This might sound crazy and even a little depressing but it’s true and a topic worth discussing. You would think having a tuner come in and tune your piano would be enough, it should be in tune right? But is it really?
The short answer is no, your piano will never be perfectly in tune. If you look back in history and at other instruments this concept is easier to understand. When it comes to singing, pitches come completely from your head, just like when a violinist plays there are no frets for them to make the exact notes and the pitches are constantly changing; this is even true of guitars where a string can bend to affect the pitch of note.
There was a period in time in when keyboards were tuned to specific keys. So, if the keyboard was tuned to D major, it was perfectly in tune in D major. It would sound O.K. in A major and possibly G major, but would sound atrocious in A-flat major or D-flat major. Eventually tuners created a system in which all the half steps are equal so that all keys are equally out of tune!
When a piano tuner tunes your piano the first thing they do is set the temperament. The temperament is taking an octave and making all the half steps equal. This means that when you play any interval other than an octave on the piano, they are all equally out of tune. So if you play a perfect 4th, 3rd, or any other pair of notes, they will all be perfectly out of tune with each other. We have gotten so used to tempered tuning that we don’t even notice it’s out of tune. However, if a string player tries to match pitch with a piano they will have to make adjustments to play in tune.
Believe it or not this gets even more complex. Stretch octaves are something that goes beyond the idea of tempered tuning. Our ears actually hear flat in the high register so to compensate for this a tuner will stretch the tuning a bit higher in the high register so it sounds right to our ears even though it is not mathematically perfect.
To keep it simple, always remember that when your piano is tuned, the tuner is striving for the perfect compromise. It’s a crazy concept but it’s true. Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
Believe it or not there have been a number of scams perpetrated in the new and used piano market over the years that have tricked both buyers and sellers into dishonest sales. There are probably way more than five scams out there but I thought I would share some of the most common ones we have come across in today’s market.
The interested buyer who never comes back – but takes something with them
I ran across this scam years ago and it was being perpetrated by a couple who would take advantage of private sellers. The scam goes like this:
One person in the couple would call on an ad someone placed about selling their piano. They would say they were interested and come over to see the piano right away. After a few minutes they would offer to buy the piano and give the seller a few hundred dollars as a “down payment” for the piano. Before they would leave though, they would make sure to take a part of the piano with them – perhaps the fallboard was scratched and they told the seller they wanted to start repairs on it. Days or weeks would pass and the “buyer” would never come back, but the seller was stuck with a piano that was now missing a crucial piece that couldn’t easily be replaced – which would de-value the piano by a significant amount.
Later on, the seller would get a call from the other person in the couple – making sure never to reference the original “buyer” – saying that they saw the ad for the piano a while ago and wanted to know if they were still selling the piano. By now you can see where this is headed. The scam would end with the seller offering the piano to the new buyer for much less because of the missing parts. The seller would never know they had been scammed and the devious couple would get a piano for much less than it’s worth.
The auction piano
Many people seek pianos from auction houses hoping for a bargain. Often at auction houses, you will not be able to inspect the piano closely – you won’t be able to look inside except from a distance. You will have to take their word on the condition of the piano. It’s a gamble with potentially big payoff.
The scam that has come up in today’s market is misrepresenting the piano. It’s not necessarily on the part of the auction house. But someone will use a popular name (Steinway is the most likely) to drive up the price of the piano. Just putting the Steinway decal on the front of a piano can potentially increase its value dramatically because people think they are buying a Steinway.
So you bid on a piano, you win, you’re very excited to own a Steinway for way less than what it’s typically worth, you get it delivered to your home and then first discover that it’s not a Steinway! Someone has put a Steinway decal on a lesser piano and you are stuck with this instrument.
The way to avoid this type of scam is to research the auction house, ask as many questions as you can about the piano being sold, and know the design differences to distinguish between piano brands.
This leads us to the next scam:
Changing the name (decal) on a piano
Replacing the decal on the piano is a necessity if you’re refinishing a fallboard. But did you know that anyone buy any decal for any piano brand online? This is a legitimate need for piano rebuilders and refinishers.
The scam here is buying a decal that’s either completely wrong or “technically” wrong and putting it on the front of a piano.
Completely wrong would be putting a name like Steinway on a piano that is clearly not a Steinway. Once you open it up it’s obvious it’s not the correct piano.
Technically wrong would be taking the name of a company that technically manufactured the piano and putting their higher line name on the front of it. I’ve seen this a number of times with Howard pianos. Howard pianos were bought by Baldwin in the middle of the 20th century. Baldwin offered these pianos as lower line instruments – selling for much less than their higher priced Baldwin artist series counterparts. They would say “Howard” on the fallboard and on the side in small letters would be, “From the House of Baldwin”. Unscrupulous business people will put the Baldwin name right in the front misrepresenting the instrument.
Technically the piano is manufactured by Baldwin but it is not a true Baldwin, it’s a Howard. The seller could easily sell the piano for much more money and trick an unsuspecting buyer into purchasing a lower line piano while they are thinking they are getting something worth much more.
