Steinway piano RESTORATION
Steinway Piano Restoration
For more than 165 years, the Steinway & Sons name has stood for excellence in grand and upright pianos. With their rich tone and superior playability, Steinway pianos are a favorite of professional musicians and can be found in concert halls and recording studios around the world.
A Steinway concert grand contains more than 12,000 individual parts. The process of restoring a Steinway demands an in-depth understanding of the instrument’s construction and operating principles. For this reason alone, it’s essential that you work with someone who knows what they’re doing when it comes to restoring and repairing Steinway pianos.
The team at Bradfield Piano has extensive experience with Steinway piano restorations.
Keep reading to learn more, or get in touch to request a quote.
THE PROCESS OF
REBUILDING & RESTORING A STEINWAY
When undertaking any Steinway piano restoration, our goal is to be as transparent as possible, educating the customer and helping them make informed decisions every step of the way. Our process involves:
An initial consultation
During your initial consultation with our Steinway restoration experts, we’ll go over the history of your instrument, your budget and your goal for the project. Then, we’ll put together a detailed proposal outlining all work and costs involved. For out-of-town customers, Skype or FaceTime consultations are available.
Pick up and transport
Following your approval of our initial estimate, we’ll arrange to pick up your piano and bring it to our shop. Before beginning any job, we’ll complete a final inspection to confirm the accuracy of our work plan, which is especially important if we’re seeing your piano in person for the first time.
The restoration itself
Restoration is an extensive process that involves taking your piano apart, inspecting each component and replacing anything that’s worn out. We use the finest parts that are accurate to the age of your instrument, including Sitka/white spruce soundboards and pinblocks. Once the restoration is complete, your piano will sound and play like you have never experienced — guaranteed.
Delivery
We take great care in getting your restored piano back to you safely, carefully wrapping and packing it and working with our fully insured moving team to complete delivery to anywhere in the country.
Follow-up
Once your piano is back in your home, we’ll follow up with a complimentary tuning and check-up at your convenience.
OUR EXPERIENCE WITH STEINWAYS
We’ve completed Steinway piano restorations, repairs and refinishing for working musicians and enthusiasts alike. Based in Dallas, TX, but with a nationwide reach, we’re experts who have earned the respect of our peers and customers.
We provide restoration services for all Steinway pianos, including:
- German-built S-155, M-170, O-180, A-188, B-211, C-227, D-274 grand and V-125 and K-132 upright models
- American-made S, M, O, A, B and D grands, and 4510, 1098 and K-52 uprights
Look at our image gallery of restored steinways!
REBUILDING & RESTORING A STEINWAY
A Steinway grand piano is more than just a breathtaking instrument displayed inside your home. These signature-sounding pianos hold value in families for generations at a time. Taking thoughtful care of your instrument helps it retain its iconic and splendid sound over time. Many decide to trust the upkeep of their instrument to trained professionals.
Once your Steinway grand piano is in our hands, we begin the restoration process by disassembling the instrument’s cabinet and parts. Depending on the condition of your grand piano, we will remove the instrument’s cast iron plate and refinish the piano’s soundboard. Restoring original key covers is also a possibility as we assess their condition.
Bradfield Piano looks at the outer condition of piano color and incorporates proper felts for your grand piano. If necessary, we remove and inspect the pinblock to see if a new replacement is required for optimum playability. Our experts swap out action parts of the instrument and reconfigure the cast iron plate at the proper time.
We understand the importance of sound, so both new piano strings and tuning pins are installed during our restoration process. Our team can decide if new damper felt is needed, and we coordinate these pieces to the pedals at your feet. Bradfield grand piano restorations enable us to file and realign your piano’s hammers for each note, and we monitor the behavior of each previous adjustment. Toward the end of the restoration process, we will assess the corrections made and rebuild the cabinet parts if your instrument is ready for playing.
UPRIGHT PIANO RESTORATIONS
Bradfield Piano aims to bring every Steinway we see to its best condition. We understand the differences between piano designs and makes, and this helps us restore your piano. Together, we can bring your upright grand piano back to life or fine tune it to proper playing standards.
Our team can tell if your upright piano needs updated accessories including a pinblock or soundboard. There are a number of variables that contribute to a piano’s overall sound and character, but Bradfield Piano handles everything from minor refinishes to re-tuning. By contacting our service, we work to arrange the ideal restoration process based on what you want from your piano.
