Tuning an 1873 Square Grand Piano

Рет қаралды 4,133

3 жыл бұрын

Square grand pianos generally have a "terrible" reputation, ( tone, playability and serviceability),) but, not all of them are bad and not worth acquiring. This piano has all original parts except for the tuning pins. It gets gentle use. The "hard playing" gets reserved for their 1980s vintage Grand piano . The owners love this piano and appreciate very much that I am willing to tune and service it.

Пікірлер: 40

@AndyHinkson Жыл бұрын

As a kid my parents used to have one of these. It had been passed down through our family until it got to us. By the time we got it, it was mostly for looks, as it was way out of tune and some keys didn’t work. We never got it fixed because all tuners would refuse to even work on it. When we moved, we couldn’t find anyone who would take it even for free, so my mom ended up having to take it to the dump. It really saddens me to know that a rare piece of piano history had to just be thrown out like that, wish I could have saved it.

@PiotrBarcz 3 жыл бұрын

Nice to see that you've posted! The Antique Piano Shop restores these things and Michael Stinnette said in one of his videos that they had to make the MACHINES to make the PARTS to fix the pianos!

@ChernobieffPiano 2 жыл бұрын

Wrong! MR. MS stole the designs of my jigs.

@PiotrBarcz 2 жыл бұрын

@@ChernobieffPiano Wait really?

@ChernobieffPiano 2 жыл бұрын

@@PiotrBarcz Really.

@PiotrBarcz 2 жыл бұрын

@@ChernobieffPiano That sneak

@frankmarter6845 Жыл бұрын

That’s a very good tone.

@cathywhitney8194 Ай бұрын

Very cool!

@JohnathanWWE 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing 👍

@rossmorrow3013 9 ай бұрын

I live in N.Ireland and I have a client who has a Square Piano, made by Muzio Clementi. It has its rectangular pins (without eyes for wire), it certainly doesn’t sound anything like this piano in the video, it would be much much quieter and lighter of touch. I would never dream of attempting to tune it any higher than A=415hz as (I understand it’s what is sometimes called ‘old concert pitch’) it was never ever built to withstand that tension, but it does have a very beautiful tone, albeit a lot lighter, but still a very beautiful instrument to play, and it holds its tuning pitch really very well.

@bellthandian 3 жыл бұрын

I have this same piano. Wish I could find someone locally to tune it and get it fully restored. Still sounds pretty decent but I’m sad that I’m missing the music desk which is beautiful

@therenegadepianotechnician5170 3 жыл бұрын

You can find a music desk online finding someone to tune this is more diffiucult

@martineldritch 3 жыл бұрын

Nice, never heard of a square grand before. (But I'm probably philistine enough to put a special top over it and have it double as a pool table, so not the best idea to be owner of one)

@CharlesLangSamuel 2 жыл бұрын

It sounds good but I would have liked to just hear the various ranges of the piano, lowest, low mid, mid, upper mid, mid highs etc and very highs.

@therenegadepianotechnician5170 2 жыл бұрын

Maybe next one, This was , I thought very good sounding for a square grand over-all.

@CharlesLangSamuel 2 жыл бұрын

@@therenegadepianotechnician5170 I agree with you. What I think is interesting about square grands is that due to the way the bass strings go from the left to the right they can be pretty long from what I understand, and so that’s a reason I would have wanted to hear the bass. Another thought, as a fellow (semipro) piano tech I think it looks better to play notes or chords on the black keys instead of fuer Elise, just makes you look more pro when pianists are around.

@iamwendyiam 2 жыл бұрын

How difficult is it to acquire strings for square grand pianos?

@therenegadepianotechnician5170 2 жыл бұрын

I've been told that most of these used a softer steel core wire originally than modern pianos and they no longer use steel in the windings, they use copper.

@dibaldgyfm9933 7 ай бұрын

Why tune without the dampers installed?

@GrotrianSeiler 5 ай бұрын

The damper mechanism gets in the way of the tuning hammer. Taking it out of the piano, which is pretty easy, makes tuning the piano easier, but it’s still a very awkward task, which is why so few tuners offer to do it.

@zorrainealo114 3 жыл бұрын

what state are you in? Can you tune my 1875? 😆

@therenegadepianotechnician5170 3 жыл бұрын

IM in New York Long Island , but do travel to the greater New York metro area

@cdllc1956 2 жыл бұрын

Why is it difficult to tune it?

@PiotrBarcz Жыл бұрын

Christ, you're everywhere, even on my piano tech's channel comments xD

@PiotrBarcz Жыл бұрын

Because: The dampers lay over the strings and make it impossible to get mutes in so you have to take the damper assembly off Because the dampers are now off, all the strings are open to ring so you have to mute all of them and then mute and unmute all over as you tune the thing

@cdllc1956 Жыл бұрын

@@PiotrBarcz ohh I get it

@cdllc1956 Жыл бұрын

@@PiotrBarcz 😂 I know im everywhere

@PiotrBarcz Жыл бұрын

@@cdllc1956 xD

@nickreid5613 3 жыл бұрын

I really hope you don’t tune it to standard pitch though, because the instrument can’t actually hold that, and wasn’t designed to hold it, nor was it invented/used until 1934. I have a Waters and Sons Square Grand from 1877, which holds 432 pretty well. Just hoping this instrument doesn’t have too much tension.

@PiotrBarcz 2 жыл бұрын

Don't worry, this guy knows what he's doing ;), he does top quality work

@nickreid5613 2 жыл бұрын

@@PiotrBarcz understood. But the instrument isn’t actually meant to hold that pitch, in 1873 pianos were tuned to A435, but we all know all music should be played in A432, the fundamentally mathematical tune of the literal nature.. but sure, let’s break another old piano :,)

@PiotrBarcz 2 жыл бұрын

@@nickreid5613 He definitely knows not to tune old pianos over 435, most piano tuners know that and all piano tuners who deal with fine pianos like these definitely know.

@km6206 Жыл бұрын

@@nickreid5613 that's kind of nonsense, haha

@nickreid5613 Жыл бұрын

@@km6206 I wouldnt assume you know much about how to tune a piano. I’m a technician on both pianos and now pipe organs. I can assure you these instruments aren’t meant to hold standard pitch-they weren’t designed to hold it. 🙄