I recently got a kimball upright piano tuned and there are two keys that when struck, emit a loud buzz. It had sounded fine at her house, but the acoustics were different in her small living room. This photo was taken underneath a new name brand grand piano that was only 1month old when the 1layer solidspruce soundboard cracks were discovered by the owner in their home in phoenix, arizona. You can glue the board back onto a rib, if they have separated, but that is a much more entailed process.
Soundboard repair oxford piano service piano tuning. Antique and traditional piano soundboard and pinblock repair. West system epoxy manufacturers and distributors of piano. I know that the piano is just junk to a serious pianist, but id like to try and repair it and have it tuned. All fields are required, verification email will be sent to address. If you notice a soundboard crack in a piano you are looking to buy, be sure to have a qualified piano technician look at it first a good idea to begin with when buying a used piano. When a crack is larger and causes the wood to warp, the sound quality will be affected significantly, and you will likely want to repair the damage. Would sound get affected because of cracked sound board.
Cracks in a piano soundboard are common and often are not sufficient reason to replace a soundboard. When a piano develops cracks from old age, the cracks can cause buzzes. Although some chladni patterns have been obtained on a soundboard isolated from the piano,3 the utility of this method is limited by the necessity to physically access the entire soundboard, the requirement that the soundboard be oriented horizontally, and the fact that. Kurt has been restoring steinway pianos for 35 years and is a member of the. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. Depending on where the crack is, the piano technician will usually have to loosen the tension on the strings directly over the crack to access the affected soundboard area. Piano soundboard cracks and pressure ridges, the difference. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places.
When a crack develops, the spruce of the sound board warps and pulls away from the cross ribs. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. Cracks can be repaired, retaining the original soundboard. Aug 10, 2010 the piano soundboard august 10, 2010 by piano emporium piano soundboards are thin boards commonly made of spruce approximately 38. The soundboard needs repair repairs estimated at 1k, but the cost of repairs would be comparable to buying a very basic newer used upright from a piano store, and the sound quality of this piano would be much better. While this may sound disconcerting, it does not automatically mean that the piano has to be rebuilt or replaced. The soundboard is a large, thin wooden plate which acts as an amplifier of the sound produced by the vibrating strings its purpose is to radiate a large volume of sound over a wide frequency range. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. Many times the crack has opened up and the ribs are not still attached to the board under the rib, so you have to work some glue in there and try to clamp it together again.
Jul 25, 2012 soundboard cracks can be very minimal. The good news is that most cracks do not create a noticeable difference in sound. All stringed instruments have some type of soundboard most are built directly into the body of the instrument, such as the violin or the. Ive never done this repair on its own its always been part of a restringing.
So youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. A cracked harp plate is an important issue, but in most cases can be remedied by new technologies in welding and mending. 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. If you already own a piano with a cracked soundboard, dont despair. If you open up the lid of either your upright or grand piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood that runs the down the back or the bottom of the instrument. Most pianos on the east coast have cracked soundboards. How to buy a new piano experts to guide you buying a new piano is a major purchase, so its important that the instrument you choose meets your needs as a pianist, has the look you seek, and suits your budget. The soundboard on a top quality piano is made of spruce and the sound is transferred to it from the strings via the bridge. There is a crack in my piano s sound board, caused, i believe, by being stored in an arid place. I purchased an old upright kimball piano from a lady across town. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. 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. Welcome to estey piano piano rebuilding services piano. Cheap pianos can have a laminated soundboard similar to plywood and this doesnt vibrate so freel.
I have wanted a grand piano for as long as i can remember. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more. If theres no resulting buzzing sound, does it have to be the kiss of death. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. The fact of the matter is that pianos are sensitive to changes in the climate and.
This can sound like a speaker distorting when it is played too loudly. The ribs strengthen the soundboard with the outer edges being glued to the rim and back frame. Nearly all piano soundboards are made of thin planks of spruce glued together. Broken piano plate repair pianotec skilled technicians offer total repairs of cracks, simple, and compound total fractures of piano plates. Whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. Q i think my piano has a cracked soundboard, so it. If the crack is loose on the ribs, it may buzz, but there is a repair for this as well. In a grand piano, the sound board is part of the case. 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. A cracked pinblock can be replaced, and a cracked soundboard can certainly be repaired or replaced. Stream tracks and playlists from piano soundboard on your desktop or mobile device. The ribs beneath the soundboard must be firmly attached at all points to avoid buzzing.