Regardless if you are a casual player or a professional, our team will correct your upright piano to match any playing need.
OUR SERVICES
REBUILDING A STEINWAY
In some cases, restoring and rebuilding a piano is more cost effective than purchasing a new instrument. If your Steinway Piano predates World War II, this instrument is considered quite valuable and deserves proper care. There are many types of Steinways we restore and repair. We specialize in high quality restorations using the finest parts available. Our team is composed of members that have been trained directly by Steinway as apprentices at Steinway Hall and/or by attending the Theodore Steinway Technical School in NYC. The following processes demonstrate the Bradfield Piano Steinway restoration method in further detail.
One of the first aspects of a piano that deteriorates over time is the cabinet. Considering when a piano is made, wood grain and finishes begin to warp, crack or dry out over decades of oxidation. At Bradfield Piano, our experts rejuvenate the outer cabinets of your home piano.
Spreading lacquer by 20 coats of spray, our team creates the color and grain that reflects the vision for your instrument. Bradfield Piano knows that you cannot rush perfection, so spraying by hand leaves a wood grain shining for years at a time.
The action of a piano relates directly to the sound of the instrument. When rebuilding the action of your piano, our team takes the time to ensure that the weight of each key strikes the correct voicing and tone. Pianos that feel off balance are a problem of the past.
With Bradfield Piano, you have a say in how you want your piano to play. We adjust the action of your piano to play to your preference and specifications. Control over playing a piano comes from the fingers, so each key gets the attention it needs.
A piano’s pinblock is responsible for holding the intense pressure from the strings. Over time, this crucial piece grows tired and loses strength from aging. Filled with holes, these openings widen and a piano’s tuning falls flat or sharp.
Bradfield Piano repairs and replaces pinblocks during our restoration process for the best playing experience. You want to keep a piano in tune, and this comes from a strong pinblock. We can do repairs to original pinblocks or can make new ones to meet custom sizing and fits.
Piano strings experience wear and tear over time and with use. These are the parts of a piano that get struck by hammers to vibrate and produce sound. Piano strings create your instrument’s overall tone and character.
Bradfield Piano replaces strings during the restoration process for accurate tuning and stability. Worn out strings don’t ring as well with every strike, so our experts recommend restringing home pianos both old and new. Aside from the restoration process, Bradfield Piano visits homes for tuning throughout the year.
Grand pianos feature 88 standard keys for creating music. With each key being equally important, our experts weigh and replace these parts for perfect functionality. Piano keys need to act and feel precise to the player, so our team is able to install an entirely new key set if your piano calls for it.
If you own a vintage grand piano, Bradfield Piano knows how to restore original keys to your preference from weight and feel. Keytops wear away and show dirt through use, but artificial keytop fill cleans up and replaces chips for accurate playing.
The inside of a Steinway grand piano holds a cast iron plate. While this piece withstands thousands of pounds worth of tension from strings, its shining bronze color fades with oxidation and playing. Bradfield Piano brings the cast iron plate of your home piano back to life through detailed cleaning and re-bronzing technology.
Visitors to your home can appreciate the shining qualities of a refurbished cast iron plate as it is visible with open-top piano styles. Deciding on the color finish of the cast iron plate and hardware is your choice. We aim to suit the vision for your home piano.
With each restoration process, Bradfield Piano goes back to fine tune our previous work. Our experts work to inspect the set action, and your piano receives multiple tunings to account for adjustments made throughout the process. Bradfield Piano remembers your ideal playing preferences, so our team tests the piano during the finishing touches to match your requests.
Piano restoration requires a professional set of eyes and skills. Setting up an appointment for your home piano restoration keeps your home instrument strong for generations to come.
WHY BRADFIELD PIANO?
Lots of companies offer piano restoration services, but few have the direct experience with Steinway instruments that Bradfield Piano does. Owner Holt Bradfield Deniger trained at the Theodore Steinway technical school in New York City.
In addition, our team members have spent years working directly under the guidance of Bradfield. This experience is vital when restoring Steinway pianos — we know the company and their models inside and out, and we take care to use the proper parts and techniques for any job.
This commitment to quality work is more than just a marketing tactic. Most importantly, you’ll benefit from our exceptional customer service. Often, there are several ways to approach a piano restoration. We’ll provide objective guidance based on what’s best for your instrument while working within your budget and other practical considerations.
BRADFIELD PIANO
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