This is a copy of our contract
for rebuilding and restoration.
You can refer to our service
prices page to get a general
idea of what it would cost to
repair your piano.
Although technicians use various
contracts this form itemizes and
identifies almost everything
that is being done in the
restoration business on pianos.
Review the article on rebuilding
first to give you some idea as
to the process and what is
considered before starting a
major repair.
REBUILDING and RECONDITIONING
A piano not only serves the art
of music, it is a work of art
itself. A wonderfully complex
machine, it has thousands of
moving parts, a framework, and
soundboard supporting tremendous
string tension, and beautifully
finished cabinetry.
Although remarkably durable,
pianos are subject to
deterioration with time and use.
Felt wears, strings break,
wooden structures weaken and
crack, and the exterior finish
loses its beauty. Regular
service and periodic action
regulation can compensate for
minor wear, but heavy or
extended use-especially when
combined with wide seasonal
humidity swings-can eventually
cause severe deterioration.
In our
profession today we now have
developed specialization at a
higher level than ever before.
That is to say if you want your
piano touch weighted, keyboard
resized, finish changed, or
anything you can imagine there
is an affiliate in our
organization that can perform
this change for you at above
your expectations. We have
reached a level of expertise and
education in the piano repair
field that exceeds the
expectations of the clients. To
say the very least, having been
repairing pianos for over 40
years, this is a very exciting
development. Allow our Pianotec
technicians and affiliates
deliver to you the DREAM piano.
Today, many high-quality older
pianos exist in various stages
of wear. Because it happens so
gradually, this wear often goes
unnoticed, leaving many pianos
operating far below their
potential. In extreme cases,
some older pianos are simply
left unplayed because of their
poor condition.
Some technicians possess the
skills to restore such
instruments to excellent
condition. This work is
variously described as
rebuilding, restoration,
renovation, remanufacturing,
refurbishing, or reconditioning.
To establish some uniformity,
the Piano Technicians Guild uses
the following terms:
Reconditioning is the process of
putting a piano back in good
condition by cleaning,
repairing, and adjusting for
best performance with parts
replacement only where
necessary. This is most
appropriate for a piano with
only moderate wear or those of
medium value with average
performance requirements.
Reconditioning does not involve
replacing major components such
as the soundboard, bridges, pin
block, and most action parts.
This means the performance and
life-span of an older piano will
not be restored to new. Instead,
reconditioning is designed to
improve a piano's performance,
keeping in mind both costs and
benefits.
Rebuilding involves complete
disassembly, inspection, and
repair as necessary, including
replacement of all worn,
damaged, or deteriorated parts.
The piano is then reassembled,
tested, and adjusted to the same
or similar tolerances as new.
Complete rebuilding includes the
entire piano structure -
including soundboard, bridges,
pin block, and strings - as well
as the action, keyboard, and
case refinishing. Partial
rebuilding includes only one or
two of these areas, for example
rebuilding of the action and
structure, but not case
refinishing.
Rebuilding restores the piano to
original condition or better.
Such comprehensive work is
usually most practical for
high-quality instruments where
maximum performance and
longevity are required.
What happens to a piano
as it ages?
In the short term,
leather and felt compact,
affecting the adjustment
(regulation) of the parts. The
action becomes uneven and less
responsive, and the piano's tone
loses dynamic range. Squeaks and
rattles may develop. Routine
maintenance such as hammer
filing, regulation, voicing, and
tuning will correct these
problems and maintain the piano
in near-new condition.
After extended or very heavy
use, action parts become
severely worn. Leather and felt
wear thin. Keys become wobbly,
hammer felt gets too thin to
produce good tone, and the
action becomes noisy. Regulation
adjustments reach their limit.
In addition, piano strings may
begin breaking and the copper
windings of bass strings lose
resonance.
After decades of exposure to
seasonal changes, the wood of
the soundboard, bridges, and
pin block is weakened. This
causes loose tuning pins, poor
tuning stability, and further
loss of tone. By this time the
piano's finish will often be
scratched or faded.
When does a piano need
reconditioning or rebuilding?
Most pianos can be
played for many years without
major repairs. However, the
tone, touch, and appearance will
continually decline with age.
When regular maintenance such as
cleaning, regulating, voicing,
and tuning can no longer provide
satisfactory performance, a
piano may require reconditioning
or rebuilding.
Exactly when a piano needs
rebuilding or reconditioning
depends on its original quality,
the climate, usage, and
performance requirements. One
piano may need rebuilding after
just twenty years, while another
may need only reconditioning
after fifty years. The best way
to decide is to seek out a
qualified piano rebuilder with
the judgment, experience, and
expertise to advise you on such
an important decision. If your
Registered Piano Technician does
not offer rebuilding services,
ask for referrals.