A completely fake piano
This is a scam that is incredibly hard to spot but is rare to find in the piano world. The scam involves going to great lengths to hide the true manufacturer of a piano in order to sell something for much more money than it’s worth.
I ran into this scam only once and it nearly got me!
Someone contacted me about a Steinway concert grand they were looking at purchasing. They sent me pictures and I went over them and initially thought that they had come across a legitimately good deal. The piano looked to be in great shape, the scale design looked right, and the decals and plate had the correct logos on them. So where was the scam?
Steinert is a company that used to produce pianos in the United States and they produced pianos incredibly similar in scale design to Steinway pianos. They look almost identical to Steinway pianos from a distance. Steinert pianos – while good pianos – are not worth anything near the value of a true Steinway piano because of the power of the Steinway name since Steinert went out of business decades ago.
This particular seller had actually gone to extraordinary lengths and replaced the Steinert logo cast into the the plate of the concert grand with the Steinway logo! This is a very time consuming and complex process that would take expertise to accomplish since they had to smelt metal to make the plate appear to be a Steinway. The potential payoff though would be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
So how did I figure this scam out?
Well a lot of text is put onto plates and it would be nearly impossible to replace all of it. After closer inspection I found that the text along the plate didn’t exactly match that of a true Steinway. Steinway pianos have specific patents cast into the plate at various places. Steinert pianos have different text cast into their plates that are unique to them. I realized that the information engraved in the plate was from a Steinert piano, not a Steinway.
A very clever scam and a very good one but still able to be solved with a little detective work.
Misrepresenting the county of origin for a piano
This is one of the most common things I run into in the piano market today and it’s something that all buyers need to be aware of. This is especially common in new pianos.
The “scam” is not so much a scam as a way to coerce a potential buyer to think their piano was manufactured in a different country than it actually is.
For example: You see a piano in a store with a European or American name, the salesperson tells you that the piano was “designed” in Europe or America and has connections to major European or American brands but cleverly avoids the topic of where the piano was actually manufactured – which in most cases is China or Indonesia. Sometimes they will claim that the piano is an American piano assembled in China or that it’s a German piano assembled in Asia. This is more than stretching the truth – it is false information.
This is something that can be avoided by simply asking where the piano was manufactured. Any reputable seller should tell you the truth. There is nothing wrong with a piano manufactured in China or Indonesia but you should be aware of this when buying the piano. You should not be under the assumption that you are buying something you aren’t.
Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any comments about this topic or any topic at all please contact us directly: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
So, are pianos from California really better? Often times, yes! The reason that used pianos from parts of California are generally in better condition is because of the stable climate.
You might hear about companies that climatize their pianos for certain regions and while this might sound like a good idea, this is not always possible. Let’s take California for example. There are a multitude of climates within different geographical areas. No two places are exactly the same. Right here, 10 miles from the beach, the climate is moderate year round. But there are dramatically different climates not far from here.
So what weather is best for pianos? Moderate humidity and a consistent temperature create the best environment for a piano. You don’t want them to go through drastic swings of cold and hot and you certainly don’t want your piano to have to endure extremely humid or dry environments.
California generally provides a gentle environment for pianos, but not everywhere. For example, I live about 10 miles from the beach and the weather is semi-arid and the temperature remains fairly consistent year round. Down by the beach the salt air can damage pianos in just a few years. Likewise, travel inland to the high desert not far away, and the dry climate can play havoc with soundboards and other wood parts of your piano.
In a gentle California climate a piano can reside in a home for decades without experiencing any damage to the soundboard, case or action particularly if it is kept closed most of the time and maintained on a regular basis. I have personally run across countless pianos from this region which can be well preserved gems. This is not possible in most other places in the United States – in New York a vintage piano can suffer soundboard and other damage from the wild swings from the humid summers to the dry heat of the winter – particularly pianos manufactured before the advent of air conditioning.
But beyond whether or not California is a good place for pianos the care you provide for your instrument is critical. You may be able to provide a suitable environment for a piano in any region as long as you keep it in a consistent environment. For example, you may live in a high rise in Chicago with climate control of temperate and humidity and have a great environment for your piano. People at the beach can try to mitigate the moist air by simply closing the piano at night and possibly installing a Dampp-Chaser System. This applies to pianos in the desert as well. Ideally you treat the room. When this isn’t possible, there are technologies that can help to stabilize your piano.
If you have any more questions about how to care for your piano please contact me directly Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
Like most things when it comes to the piano, this question does not have a simple answer. There is no absolute standard for how many strings are on a piano but there are some general guidelines that can shed some light on this question.
Some people might assume that since there are 88 keys on a piano, there would be 88 strings; but this isn’t the case. Most keys on the piano actually strike 3 strings when depressed. They are steel strings that run from the highest treble all the way to the bass section. Once you hit the bass section of the piano, the strings become copper wound and there are less of them per note (2 and eventually 1 on the lowest notes).
Now the problem in figuring out how many strings are on a piano depends on something called scale design. Scale design is a complex topic which I’ve covered in the past:
But basically what you need to know is that all pianos have unique scale designs with different numbers of strings in each section. Each piano switches from the triple steel strings to copper strings with different numbers of dual and single copper bass strings!
