In order to evaluate a new, used or rebuilt piano, the piano must be seen to be inspected.  Inspection of new, used and rebuilt pianos is a complicated process and can only be performed by a qualified full time professional piano rebuilder. (Please note: the following is written in one session..  Be forewarned that the information may be unclear to you or I may spontaneously explore tangential   issues.)

New Pianos:

Because pianos are such complicated instruments, it is necessary to have an on-site inspection of a brand new piano (prior to purchase). On the one hand, the new piano may not have received the required and absolutely necessary dealer preparation that the manufacturer expects to be performed. On the other hand, there can be a factory defect that the salesman or the store piano tuner has not found. Finally, the piano you are considering may be a good or a poor example of the manufacturers work. If it is not a good example then another piano should be ordered from the warehouse for evaluation. My personal approach to new pianos is to look for the good models in every product line instead of disparaging an entire companies production. 

Used and rebuilt pianos:

Pin block:  Most importantly, the tuning pin block has to be solid. The pin block is the wooden board that is underneath the metal plate.  The tuning pins pass through the metal plate and into the pin block.  If the tuning pins are loose then the pin block will require replacement. This is a somewhat common occurrence with old grand pianos. A good new tuning pin block should have about 110 inch pounds of torque on each tuning pin.  This falls to about 90 inch pounds after a year.  The average old tuning pin block can have 50 to 75 inch pounds.  When the block begins to fail, the tuning pins in the bass and the tenor will not hold a tuning.   The bass and tenor are the first areas to go into failure. 

If the tuning pin block was originally constructed of high density material then it may actually hold a tuning with only 35 inch pounds of torque.  Density of material is an important consideration in pin block construction.  I like to surprise my rebuilding customers by having them lift their new pin block (prior to installation) and watch their amazed expression at the weight of the block.

If the pin block is questionable then it must be replaced.  If it is a new piano then another sample needs to be chosen.  This is because the ability to hold a tuning is uppermost. 

Soundboard:

The soundboard should have sufficient crown such that the strings have good "down bearing" or "bend" over the bridges. This "down bearing" makes for positive "termination points" of the strings on the bridges. If the soundboard has lost its crown, the "down bearing" will be negative, the tone poor and it should be replaced.

It is important to note that many times the soundboard can be extensively repaired, the ribs reglued, and the crown thereby restored. The repaired soundboard can be buzzing or have "bridge roll" or a myriad of other indications of disfunctionality.   Soundboards are repaired very extensively when there is absolutely no question they should really be replaced.  This is to save money or because the company does not know how to replace a soundboard properly. It is oxymoronic as it takes more time to extensively repair a dead, old soundboard than to construct a beautiful new one. Brand new pianos can have soundboards that are loose around the rim, have inadequate downbearing, have a "plate foot" resting on the soundboard, are made of plywood instead of high quality (known as "Steinway quality") spruce.  Also the ribs can be of inferior material and have the wrong grain direction or be made of short grain stock which will eventually break under the 20 tons of string pressure.

If a new soundboard is made of "Steinway quality" soundboard material, it can exceed an original Steinway soundboard. Steinway obtains their new soundboard panels from North Hudson Woodcraft in New York.  We order from the same source.  It is necessary to specify "Steinway quality" or a lesser board will be substituted.  I like to go to the factory and select my own soundboard and thereby get as tight grain as I can find.   Usually, there are 2,000 soundboard panels to choose from.  Several operations must be performed to insure a superior soundboard installation.  Some are to: 1.) Feather the ribs properly   2.) Fit the ribs tightly to the slots in the rim  3.) Cut the crown into the rib itself  4.) Measure the tip end thickness to 3/16" (as most good boards have this dimension) 5.) Make the soundboard truly diaphragmatic (a process omitted by many but claimed by all.)  6.) Use a properly built belly board  7.)  Use glues that dry hard (crystalline) instead of rubbery (aliphatic resin etc) 8.) Do not use too much finish and thus dampen the tone   9.)  Get the wire on the new soundboard before it takes on too much crown. 10)   Proper use of shop humidity control to assist in crowning in the belly press.   11.)Humidity control the shop and the hot box to insure that the moisture content of the board is right before ribbing and gluing into the case.]   

