David Boyce Piano Services

Tuning:

All acoustic pianos need regular tuning. They gradually go out of  tune because changes in humidity and temperature cause wood and metal parts to expand and contract.

A piano that is beautifully in tune has a wholeness and sweetness that draws players and listeners to it.

Twice-yearly tuning suffices for most home pianos, but new ones need more frequent tuning for at least the first couple of years (retailers don't always stress this!)

Pianos in a recording studio or recital venue will require tuning before almost every use.

Regulation:

The downward movement, about 10mm, of the keys under your fingers transfers by a complex series of mechanical interactions into a movement of around 50mm of felt-covered wooden hammers towards strings. In a well-made new piano, fine adjustments have been carried out so that it is responsive, subtle, and even; giving great control to the player.  Over time, felt parts compress and wear. Adjustments are needed to keep the action  responsive. Many pianos, including very fine ones, are allowed to go for decades - perhaps a century - without any regulation. That's a pity, for owners could get so much more enjoyment from them if properly regulated.

Voicing:

This is quite different from tuning. Voicing refers to subtly altering the tonal quality of a piano's sound by various means; principally by altering the texture of the hammer felt. By careful work, the piano can be made to sound brighter, or softer and more mellow.  Voicing cannot, however, make a small upright piano sound like a 9' concert grand. Voicing is a subtle, time-consuming art.

Repairs:

Smaller repairs, like replacing a broken string or a damaged action part, can be done in the home. For more extensive repairs to  a piano's action, it is best to take it away for a few days. This saves time spent in the client's home. 

Restoration and Rebuilding:

If a piano is of very high quality but badly worn, it can sometimes be worth carrying out extensive (and expensive) restoration or rebuilding work. This specialised work is undertaken by few workshops in the UK and like most piano technicians, I am not equipped with premises or facilities for this. I am always happy to advise, if such work is feasible and desired.

Castors:

It is vital that an upright piano in any public venue where it is moved around should have "rear toe" safety castors.  These allow the piano to be moved without the risk of falling over. Those responsible for public  venues have a 'Duty of Care'. See the separate Piano Castors page of this site for information.

Piano castors are specialised, and available from piano supply houses. Castors of other kinds bought, for example, in an ironmongers, are unsuitable for pianos.

I can also supply and fit grand piano castors and A-frames.