Reblitz Arthur A. Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding: For the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist

Vestal Press, 1997. — 344 р. — ISBN: 978-1879511033.The second edition of this world famous book puts into clear pictures and language how anyone handy with tools can repair, regulate, maintain and even completely rebuild a piano.Preface to the second edition
A letter from John Steinway
Preface to the first edition
AcknowledgementsIntroduction to the piano: styles, shapes. and sizes over the years
Antique pianos
Victorian pianos
Twentieth-century pianos
Player pianos
Contemporary trends
Electronic pianos
Inside information: the names of the parts and how they work
Major parts
Details of construction
The soundboard and bridges
The pinblock
The plate
Downbearing
The tuning pins
The strings
Stringing arrangements
The keybed
The key frame
The keys
The hammers
The vertical action
How the upright action works
The dampers
Upright action variations
The console action
The drop action
Vertical piano pedals
The grand action
How the grand action works
The grand hammer rest or rail
Grand pedals
Grand action variations
The square piano
How the square piano action works
Evaluating an old piano: is it worth buying or repairing?
Selecting a type and size
Recognizing qualty
The importance of age
How to tell the age of a piano
Evaluating the condition
Player pianos and empty player pianos
Mirror pianos
Where to find a used piano
Myths vs. realityCleaning and minor repairs: fixing worn and broken parts
Basics of tools and woodworking
Glue joints
Types of glue used in piano repair
Repairing loose screw holes
Removing broken screws
Safety precautions
Cleaning a piano
Opening the vertical cabinet
Removing vertical action and keys
Opening the grand cabinet
Removing the grand action
Cleaning out the dirt and debris
Cleaning the action
Cleaning the keys
Reinstalling the keys and action
Evaluating the condition
The wooden frame
The plate
The pinblock and tuning pins
The soundboard
The bridges
The strings
String repair tools
The key frame
The keys
The action
Action rails and screws
Flanges
The wippen assembly
The hammer assembly
The damper assembly
Sluggish action parts
Clicks, buzzes, rattles, and other foreign noises
Squeaks of all sorts
The pedals
The cabinet
Taking care of a piano
Protecting a piano from environmental changes
Controlling insect damage
Regulating: adjusting the action, keyboard and pedals to work as they should
Basic regulating concepts
What to do with worn hammers
Regulating tools
Preparation for regulating
Vertical action regulating
Special procedures for spinet pianos
Vertical regulating check list
Partial vertical regulating
Changing the touch weight of a vertical
Preparing to regulate the grand action
Grand action regulating
Grand regulating check list
Changing the touch weight of a grand
Square piano action regulating
Action regulating problems
Action problem check list
Tone regulating
Preparation for hammer voicing
Hammer voicing
Tools required
Procedure
Making hammers more brilliant
Tuning theory and terminology
Musical tone vs. noise
The vibration of wire
Simultaneously vibrating wires
What pitches form the musical scale?
Musical terminology
Mathematics of the theoretical scale
Tuning theory
Theory vs. reality
Tuning procedure
Tools
Tuning exercises
Using the tuning lever
The Defebaugh F-F temperament
The Potter F-A temperament
Finishing the midrange of the piano
Tuning the high treble
Tuning the bass
Raising the pitch
Lowering the pitch
Tuning problems
Tuning the back duplex scale
Tuning the Mason & Hamlin screw stringer piano
Tuning two pianos together
Tuning a piano to an organ
Tuning a piano on a bandstand
Tuning Victorian pianos
Electronic tuning devices
Why does a piano go out of tune?
Improving your skills
Complete restoration: rebuilding a piano in the shop to perform and look like new
Preparation
Disassembling the cabinet
Measuring downbearing before removing the strings
Recording the stringing scale
Lowering the string tension
Removing the wound strings
Making a pattern for the wound strings
Removing the treble strings
Measuring downbearing after removing the strings
Removing the tuning pins
Removing the plate
Ordering parts and materials
Restoration cosmetics
Rebuilding the cabinet and frame
The soundboard
The bridges
Refinishing the soundboard
Installing the soundboard decal
Replacing the soundboard
The pinblock
Making and fitting a grand pinblock
Adjusting the downbearing in a grand
Making and fitting a vertical pinblock
Adjusting downbearing in a vertical
Marking locations of tuning pin holes on a new pinblock
Refinishing the cabinet
Drilling the tuning pin holes
Drilling an open-face pinblock
The plate
Refinishing the plate
Final installation of the pinblock and plate
Restringing
The key frame
The keys
Rebuilding the action and installing new hammers
Rebuilding the vertical action
Rebuilding the grand action
Finishing touches
Appendix
Drill size chart
Conversion tablesPhoto credits