Keys and mechanical action:  The action should be in good regulation and repair. The action  is the second most important aspect in an inspection.  If the action does not play well and the mechanical action does not work with consistency then it is next to impossible to learn how to play.  The music is hard enough.  The action should not pose additional constraints to mastering the music.  It is also significant to note that what separates a good instrument from a great one is always the quality of the mechanical action.  Yet, this is the area that most makers and piano rebuilders pay the least amount of attention to.  This is because the action is very labor intensive and expensive to do correctly. Consequently, the tendency is to "cut corners" in the action as the average player cannot discriminate if the action is poorly regulated or repined improperly or not repined at all. 

It is our standard procedure that if the hammers are replaced or the keys replaced with new ivory that the lead weights be removed and new weights installed to offset the weight of the new hammers and the 2mm thick ivory.  Most rebuilt pianos that have new hammers that are very heavy.  The keys measure inconsistently not only from section to section but from key to key.  The average buyer cannot detect this and the average rebuilder does not even recognize the problem exists.  The manufacturer often omits weights to save labor and cost of materials. As a result, it is the serious or experienced player who recognizes the difficulty while the piano rebuilder or maker does not understand.  The lead weights must not only be present, they must be the right size and in the right location to deliver good down weight and up weight measurements.

Literally all the "unwanted friction" must be removed from an action before any regulation or weighoff can be performed.  This means that every single brass center pin must be replaced and the bushing adjusted so the right gram weight exists for the joint concerned.  Typically, this means repining every single part.  New pianos usually do not measure off correctly but close enough that the buyer is not alarmed.  It is common for us to completely repin new actions and go through all the friction removal operations.  On new Steinway grands we are quick to also remove the green Emralon and apply graphite that is burnished.  Also the Teflon repetition spring post is also removed and replaced with cloth as it will click.  New Steinways have the Teflon removed from the action except for this one part. 

All the felt in the action must be compressed and "ironed".  This is not done in the factory so the action "sinks" after a few months and the action needs touch up regulation.  The piano rebuilder also needs to do this when installing new felt to the keyframe or the same sinking develops.  Most piano rebuilders regulate the piano only one time and the regulation is only proximal.  New actions are usually not in a state of "fine" regulation and the manufacturer expects the dealer to go over the regulation.  The dealers omit "dealer prep" in order to save money and to avoid hiring qualified personnel.  After a few years most new pianos are, in my opinion, in a poor state of regulation.  Usually, the owner has adjusted their playing to the constraints of the action and do not notice the degradation until the action is returned to correct specifications. 

Our action regulation consists of three procedures.  Pre-regulation consists of setting up all the mechanical parameters.   Then the action is regulated a second time to get close settings.  Then the action is regulated inside the piano where the action "lives".  Then, after the action is played on for a year by the customer, the action is regulated yet again.   Now the action is stable.  It will only require "touch-up"  if regular tunings reveal a change has occurred in the finished action. 

Most new and rebuilt pianos have plastic keys and plastic sharps.  Often the plastic keys have sharp edges.  This is especially true of rebuilt pianos where the keys are sent out for new plastic keytops and the labor to remove the sharp edges was omitted.  This is common.  This is another example of "cutting corners".  A more serious issue is the amount of wood removed from the keys prior to installing key tops.  Only the amount of wood should be removed such that the new keytop material restores the key to its original dimension.  While this looks like common sense, there are many sets of keys out there that are cut down improperly.   Worse yet, the sides of the keys are taken down on a sanding machine and there is so much unwanted space between the keys that it is necessary for us to add new wood to the sides of each key and re-cut them before new keytops can be installed. 

