Steinway piano soundboard cracks

A crack is only going to get bigger and will affect the tone and overall sound of the instrument. I dont think my piano is worth anythingthe soundboard is cracked. Often, sellers will cover this part of the piano with felt to hide the damage. Constant pressure is placed on the board which allows the sound of the vibrating strings to resonate with power and sustain. One of the main pieces of a piano is the soundboard. The soundboard and bridges are in excellent condition, showing no signs of cracks. 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.

A soundboard of a grand piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. In addition, the soundboard should be made of tightgrained spruce, at least 1214 grains per inch. During restauration, they dried the piano down to 20 percent humidity, so that even some more cracks occured during that. Used pianos will develop cracks after prolonged dry conditions. Piano soundboard steinway piano parts chupps piano. Sometimes the soundboard of an old piano all the soundboards that sheila repurposes are at least 50 years old loses its crown andor has so many cracks in it, that repairs are impractical and installing a new soundboard is preferable. Piano soundboard cracks posted on august 18th, 2014. Take caution with rebuilt steinways faust harrison pianos. This steinway hepplewhite console piano was manufactured shortly after the end of world war ii in 1948. Use the steinway piano serial numbers below to see the age of your piano. A rib separating from the panel is glue joint failure. The sound board is a five eighths inch thick wooden board in the back of the piano.

Without an ample crown the soundboard doesnt have adequate power so the sound it projects is weak and of limited tone. The soundboard is what allows the piano to project its sound. There is a myth still around that a piano is ruined if it has cracks in the sound board. A soundboard of any piano has a vast amount of pressure exerted on it. The case against repairing piano soundboard cracks part 1. One method for repairing cracks in a soundboard requires inserting a shim of wood into the cracked. The soundboard, which is the large wooden board you can see from the back of an upright piano or from underneath a grand, has ribs glued on it to strengthen it. Any separation of a rib from the soundboard at a crack is a potential source of buzzing noises. Perhaps it looks less like a smooth, machined piece of carpentry and more like a freight pallet. You need someone who is expert at soundboard repair. If the cracks have been filled with wooden shims, this means that, at some point, the piano was rebuilt and the cracks repaired. When purchasing a piano check as much of the soundboard as you can see carefully for cracks.

If there is a distinct buzz when notes are struck quite firmly, this can also be an indication of a cracked soundboard. In this video, i show the glue joint between the soundboard and rim. Piano soundboard cracks, piano soundboard pressure ridges, the difference. But theres yet another steinway innovation that truly sets steinway pianos apart from the rest of the crowd. Extremely rare hamburg steinway b 610 grand piano in sapele bookmatch mahogany. Repairing or replacing a pianos soundboard bradfield piano. There was likely some celebration going on as the war was finally over and it was a time to get life back to normal.

Appraisal services steinway piano gallery of naples. I cant count the number of times someone has said to me. A lot of technicians would have opted to repair the crack. The steinway m had only 2 minor cracks in the soundboard which were easily repaired. A new soundboard is custom tapered and fitted into the specific piano. 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. Steinway does not sell or provide soundboards because each one must be custom fit to the exact dimensions of the piano cabinet. The soundboard in any piano is exposed to humidity and other environmental swings during its lifetime. Beautiful rebuilt steinway and sons model l grand piano. A quick and simple test is to finger pluck your highest octave and listen if the tone projects through the entire piano and more. Fixing cracks in your soundboard whether you have a grand piano or an upright piano, fixing cracks is one of the most common soundboard repairs. The soundboard is, of course, a vital part of the piano as it is the transducer of the sound. Restoring a soundboard piano restorations steinway. This can be shimmed not a problem, unless inspection reveals a whole lot of other problems.

This incredible steinway model b is in absolutely beautiful original condition and more important than its handsome good looks, is its soundboard, hammers and action. This piano is ready to be enjoyed for another 60 or 80. At yamaha, we recognize the fact that since the soundboard is made out of wood,it will always be subject to the effects of fluctuations in relative humidity rh. From the beginning, piano makers in europe and the united states h ave sought out the heartwood of old growth sitka spruce for making the highest quality, best sounding soundboards the reason for seeking out old growth timber is because of the. The issue of soundboard ridges and cracks is often misunderstood. The effect is to widen the crack as far as acoustics are concerned. This steinway has an absolutely incredible tone mighty, full, dynamic, yet not bright and brassy. All who heard the piano gave kind comments on the sound, so it worked. These old growth trees resulted in lumber with a very tight, even grain. A pianos soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano. If you crack open the lid of either your grand or upright piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood behind the iron plate that runs the entire area of the bottom or back of the instrument. When a piano develops cracks from old age, the cracks can cause buzzes. The soundboard, bridges and pinblock as well as the ivory keys are original. The truth about pressure ridges david andersen pianos.

Piano soundboard restoration is an exacting and timed honed process. Repairs to a pianos soundboard are very costly, so unless you are buying an instrument that will be of great value after such work is completed e. Used baby grand pianos used grand pianos graves piano. Many cracked soundboards can be easily repaired, but unless there are. We have a very nice steinway 1910 a3 and yes, we had some cracks shimmed by a tech form the steinway factory, who we employed independently. The significance of soundboard cracks on pianos youtube. It is more a repair for a piano that is incredibly special or expensive, such as a concert grand steinway or bosendorfer that has a soundboard in really bad shape but is still worth restoring. Cracks separation from liner loss of crown causing buzzes. Also, the crack is much bigger than it would appear. 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 of moisture or just loss of moisture. Find your steinway pianos age with the serial number.

