Barrel pianos present new challenges and this month sees me creating new hammers for this 120 year old keyframe. Odd though it may seem, despite there being no keys, the hammers are mounted in a piece of mechanism known as the ‘keyframe’. The original hammers are lost and the replacements previously fitted are of beech. Beech might be a reasonably hard wood but it doesn’t compare to ebony. So in summary, this month’s project is to create a new set in ebony. It’s a delightful wood to work with although somewhat expensive and good sharp tools/blades are essential. Looking forward to regulating and hearing this lovely old instrument in about 2 weeks time! First picture shows a hammer, second picture shows me cutting ebony and third cleaning the hammer bodies of their coating of graphite, which is used (somewhat too liberally) as a lubricant.

With so many pianos being restrung you’d be forgiven for thinking that new strings bring new life to a piano and will make everything sound wonderful again. Whilst this is partly true, the condition and voicing of the hammers plays an equally important role. The average life expectancy for a set of hammers will be around 60 years, with heavy use this reduces considerably. In the uppermost picture of a recently reconditioned piano, an old set of hammers has been reshaped (refaced), probably for a second time, there is hardly any felt left! I recommended recovering. In the lower picture is a section of hammers from a recovered set, these are from the same area of the scale in a piano (around the second ‘e’ above middle C). Quite a difference! When having a reconditioning job carried out or when buying a piano you’ll know what to look for.

Click on the checklist for a closer view.

I meet many people who, for one reason or another have chosen to live with a digital (or electronic piano) finding that it best suits their needs. There are, maybe predictably advantages and disadvantages. Whenever one chooses a synthetic recreation of a product over the traditionally made type there are bound to be shortcomings. So what are these advantages and disadvantages, what are the most important things to consider when making a choice?  The list above details 14 of the more common considerations. The points covered are a result of discussions with piano buyers, tuners, restorers, performers, teachers and retailers. I hope to find time to write a buying guide at some point soon, it will feature the above checklist alongside detailed information on all types of pianos. In the meantime feel free to contact me through the contact page with any questions, if I can help, I will!

Grubby and time consuming would be the best way to describe workshop chores for the last few weeks. We take the rough with the smooth as a matter of course in the world of piano restoration, this month we have been dealing largely with rough! Aside from the regular work I do restringing my customers pianos I’ve had one of the dirtiest sets of keys to renovate and one of the most uneven looking grand piano frames to try to make presentable. Who’d have thought it would take a razor sharp chisel just to clean some piano keys? I remember my mum using a bit of spray polish and a duster! This month I’ve managed to fit in a little white collar work on the website too so check out the ‘New Look’ stock list!

It’s a question often asked, I guess we are not nearly as numerous as plumbers or builders so maybe an explanation is a fair thing to ask for, after all one doesn’t meet a piano tuner every day. The question is one I wrestle with as it’s not really clear to me whether there was a ‘eureka moment’ or whether a slowly evolving connection led me gently into the world of the piano. One definite landmark is the commencement of an apprenticeship in a piano workshop in 1988 where I learned from some great technicians and tuners. Without the break who knows? I may have become a plumber, like a good friend from my school days.

This week a new addition has been made to the stock. Pictured above is a 14 year old Weber grand. At 5’5″ the piano is best categorised as a boudoir grand. The tone is medium bright and the action is good. Having only been used as a beginner’s instrument the mechanism is barely ‘worn in’ meaning that it plays as if brand new. Available for sale now, £5500.  £2750



The Helpinstill Roadmaster was built from around 1976 to 1980 in the USA. They didn’t sell in the UK so this is an import and seems to have had a hard life. The piano is undergoing restringing work and will be given new hammers too. Helpinstills are largely unheard of in the UK and we are treating this as a very special restoration,  I’m looking forward to the finished job; not least because this is my own instrument and will be used in performances with my bands. So what about the ‘electric’ bit in the description? The piano is fitted with pickups behind the strings and has a volume knob and choice of output sockets! The keyboard also folds away leaving nothing to see but a big black flight case… I restore some beautiful instruments but in this case the beauty is fairly well hidden!