Hollister's Piano Service
30606 134 St. S.E.
Sultan, WA 98294
ph: 3607933444
ghollpia
Services
About Piano Tuning:
Pianos should be tuned twice a year. Seasonal fluctuation in humidity is the predominant cause for pianos going out of tune. Experience has taught me that piano owners who invest in twice-yearly tuning will have pianos that sound, pretty much, in tune all the time. In contrast to that, those piano owners who wait until their pianos sound noticeably out of tune end up with pianos that never sound quite as they should.
A piano that is significantly out of tune will require several tunings before an optimal level of precision is reached. As a matter of general practice, I tune all pianos twice at every appointment.
But a badly out of tune piano will wander in pitch as it is being tuned and for some time thereafter. It is therefore necessary to perform what is called a "pitch raise" for pianos that have fallen far out of tune. This is essentially a rough tuning designed to get the piano "in the ballpark" and ready for fine tuning. In more severe cases this means scheduling another tuning appointment a month or so later.
Putting off tuning is a bit like waiting for the engine in your car to develop noises before changing your oil. It makes no sense to invest thousands of dollars on a fine instrument and then allow it to sound like one half its worth.
Regulation:
The playability of a piano is greatly dependent on the condition of its action. Over time, wear and tear, warping and even the force of gravity tend to change an actions geometric configuration. This will affect its repetition speed and sensitivity. Notes may fail to repeat or an overall sloppiness may stifle expression. From time to time actions then require what is called a regulation, which involves restoring the various adjustments to their designed specifications.
Worn felts and leather can also affect playability. It is often prudent to replace worn parts when regulating and, because of this, the entire procedure can vary in time from one to several days.
Rebuilding:
Rebuilding refers to any procedure that requires the replacement or repair of the piano's parts. For example, it can involve hammer replacement or string replacement. Sometimes felt or buckskin needs replacing and, quite often, an owner will desire a new set of keytops to replace an old and chipped set. Before rebuilding, great care should be taken to include all necessary repairs and replacement necessary so as to avoid the need for repeated procedures at a later time.
Voicing:
The term voicing pertains to any procedure that affects the tone of the piano. This includes the precise alignment of the piano hammers to the strings, restoring the shape of the hammers and needling or lacquering the hammers.
Hammers become hardened through use and the passage of time. They also become flattened and uneven as the felt compresses and wears. A good hammer should act like a spring allowing the piano to have a desireable attack and sustaining quality. (The hammer below on the right shows what a flat hammer looks like. Notice that the hammer on the left has a more egg-like profile.) When hammers become deformed in this way the piano technician can "file" the hammers to restore them to their proper shape. It should be noted that simply filing away the string grooves is insufficient and that a careless hammer filing job can sound worse than before.
Piano hammers that have become hardened have a harsher quality and produce a less sustaining tone as well. These hammers can benefit from a judicious needling of their felts. This procedure, while often necessary and rewarding, should only be undertaken with deliberation and by experienced hands.
30606 134 St. S.E.
Sultan, WA 98294
ph: 3607933444
ghollpia