Piano Restoration FAQ

What is Restoration?

Restoration is the art of transforming older, worn-out traditional pianos to their former glory. We renew all the age-affected felts, leatherwork, springs, loops, centre-pins, wrestpins and strings etc., to enable the instrument to perform as well as when it originally left the factory.

What work is carried out?

In a typical restoration we will do all of the following:

• Restore the soundboard
• Restring and re-pin the frame
• Restore/rebuild the action/keyboard/damper assembly
• Strip down and hand repolish the cabinet to reveal the natural woodgrain
• Raise to pitch and stretch strings, fine tune to A-440
• Extensively regulate the touch and damping
• Overhaul the pedal assembly

See also our more detailed description of the work we carry out.

How long does restoration take?

Not less than 3 months, probably not more than 5 months.
BUT... we can lend you a working, tuned piano free of charge whilst your own is being restored.

Is my piano worth restoring?

It is worth restoring if it is soundly built, if possible by a well-known maker, built after 1890 and, importantly, you like the instrument. It is also desirable for it to be overstrung (some straight-strungs are good pianos in uprights), and must be underdamped - dampers beneath the hammers.

I don't live near Oxford - can you still help?

We are able to carry out restoration to a very high standard on any suitable instrument anywhere in the U.K. except Northern Ireland.

How much will it cost?

That will depend on the type, age and condition of the instrument, and we would need to see the piano in order to give you a quotation for the work. Please fill in our enquiry form or contact us.

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