Plastic keys versus ivory and bone keys:  The ivory keys can be chipped, worn hollow with glue failing joints.  If the glue joint is failing then there is a tapping noise when the key is hit with a short, brisk stroke.  It costs about $300 to restore and polish a set of ivory but we want to see it first.  There could be other problems. Plastic keys can also have problems if the material is coming off due to the use of contact cement.  This glue moves in the hot summer months.  Also, one piece plastic keys and key fronts tend to split at the joint over time.  If these one piece plastic tops exist on a new or rebuilt piano, they must be replaced with two piece material.  Generally, we prefer to remove plastic, all plastic, from pianos we remanufacture.  The original plastic naturals and sharps are removed and swept into a pile on the shop floor.  Then we walk by it and give the pile a kick and a snide comment over the period of a few days, or just stomp around on the pile.  (Yes, we can install new plastic tops and fronts, but don't like doing it.)

In recent years we have acquired the capability of installing new ivory or bone keys.  This material is superior to plastic in  feel and it also absorbs perspiration.  Ivory is legally obtained by buying it at auction.  It is trophy ivory and already legally in the United States.   It is our preference to see ivory spend its productive life on a keyboard than hanging on a  wall in Silicon Valley or Taos, New Mexico.  Anyway, this trophy ivory is processed and cut into blanks.  Then the ivory grain is matched and custom installed on the original keys. (This is also done on new, quality, grand pianos as well).  This ivory is not bleached.   It is left the beautiful pale yellow that it should be.  It is not "blotchy".  It is consistent and very beautiful.  Very beautiful indeed.

Ebony keys:  Original ebony keys can be worn or rounded or no longer level.   Some ebony is "brown ebony" and is stained or painted black by the manufacturer to imitate true ebony.  True ebony keys can be restored and polished with a dry buffing wheel running at 2000rpm.  The brown ebony or plastic should be replaced with real ebony.

Soundboard:

The soundboard should have sufficient crown such that the strings have good "down bearing" or "bend" over the bridges. This "down bearing" makes for positive "termination points" of the strings on the bridges. If the soundboard has lost its crown, the "down bearing" will be negative, the tone poor and it should be replaced.

It is important to note that many times the soundboard can be extensively repaired, the ribs reglued, and the crown thereby restored. The repaired soundboard can be buzzing or have "bridge roll" or a myriad of other indications of disfunctionality.   Soundboards are repaired very extensively when there is absolutely no question they should really be replaced.  This is to save money or because the company does not know how to replace a soundboard properly. It is oxymoronic as it takes more time to extensively repair a dead, old soundboard than to construct a beautiful new one. Brand new pianos can have soundboards that are loose around the rim, have inadequate downbearing, have a "plate foot" resting on the soundboard, are made of plywood instead of high quality (known as "Steinway quality") spruce.  Also the ribs can be of inferior material and have the wrong grain direction or be made of short grain stock which will eventually break under the 20 tons of string pressure.

If a new soundboard is made of "Steinway quality" soundboard material, it can exceed an original Steinway soundboard. Steinway obtains their new soundboard panels from North Hudson Woodcraft in New York.  We order from the same source.  It is necessary to specify "Steinway quality" or a lesser board will be substituted.  I like to go to the factory and select my own soundboard and thereby get as tight grain as I can find.   Usually, there are 2,000 soundboard panels to choose from.  Several operations must be performed to insure a superior soundboard installation.  Some are to: 1.) Feather the ribs properly   2.) Fit the ribs tightly to the slots in the rim  3.) Cut the crown into the rib itself  4.) Measure the tip end thickness to 3/16" (as most good boards have this dimension) 5.) Make the soundboard truly diaphragmatic (a process omitted by many but claimed by all.)  6.) Use a properly built belly board  7.)  Use glues that dry hard (crystalline) instead of rubbery (aliphatic resin etc) 8.) Do not use too much finish and thus dampen the tone   9.)  Get the wire on the new soundboard before it takes on too much crown. 10)   Proper use of shop humidity control to assist in crowning in the belly press.   11.)Humidity control the shop and the hot box to insure that the moisture content of the board is right before ribbing and gluing into the case.]   

For more information e-mail: gdb@brownfieldpiano.com