How do I decide if major
repairs are appropriate?
Not all pianos are
worth the expense of
reconditioning or rebuilding. In
consultation with your piano
technician, you should consider
the following factors:
-
The overall condition of the
piano. Can it really be
restored to original
condition or is it
deteriorated beyond repair?
Pianos subjected to severe
fire, flood, or moving
damage may not be
repairable.
-
The quality, size, and type
of the piano. Low priced,
small pianos of poor design
have limited potential. If
the rebuilt piano would not
be capable of meeting your
performance needs, it would
be better to replace it with
one of better design.
-
The cost of repairs versus
replacement. Major repairs
may exceed the value of
small low-quality pianos.
However, most large
high-quality instruments can
be rebuilt for one-half to
two-thirds the cost of a
comparable new piano, making
rebuilding a cost-effective
option for fine pianos.
-
Sentimental value. Personal
attachment or historical
value may justify investing
in major repairs rather than
replacement.
What work is included in
reconditioning?
Reconditioning may
include:
-
Thorough cleaning.
-
Repair or replacement of
damaged parts as needed,
typically including such
jobs as felt replacement,
hammer filing or
replacement, and partial
restringing.
-
Adjustment, regulation,
tuning, and voicing to
return all parts to proper
function, reduce mechanical
noise, and improve tone.
-
Finish touch-up or
polishing.
What work is included in
rebuilding?
Complete rebuilding
typically includes:
-
Complete disassembly of the
instrument.
-
Repair or replacement of
soundboard, bridges, and
pin block, as well as repair
of any structural damage to
the case.
-
Replacement of all strings
and tuning pins.
-
Thorough restoration of
action and damper system,
including replacement of
hammers, many action parts,
springs, and most felt.
-
Rebuilding of the pedal and
trap work system, including
replacement of all worn
felt, leather, and metal
parts.
-
Refinishing of case and
plate, polishing or
replating of all hardware,
and replacement of all
decals, felt trims, and
rubber buttons.
-
Complete action regulation,
tuning, and voicing.
-
Multiple tunings to
stabilize new strings.
How do I arrange for
these major repairs?
If you suspect that
your piano needs major repairs,
have a complete evaluation done
by a qualified piano technician
who specializes in rebuilding.
Discuss costs versus benefits of
various repair options, and
whether the completed piano
would meet your performance
requirements. Most rebuilders
will provide you with a written
proposal. Expect to pay a modest
fee for this service.
You may want to visit the
rebuilders shop to inspect
other work in progress, or ask
for a reference list of past
clients. Checking out similar
jobs will give you a sense of
how your instrument could be
improved, as well as a feeling
for the technician's
workmanship.
When you decide to proceed with
major work, be sure to ask for a
written contract. This enables
you to know exactly what will
get done to your piano and the
associated costs, estimated
completion date, payment method,
and guaranteed policy.
REBUILDING EVALUATION
CHECKLIST AND PRICING SHEET
Client:________________________Phone:____________________Date:______________
Manufacturer:__________________Model:____________Serial#___________________
COST ACTION
____________ Keys: OK or warped
buttons bushings split
____________ Frame: OK or loose
cracked warped glide bolts felts
____________ Key Covers: OK or
replace sharps replace tops and
fronts clean
____________ Back Checks: OK or
replace recondition wires end
felt
____________ Main Action Rail:
OK or split brass split wood
loose screws
____________ Whippen Rail: OK or
split brass split wood loose
screws
____________ Hammers: OK or
replace clean align jacks
lubricate
____________ Shanks & Flanges:
OK or replace repin rebush align
$___________ Pin Block work
recommended:_________________________________
PIN BLOCK
Visual: OK or cracks pin
solution replace poor fit
Test: OK or torque low torque
borderline
Pins: OK or original oversized
rust leaning forward
Strings: OK or bass tubby dead
rusted align
$___________ Pin Block work
recommended:________________________________
DAMPERS
____________ Heads: OK
or loose wires need refinishing
replace
____________ Felt: OK or rust
from strings replace noisy
leaking
____________ Underlevers: OK or
hard tongues recondition replace
upgrade
$___________ Damper work
recommended:_________________________________
SOUNDBOARD
Visual: OK or cracked
shim replace ribs loose
No crown some crown negative
crown
Improper fit buzzing refinish
Poor damper guide rail
$__________Soundboard work
recommended:_______________________________
BRIDGES
Treble: OK or cracks pin
movement poor notches no rear
notches
Buzzing string grooves needs
scale correction
Rusted pins cap separation
separation at board
Improver grain direction failed
glue joint
_____________
Bass: OK or cracks pin movement
poor notches poor bevel
Buzzing string grooves needs
scale correction
Rusted pins cap separation
separation at apron
Improper grain direction failed
glue joint
_____________
$____________ Bridge work
recommended:________________________________
CASES
Color:________________
Style:________________
Lid: OK or cracked loose veneer
checking crazing touch-up
Dark varnish refinish woodwork
Case: OK or cracked loose veneer
checking crazing
Dark varnish refinish woodwork
touch-up
$____________Veneer work
recommended:_______________________________
CONTRACT FOR REBUILDING OF
CLIENTS PIANO.
