Piano Doctor
David James PhD.
604-943-6499
davidjames@telus.net
REGULATION & REPAIRS
Action Parts: Between the
finger of the pianist on the
key and the hammer hitting the string, there is a multitude of small
moving parts, hinged with bushings, cushioned with felts, pulled by
springs and straps, held by glue, and fastened with screws.
Although these parts tend to last an incredibly long time, there is
inevitable wear and stress on them which will eventually cause
breakage, failure, and wear. The replacement or mending of a
broken part is usually a relatively simple but perhaps time consuming
procedure; most technicians have thousands of little parts in their
shops. It is the gradual wear on felt that makes regulation
necessary. When, because of normal wear, a piece of felt is
thinner than it used to be, it will introduce a slackness in to the
action of the piano which will soon be felt by the sensitive
pianist. For the first several decades of the life of a piano,
this slackness can be taken up through regulation, but there comes a
time when replacement of various felts is required.
Pedals:
The pedals of a
piano should be checked for proper regulation at every tuning.
This can be done quickly and easily unless a special problem has
developed.
Strings:
Problems with
strings and tuning pins seldom happen unless a piano has not been cared
for properly. However, a broken string is not a major problem and
can be easily fixed.
Keys:
The white keytops
of a piano are sometimes chipped through rough use. Whether they
are ivory (on old pianos) or plastic, they are easily replaced.
However, one should be aware that buying new ivory is no longer an
option, and the only source now available is from old pianos that are
scrapped and used for parts.
Furniture
Cabinetry: I
have never done cosmetic cabinetry repair on pianos. I suppose I
should take more of an interest in these things, but I am always so
pleased to achieve a tuned and regulated piano, that I forget all about
what it looks like.