Rebuilding, new soundboards, pinblocks, bridges, actions, Luke Piano Co. Littleton, Co. refinishing,regulation.


Art case Steinway Recently completed in my shop, a Steinway Art case. This piano started out as a reproducing player grand in walnut. After restoration, it is now a white satin finish highlighted with 24K gold. Six months of repair rebuilding and refinishing have gone into this project. The piano also had a new action, ivory keys and all evidence of the old player system has been eliminated. The piano has been engineered to receive a new player system, should one ever be desired. It is interesting to see the transformation from the original to the finished piano, repairs were numerous and difficult, but spending the correct amount of time, results were breathtaking. Some repairs are now shown; Chickering Grand We rebuild many pianos for out of state customers, therefore we are adding this "Work in progress" area to show them what is being done to there piano. Our project in the shop is a historic 7'4" Steinway grand in rosewood. Pictures will be posted as they become available. The piano shown is the most recent completed project, a Chickering concert grand made in 1876. Steinway And Sons 7'2" style I This is a Steinway from 1876. It has a rosewood case and will receive new ivories. We are in the process of replacing the soundboard and pinblock. The board will be installed this next week. We used pre-crowned ribs to insure that the new board will have proper crown. The ribs were manufactured from the originals. Soundboard installed This shows the board in place, ready for the bridges. Soundboard complete The soundboard finished with a new finish applied, bridges installed. Pinblock Installed The design of an old Steinway incorporated an open holed or exposed pinblock. Used in Europe at the turn of the century, (1900) replacement is one of the most complicated procedures for a small rebuilding shop. Although time consuming, we have removed the case from the pinblock area and replaced it with a new one. The stretcher bar holding the pinblock is the original. Plate fitting RichardVoegtle and myself fitting the plate to the new pinblock. Exposed pinblocks offer a challenge even to the most seasoned rebuilder. Piano Strung This is the same piano, now completed with dampers installed. It has had new ivories installed, a new Renner action and is waiting for a player to be installed. This lengthy process has taken six months to complete. A piano like this would sell for $80,000.00 in a regular retail situation. Finished Steinway The finished piano was shipped to my customer in Maryland in late 2005, he was very kind to send me this photo of the completed Steinway in his home. A fine addition to a well appointed home, one that appreciates a fine historic Steinway grand piano. My job is completed.