Bottom line is, if you are going to replace a soundboard prepare to spend tens of thousands of dollars and definitely hire the best people you can find. In fact, steinway cut out entire sections of a soundboard similar to cracks but widerand took before and after measurements with the ear and acoustic instruments, no difference could be detected. 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 soundboard is imperative for the projection of any piano. Cracks in the soundboard can therefore affect the sound of your piano in a negative way. Cracks in the soundboard are not necessarily a bad thing, as long as the board still has some crown and is not loose and buzzing. Each and every piano cabinet is unique and different. When i worked for the steinway dealer soundboard cracks were not covered by warranty. Here are common used piano problems an appraisal will uncover cracked braces make it impossible for a piano to keep tune. This tightness helps maintain the soundboards crown its roundness. As a matter of fact, the tonal output of any piano, with no cracks in the soundboard at all, is subject to vastly greater change with every change in temperature and humidity. Our advice is to insure the piano for at least 70% of the replacement value. Please contact steinway hall or your local piano dealer for further details.

The rebuilder, a top master technician, uses stateoftheart processes to produce a vintage piano with showroom quality. The spruce soundboard has stood the test of time and is still in perfect condition with zero cracks or splits. Sometimes when the soundboard gets cracks in it, the ribs come unglued from it in places. Soundboard seeks out inspiration, hones in on the creative process, parses influences, and attempts to diagnose artistic greatness. If you crack open the lid of either your grand or upright piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood behind the iron plate that runs the. The ribs run perpendicular to the grain of the soundboard, and therefore perpendicular to any cracks. Contrary to what the name implies, it is not one board, but several planked together, much like a hardwood floor. How costly is it to fixed a cracked sound board in a piano. One of the most important parts is the soundboard, expertly fitted when the piano was constructed and designed to outlast action parts that move and strings that stretch during the normal course of a pianos life. During restoration, the soundboard will be dried in a special drying room.

I know that the piano is just junk to a serious pianist, but id like to try and repair it and have it tuned. Some parts, such as the proprietary steinway soundboard, are simply not available to other piano restoration companies or individuals. Similar to classic cars, keeping a steinway baby grand original is the key to preserving performance and value. Yes, there is more new strings were installed to give the piano the power required from a concert grand. This can allow the soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it vibrates. Years of vibration and climate changes can cause the soundboards pieces to split at the seams. 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.

For steinway upright pianos you need to lift the pianos lid and look inside the piano, normally the serial number along with the model will be stamped in ink inside the piano, also on its harp. Exactly why does a steinway sound better daynes music. When a crack develops, the spruce of the sound board warps and pulls away from the cross ribs. If the soundboard panel is separating from the ribthis is the beginning of soundboard failure. You can trust bradfield piano for your soundboard repair and replacement needs. Kurt weissman of grand purpose piano is restoring this steinway m and in the process of making extensive soundboard repairs.

Free shipping to any city in the lower 48 states or any ocean port worldwide. If your steinway is in need of restoration services, the only way to ensure that 100% genuine steinway parts are being used is through the steinway restoration center. Soundboard piano store new and used pianos for sale. At steinway, our guiding principle is building to a standard, not a price. Id like to have it tuned and learn to play it, however, it has a cracked sound board. Good technology and craftsmanship have always been a part of building a steinway piano. This pre owned steinway grand piano is a model s, which is a five foot one inch grand piano. Restored steinway baby grand steinway piano gallery of. New pianos, because of new wood, will crack much sooner, sometimes even within a week after being exposed to very dry conditions.

What is a sound board how to check your piano sound board duration. The garage piano the story of a steinway piano full piano documentary duration. Soundboard poorly installed soundboards must fit perfectly tight to the pianos rim, while the underlying ribs must fit tightly into the rib notches. Graymarket pianos and cracked soundboards pianobuyer. 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. Once this is done, the cracks will be fixed with small pieces of soundboard wood. The soundboards function is to take and repeat the vibrational movements of the strings, creating air sound waves that are vastly greater than could be produced by strings alone.

Most pianos on the east coast have cracked soundboards. After that they filled the cracks, and put the soundboard back to convex shape. As your steinway piano is a valuable investment, we recommend that you keep it adequately insured. Piano sales and restoration steinway piano restoration.

Although soundboard cracks are not the death knell of a piano, they can cause buzzing and rattling that. Soundboard has always been in pristine condition, no cracks ever. A piano with a cracked soundboard should be carefully checked for rib separations before purchase. When a soundboard cracks, the most effective repair involves cutting out the crack and planking in a fresh piece of spruce. This can result in cracks and loose soundboard ribs. Based in columbus, ohio our company stocks over 300 new and used pianos for sale including restored steinway pianos and german pianos such as bechstein and bosendorfer. If the soundboard has any cracks running underneath the bass or treble bridges, they can cause loss of tone and possibly buzzing to occur.