Repair

Vleugelrevisie uitgevoerd door Pianoservice Den Haag, waarbij het mechaniek zorgvuldig wordt geoptimaliseerd voor betere speelervaring en klankkwaliteit.

We can handle all your piano repair needs, from replacing a broken string to a complete overhaul, including hammer replacement and repairing cracks in the soundboard. We will assess the condition of your instrument and provide expert advice tailored to your needs. After discussing a customized action plan with you, we carry out the repairs with great care and a deep passion for our craft.

Revisions

With every keystroke, the mechanics of your piano are set in motion, leading to inevitable wear and tear. Screws can loosen, felt can become compressed, and mechanical parts may not engage as smoothly as they once did. The action is a complex system with up to sixteen adjustment points per key, and over the years, pianists often notice changes in touch sensitivity.

Minor Revision

In a minor revision, only the action (the internal mechanism) is taken to our workshop, while your instrument remains at home. Typically, the process takes just a few days to a few weeks. This service includes tasks like reducing friction by replacing and lubricating pivot points, gluing new hammers, or replacing felt on keys. If you’d like your grand piano to feel lighter to play, we can also adjust the touch sensitivity.

Major Revision

A major revision involves bringing the entire instrument to our workshop, allowing us to replace or repair everything necessary, including strings, hammers, and dampers, as well as addressing cracks in the soundboard. This process often takes several months.

Piano Atelier

Since 2019, we, Joachim and Rani, have been working together to restore instruments at our workshop located at Uilebomen 20 in The Hague. Below, you can find an overview of the minor and major projects we have completed since then. We invite you to visit our workshop and see our work firsthand!

Examples Minor revision

Burger & Jacobi piano 1910

This beautiful old piano is played intensively, resulting in worn hammers. Additionally, the touch is not even. During this minor restoration, we will replace the hammers and calibrate the weight of each hammer individually. The keys will be fitted with new felt. After adjusting the action, the piano will be intonated.

Yamaha G2 grand piano with silentsystem 2004

The Yamaha grand piano had a heavy touch, which was not solely due to the friction in the action. The weight of the hammers did not correspond with the lever ratio. To adjust this ratio, the pilot screws—located at the back of the keys—were moved forward, as shown in one of the photos. After making these adjustments the mechanic was regulated, the hammers were reshaped and voiced.

Self-playing Ibach grand piano 1984

The Ibach grand piano belongs to a professional pianist who began experiencing arthritis, making it difficult for him to play for extended periods. To lighten the touch of the piano, we decided to move the pilot screws—the rounded screws attached to the back of the keys—forward. The action has been adjusted using the Precision Touch Design methodology, resulting in a significantly lighter playing experience. Additionally, the action has been fine-tuned and voiced.

Feurich grand piano 1983

This grand piano belongs to an advanced amateur player who felt that the instrument was not able to express what he wanted. The piano was holding him back from further growth. It has been fitted with new hammers and shanks, and the keys have been equipped with new felt. Using Precision Touch Design, the piano has been properly balanced. The pianist can now continue to make progress.

Petrof grand piano 1973

The grand piano belongs to a professional pianist who complained about the uneven touch and sound of the instrument. Using Precision Touch Design and a thorough adjustment of the action, the touch has been made uniform again. Additionally, the piano has been tuned and voiced.

Bösendorfer grand piano 2004

The felt in this grand piano had suffered damage from moths. The felt in the action has been replaced. Using Precision Touch Design, the action has been balanced and adjusted. Afterward, the piano was tuned and intonated.

Bösendorfer grand piano 1900

This beautiful old Bösendorfer grand piano needed new hammers. The piano played very lightly, and the owner wanted to maintain that feel. By using the Precision Touch Design method, we were able to select and calibrate the new hammers to achieve the correct weight curve. After that, the action was adjusted and the hammers were intonated.

Petrof grand piano 1990

For this enthusiastic amateur player, the grand piano felt too heavy to play. There was significant friction in the action, and the lever did not match the weight of the hammers properly. By adjusting the pivot point of the keys using OBWs and reducing friction, the piano now plays much lighter. The hammers have been reshaped and weighted according to the Precision Touch Design method. Afterward, the action was adjusted, and the piano was tuned and intonated.