Greeb, the proper repair for the soundboard crack, if warranted, is a spruce shim. A good quality soundboard can l ast 100 years or more. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. Then he will take a specially shaped chisel and widen the crack so that a wooden shim can be. Frequently asked questions about piano tuning, piano care, pitch raises, soundboard issues, minnesota climate. Sadly, the cracked soundboard ploy has generated countless dollars for unscrupulous piano technicians over the years that use it as a scare tactic for financial gain. What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board. Contrary to popular belief, cracks in the soundboard, while often unattractive. Even then, a cracked plate can be repaired, by the right person, using the right materials but of all piano repairs, repairing a cracked plate is by far the most risky, due to the enormous tension from the strings. Our facebook group, administered by simon reich, includes community discussions and the opportunity to join i. Repair cracked soundboard piano moving, tuning and. The sound board, depending on the instrument, is called a top plate, table, soundtable, or belly. We offer sitka and adirondack spruce in our custom soundboard manufacturing.
But before we go any further we must be sure we all know where and what is a soundboard and why it cracks. So if your piano does have cracks in the soundboard it means that some time in its past or present it has suffered absorbtion and subequent loss. Dec 27, 2016 the significance of soundboard cracks on pianos. One of the problems that comes up most frequently in buying a used piano is judging the significance of a cracked soundboard. How to check your piano sound board the heart and soul of your piano is its soundboard. Dec 21, 2012 as a piano ages, its soundboard dries out and often develops small cracks along the lines of the wood grain. Is this something i can fix on my own or do i have to have the tuner come out and fix it. You will require an account to build your own soundboard or buy sound tracks just fill out the account information below. Feb 07, 2012 so youve noticed the soundboard of your piano has a crackor perhaps many cracks. The ribs also help maintain the crown of the soundboard. World class steinway piano restoration lindeblad piano. All unverified accounts are deleted within 72 hours. For a piano that is so out of tune, the strings have to be stretched so far that they will spring back. I havent had any issues with cracking at the repair site.
West system epoxy adding fillers to our extremely popular and effective west system epoxy can greatly expand the number of applications for piano repair. Clear, straightgrained spruce is ideal for piano soundboards. A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. Cosmetically, a crack isnt good, but functionally a crack in and of itself isnt really a problem. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. Soundboards vary in size depending on how large the piano is. Usually, cracks in a pianos soundboard does not mean the end of its life. Do cracks in a pianos soundboard mean the end of its life. It should be remembered, however, that it is the strings, and not the soundboard, that originate, by their vibratory motions after they have been struck, the sound which the soundboard amplifies. Piano soundboard button piano showcase piano benches, lamps. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked.
Originally designed for the boat building and repair industry, west system is also perfect for the piano industry. Soundboards in grand pianos are very visible especially when the top lid is propped in the open position. I had it looked at and i was told the sound board was cracked. T he pianos that have their soundboards replaced are often vintage pianos or pianos that have been exposed to adverse conditions. After you have decided on the details of the restoration, your piano expert will provide a free comprehensive written estimate for the project. It will not have the breadth of tone or the length of decay that it was designed to have. Ask about it at your next tuning or when scheduling your. Sound design piano hit and crash dissonant, detuned with tuning down 6. Piano restoration costs piano restoration pricing guide 2019. The only thing that i am bothered by are the 3 or 4 cracks in the soundboard. At least on the east coast, i would think most soundboards will be cracked.
It seems to hold pitch fine and actually sounds pretty good. Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions. Soundboards can be fixed, but only by removing the strings and plate and rebuilding the piano. Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process.
We will guide you through all of the decisions necessary to custom tailor the piano to your preferences. Usually, cracks in a piano s soundboard does not mean the end of its life. Once you get to the point where strings need to be removed, the labor charges go up. Our piano experts are available for telephone, email, and online consultations about your project. Years of vibration and climate changes can cause the soundboard s pieces to split at the seams. It is also one of the main reasons that a cracked soundboard will buzz when played at certain frequencies. The sound board is the foundation of the piano, and if the soundboard is cracked, warped or distressed, the rods will not move correctly, the felts and hammers will get incorrect messages or none at all. In fact, cracked soundboards can mean that the soundboard has maintained its curved nature which is a good thing since the curvature or crown helps to project sound but its lifelong desire to flatten out has caused a crack. On the back of it, it has one inch ribs which stabilize it by running against the grain of the sound board. These cracks cause buzzing and lack of power in the instrument. In an upright piano, the sound board is a large vertical plate at the back of the instrument. If the crack is small and doesnt buzz, theres no need to fix it.