Restoring and Repairing the Player Piano?

Answer 1

Player pianos were developed in the late 1800s and continued to be produced through the 1930s. Many people who could not play an instrument themselves adored the live music provided by the automated piano; it seemed to be a magical wonder of technology at the time. Music was recorded onto rolls of paper by punching small holes to represent notes. The rolls were then loaded into the piano to be interpreted by the pneumatic device which used individual bellows to control each key.

There were thousands of piano rolls produced. Some of the sophisticated piano models could even reproduce a pianist's subtle nuances and dynamics. The production of the pianos and the accompanying rolls virtually stopped after the advent of radio and phonographs. However, there are many of them still in existence. They are often rescued and restored by collectors and antique dealers.

Finding an Expert

The mechanisms that control the player piano are fairly complex. When they require restoration and repair, it can be difficult to locate someone to service these vintage instruments. Most piano tuners are not trained to do the work and will only tune the keys without repairing the player mechanism. The work involved in repair can be quite tedious and may take several days or even weeks depending on the degree of deterioration.

There are several ways to locate someone who can service a player piano. If the piano was purchased from a knowledgeable antique store or dealer, they may be able to recommend a specialist. Local music stores may also have resources and connections. An online search for "player piano repair" will return websites that are devoted to the topic, and some may offer references to the nearest technician.

Once a repair is completed, the owner may consider seeking people who specialize in restoration of the paper piano rolls. These experts may be able to help them start building a valuable collection of vintage rolls. Once restored, the nostalgia and charm a working player piano lends to a home is well worth the time and investment.