1. New spruce sounding board
installation: quarter sawn
spruce ribs, crowned and tapered
panel, ribs feathered, finished
both sides, sanded, waxed, fit
board to case inner rim, glue
board in rim .$__________
2. Bridge repairs:
A. Clean, dry scrape,
relubricate, transfer, glue to
new board.$__________
B. Recapping, hand notched,
drilled and pinned. Bass_______,
Tenor-Treble______.$__________
C. New Bridges: Laminated, hand
notched, drilled, pinned.
Bass_________,
Tenor-Treble_______. $__________
D. Repairs . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .$__________
3. New pinblock repairs:
Fitting of block to plate
flange. Drill plate screw holes.
Install plate screws.
Drill tuning pin holes. Fit and
install block to case inner rim
. $__________
4. Restringing repairs: New
steel music wire. Bass strings
copper wound. Wire coils
handmade. New tuning pins 2/0 x
2 1/2 (.281). Level and space
strings. Chip tune 4 times.
Finished tuned before delivery.
One tuning and check up after
delivery . $__________
5. Plate repairs: Primer
coat, reguilding of plate, two
coats of gold bronze, two coats
clear top finish,
Hand lettered. Refloat plate.
Set bearing. Screw down plate.
Tighten and set all
bolts.$__________
6. Agraffe repair: New
Bass________, New Tenor_______,
installed, leveled. $__________
7. Action Rebuilding:
A. New hammers, set of 88
(wool), installed . . . . . . .
. . . $__________
B. Reshape hammers . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .$__________
C. New hammer shanks with
flanges, installed . . . . . . .
. . $__________
D. Back checks, recovered . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .$__________
New back checks, installed . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . $__________
E. New key tops (naturals) . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . .$__________
F. New key fronts. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .$__________
G. New black tops. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . .$__________
H. Rebush keys. Balance
rail_____Front rail______. . .
$__________
I. Balance rail pins (New)
installed (Keyframe) . . . . . .
. $__________
J. Repair balance rail holes in
keys (New wood) . . . . . .
$__________
K. New key sides (Wood). . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. .$__________
L. Refelting: Front rail
punchings, Balance rail
punchings. Back rail cloth. . .
$__________
M. Regulation of action
includes: Key level, key depth,
hammers spaced to strings,
hammer blow distance, let-off,
drop, back check distance,
repetition springs reset.
$__________
N. New repetitions installed . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
$__________
O. Repetitions reconditioned. .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
$__________
P. Voicing and tone regulation.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
$__________
Q. Tighten all screws, realign
parts. . . . . . . . .
.$__________
R. Lubricate all friction
points. . . . . . . . . . . . .
$__________
S. Other. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.$__________
T. Other. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.$__________
U. Other. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
$__________
8. Damper repairs: Refelt
damper heads. Rebush guide rail.
Install dampers, regulate .
$__________
9. Damper underlevers: New
set
installed______Reconditioned_______Regulated______$__________
10. Repair Keybed. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
.$__________
11. Trapwork repairs. . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .$__________
12. Refinishing - Final cost
after finish removed
A. Standard Procedure:
Remove all old finish, including
filler. Dry and sand. Stain
coat, silex filler, two coats
sanding sealer.
Dry and sand. Two coats lacquer.
Clean and buff all metal parts.
Open, Pore, finish. $__________
B. Premium Procedure:
Remove all old finish, including
filler. Dry and sand. Stain
coat, silex filler, two coats
sanding sealer.
Dry and sand. Six coats lacquer,
sand level. Top coats lacquer as
needed, finish to
Desired sheen. Clean and buff
all metal parts. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . $__________
13. Case repairs: Reveneering
and remodeling. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .$__________
14. Bench:
Refinish____________,
New___________ . . . . . . . .
$__________
15. Polish pedals and brass
hardware . . .$__________
New pedals and brass hardware. .
. . . . .$__________
16. Install 3 part
environmental control system.
$__________
17. Cartage to and from. . .
. . . . . . . . $__________
Sub-total. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . ............................................................................
$__________
PA Sales Tax 6%. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . .
..........................................................................$__________
Total - Good until
__________only. . .
.....................................................................$__________
Deposit. . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................................$__________
Deposit. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................................$__________
Balance. . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . .
.........................................................................$__________
Approved/Owner________________________________________________
Approved
Technician_____________________________________________