What services do technicans provide?

[dana_minmin]

Well my question is stated in the topic. Once I proposed to replace my old 2nd-hand piano, but my family have thousands of reasons to say no. Now I'm thinking to repair it.

There're many problems with my piano...
1. It's seriously out of tune
2. stiff keys
3. 2 (occasional) sticky keys
4. ineffective damping padel

Can technicans fix all these problems esp. 2 and 4? or it's hopeless.

[daniloperusina]

A technician can
1. put in new, slightly larger tuning pins, which will make the tuning hold better.
2. ease up the action in different ways, or replace it with new action parts.
3. see 2
4. adjust the pedal, adjust the dampers, or replace them with new dampers

If the tuning block (where all the tuning pins are sitting) is cracked, there's virtually nothing he can do.
If the metal frame is cracked, same. He can't do anything.
If the soundboard and bridges are cracked, he can repair it, but it's a big job.

The ideal thing to do is make sure the tuning block and iron frame are intact, and that the soundboard and bridges are at least repairable, and then install new tuning pins, new strings, new action parts. It will cost a bit, but your piano could become like a new one and last you another 50 years.

[dan101]

You've already got some amazing answers to your original question. In addition to what's already been mentioned, a technician is usually willing, fo a fee, to come and view othewr potential piano purchases that you're about to make.

I've also had some colleagues of mine ask tuners to 'voice' hammers for them. That's the term that they used. It involved adjusting the softness or hardness of the piano hammers in order to attain an even and favorable tone.

[dana_minmin]

Thank you all~

Silly question, if I change all these things, would that cost me almost a new one?
I always wanted to own a proper piano

[daniloperusina]

Silly answer, but that depends on which new one.
The full thing could actually cost you more than a brand new of the cheapest China-made piano. But it will cost you way less than a brand new Yamaha, not to mention those german brands...

Perhaps you mean buying a used piano? Well, no shop would restore a piano and sell it for less than the restoration costs. So, they will either restore it very minutely or sell it expensively. Or sell it 'as is'.

Depending on what your piano needs, I think it will cost between $1K-$3k.

Actually, the first thing you should do is get it tuned! Sometimes the problems you have are more or less easy fixes. The tuner is usually the same person as the technician, so he/she will be able to advice you on all those matters after it's been tuned.

Sometimes it's amazing what a different instrument a simple tuning brings out...