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One of the biggest problems Steinway owners
face is deciding whom to hire when their valuable piano needs repairs or
rebuilding. Steinway has very explicit and high standards, which sadly,
many piano rebuilders do not meet. In my shop, I DO NOT replace
soundboards. If a soundboard on a Steinway is in need of being replaced,
I feel that Steinway is the only place where you can be sure that the
soundboard is done the way it has always been done. Reproduction
soundboards, no matter how well they are made, are not Steinway
soundboards. I have a high level of expertise at repairing soundboards. Many times, repairable authentic Steinway boards are ripped out by zealous rebuilders. I prefer, whenever possible, to keep an original board, which is beautiful and well seasoned, as long as it can be correctly repaired. Although there is controversy about this issue in the piano world, my policy is to save fine, original Steinway soundboards, or send the piano to Steinway for replacement if it cannot be repaired. Care must be taken when contracting piano rebuilding to find out what EXACTLY will be done to your piano, and by whom. Steinway pinblocks are mortised into the cabinet. In my shop, we duplicate the block exactly. Then we hand fit, mortise, and dowel it back into the piano correctly. |
A Steinway grand piano before rebuilding
Soundboard prepared for a crack to be repaired
Repaired and refinished soundboard
A properly repaired and restrung Steinway piano with original soundboard