Bechstein grand piano 1937

Every few years, a grand piano requires maintenance, and this instrument was no exception. The hammer heads were carefully reshaped, the action was regulated, and then the piano was tuned and voiced to ensure it plays beautifully and sounds exceptional once again.

Yamaha C7 grand piano 1973

The grand piano had suffered significant damage from moths that gnawed away the felt in the action. The photos clearly show the extent of the damage to the felt. The felt in the action has been replaced, and the hammers have been reshaped. Following this, the piano was tuned and voiced.

Bechstein grand piano 1907

This vintage Bechstein grand piano was purchased by the Cheng family but exhibited unwanted noises while playing. The source of these noises was traced to the mechanism, which contained many older components. We replaced the hammer heads, shanks, and knuckles, as well as the underhammers. Additionally, the bass strings were rusty and no longer produced a pleasing sound, so we installed a new set of bass strings. All work was carried out using the Precision Touch Design method.

Examples Major revision

Bechstein grand piano1977

Currently in our workshop is a 165 cm Bechstein grand piano from 1977. The owner has reported that the instrument plays very heavily. It has been exposed to a humid environment, which has caused the strings to rust, resulting in a dull bass sound. Additionally, there are cracks in the soundboard, and the action has excessive friction.

The grand piano has been brought to our workshop and thoroughly analyzed using the ‘Precision Touch Design’ methodology. This is a comprehensive restoration process that includes repairing the soundboard and replacing the strings, hammers, and dampers. The cracks in the soundboard have been repaired with new wood, and the soundboard has been lacquered three times for optimal finish. The next step is to restore the bridge.

Steinway piano 1911

This Steinway piano from 1911, standing 132 cm tall, is being fully restored in-house. The casing has been french polished where necessary. The damaged ivory inlay on the keys has been repaired. The crack in the soundboard has been filled, and the soundboard has been lacquered. The strings, hammers, and damper felt have been replaced. We are currently working on the adjustment and intonation.

Blüthner Aliquot grand piano 1986

The customer purchased a used Blüthner grand piano that they wanted to have refurbished before it arrived at their home. The casing has been finished with a new polyester lacquer. The treble bridge has been replaced, the soundboard has been lacquered, and new strings have been installed. The hammers and shanks have been replaced, and the keys have been fitted with new felt. Everything has been balanced using Precision Touch Design.

Steinway M grand piano 1969

The grand piano belonged to her mother and was in need of a major restoration. The finish on the casing and legs was damaged, and the piano showed signs of wear. Cees Boon has refinished the casing and legs with new polyester lacquer. We replaced the bridge, lacquered the soundboard, installed new strings, and replaced the hammers and shanks, as well as the underhammers and dampers. During the restoration, we discovered cracks in the action frame, which have since been repaired with new tubes. Unfortunately, due to delays in parts delivery caused by the pandemic, the customer had to wait a long time for the piano's return. However, this has not diminished the fact that the piano has turned out beautifully.

Steinway O grand piano 1969

The customer purchased a used Steinway grand piano when they moved to the Netherlands, as their son plays very intensively. The piano has been balanced using Precision Touch Design, the felt in the keys has been replaced, and the hammers have been reshaped and intonated. Unfortunately, cracks were discovered in the wood of the action frame. A new action frame has been sourced from the Steinway factory in Hamburg. Music can once again be made!

Steinway M grand piano 1930

The Steinway grand piano, featuring beautiful ivory key tops, had a heavy touch. Excessive friction in the action and the use of overly heavy hammers during a previous restoration contributed to this issue. Additionally, some bass strings produced ringing noises. Upon inspection, we found that the action frame, to which the hammers and underhammers are attached, was cracked. The piano's finish had also become bumpy due to sun exposure.

We replaced the bass strings and sourced a new action frame directly from the Steinway factory in Hamburg. The hammer heads, shanks, and underhammers were all replaced as well. Gijs Wilderom expertly polished the cabinet, restoring the piano's stunning appearance.

Other services

Tuning and maintenance

Voicing

Playing enhencement

Piano Life Saver

Silent System