So the simple answer is you can’t say how many strings are on a piano exactly, but it ranges generally from about 220 to 240 strings.
Now this really should give you a renewed respect for your piano tuner if it hasn’t already! They have to tune every single one of those strings making sure they are all in proper pitch with each other. The octaves and intervals have to sound as pure as possible; their are also overtones to deal with – the process is actually quite complex.
Thanks again for watching and reading; there is plenty more on the way. Robert Estrin: Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729
Many people – whether they are just starting to learn to play the piano or have been playing for some time wonder what piano will suit their skill level best. There are quite a few needs each person might have that will help them pick the right piano for their playing style or skill.
Many people assume that when they just start playing the piano, it’s O.K. to get a keyboard and get a piano later if they stay with it. If you are going to get a keyboard, be sure it has a weighted action. However, even high quality digital pianos with weighted actions present substantial compromises to your studies. It will never feel or play like a real piano – no matter what model or brand you get. Even a modest upright piano will offer a better playing experience than a keyboard and you are more likely to enjoy success with an traditional piano.
If you look inside a piano you will notice there about 100 parts associated with each key you press. Even if a keyboard has a good weighted action, it will never be able to produce the same expressiveness and feel as a real piano. While many keyboards respond to touch, they can’t replicate the wide range of expression and sounds created with a real piano with the hundreds of strings, soundboard and harmonic interaction of the tone.
Another thing to keep in mind is getting at least a console size piano to start with. For some people, spinet pianos are a great option because they have a lighter action and are easier to play. This may be appropriate for someone suffering from arthritis or other hand problems. If you are just learning and are young and healthy, you will develop a better technique on a console or larger piano because of the direct blow action which is lacking on spinets which have drop actions.
There is a point during your piano studies that you will outgrow even a fine upright piano. There are several reasons for this. Most importantly, in upright pianos the hammers travel sideways and don’t have the benefit of gravity as in grand pianos in which the hammers go up and down. This creates a slower and less responsive action. It’s very noticeable when trying to play trills or repeated notes because the hammers can’t repeat with the same energy.
When you start playing more advanced music you will realize this is a problem because it will affect the speed in which you can play. Once you progress beyond the Sonatina level, you will benefit greatly by having a grand or baby grand piano for practice. Studying music of Bach, Schummann, and Chopin on an upright piano presents many compromises. Students who practice on grand pianos and baby grand pianos progress better than students practicing on uprights.
Once your playing progresses to a very high level you will want to focus on playing and practicing with a larger grand piano. This is because the tone produced is much different – especially in the tenor and bass registers where the tone becomes expansive. The saying, “The bigger the better” really applies to pianos. It will always be better to learn and practice on a larger piano. For some, an upright or baby grand is a better option to start with – for either budget or space reasons – but eventually (if your playing progresses far enough) you will want to practice on a larger piano.
This is probably one of the most fiercely debated topics regarding Steinway pianos. There is a ton of misinformation online as well as varying degrees of opinions. Not everyone is going to agree on this topic, but I will share my perspective from a lifetime with Steinway pianos. So let’s dive right into this hotly contested debate, is Teflon on Steinway Pianos bad?
In 1972 Steinway & Sons was sold to CBS and they owned the company until 1985. At some time during this period in Steinway’s history, the felt parts of the action were replaced with Teflon. Eventually, they abandoned this practice and went back to felt – not without some public outcry. Today, some people will see older Steinway pianos with Teflon and become adamant about replacing it, but is it really such a big problem?
There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. Teflon has many different characteristics then felt and one of the reasons Steinway decided to use it was that it is much more durable and robust then felt. One of the big problems Steinway ran into with Teflon is that many technicians didn’t know how to work with it. The vast majority of the world’s actions were built with felt and replacing it with a new material created some confusion. Unless a technician is familiar with Steinway Teflon actions, they might not be able to adjust it properly.
If you have a Steinway piano with Teflon in it and it’s in good shape, all you need is a good technician who can maintain it. There is really no reason to replace the Teflon if you have no problems. Now, there are cases where you will have to replace Teflon.
Teflon does cause some unwanted problems and if you are experiencing any of these you will need to get it replaced. Telfon is rigid but wood is susceptible to expanding and contracting with the weather. If you put a Steinway piano with Teflon in an extreme environment with wild swings in temperature – from dry to humid and from hot to cold – it’s possible the wood could crack. This can cause unwanted noises that could be created by the spaces between the Teflon bushings and the wood. This is what gave Teflon a very bad reputation; it’s not made for extreme environments.
If you live in a stable environment, you probably won’t have any negative issues with Teflon You will probably be fine as long as you have a properly trained technician.
If you feel that you want to replace the Teflon in your action, you can. If you have any concerns or qualms about it and you have the money, you should simply do what makes you happy. Does it need to be replaced? Unless you live in an extreme environment, the Teflon is old, or you can’t find the right technician, probably not. I personally don’t have any problems with Teflon parts but that’s my opinion and I’m sure there are plenty of varying viewpoints.
