The song at the end of the video is called Nuvole Bianche if anyone was wondering! Great video, im so glad you have been able to find a job and community in this
oh man tysm :)) i've heard it so many times and just couldn't pin the name today. And yeah it's super inspiring to see people make something out of a dream especially in music where a stable job is never really guaranteed, and either way the video and intention behind it is super sweet. anyways hope you have a good rest of ur day!
My son played two old pianos at a hospital. Both of them need to be tuned. They definitely need someone like you. Keep up the good work. "Music speaks the language of the soul, penetrating into the past and resonating into the future."
Hello nice work but please take caution because that the dust inside the piano maybe contains abstestos and other chemicals that on early years there were no regulation so please be becareful use always protection, greetings from Ecuador
I felt so relieved! The 80y.o. piano was saved! People like you deserved a great gratitude. As a music lover and also an instrument lover, knowing that one instrument was saved from being thrown away is such a relief. And seeing you saved a memorable one is touching! I'm thankful that you bring it back to life!^^ good job!^^
Hello! Great work! Being a piano technician myself I would recommend one thing which might once upon a time save your day) During the pre-tuning, when the piano is more than 10Hz lower, if you tune the bass as usually, it might cause problems with the bass bridge (sorry, do not know how it's exactly called in English), my teacher told the whole bridge just came off the soundboard, which was kinda not a pleasant surprise. That happens because bass bridge is short and the tension rises on one side much more than on another, so there is a possibility it will turn away. So, instead of tuning all the strings one after another, you should try tuning from up to down all the "right" strings in two-string choires, then all one-string choires and only then proceed to tune unisons (left strings in two-string choires) This method expells any problems with bass bridge, which might be caused by tuning) Best wishes!
It’s more because of the glue joints. Tuning from the low bass up to the last note high C. Usually is preferred. It evens out the tension. All the way up. But that’s only one way.
@@TM-jo4wz Hello! You mean during the pre-tuning? 'cause you can't start from the bottom during final tuning. The method I described I rarely use on good instruments. 80% of my job are "not bad" at most Soviet upright pianos, and it works well with them.
It never ceases to amaze me how much pianos will endure over the ages, they are living, breathing beings, and when invested in and cared for they really shine!! Beautiful work sir!
Yes for all instruments! I got to experience a historic flute room once and it was simply amazing. Even knowing the history of the instrument (flutes have changed quite a lot!), it was still amazing to be able to look between a flute that's nearly 150 years old and my own flute which is much, much, much younger and see how similar they are. It's sort of a marvel, I think, to be able to see that.
Your dedication to your profession is impressive. Your customers are lucky to have you fixing the problems of their pianos. I haven't touched my piano for nearly 35 years😅. Its condition was terribly bad and almost all guys from some piano companies in Hong Kong suggested me to dispose of it. But I finally asked someone to fix the problems because it was a gift from mom to me when I was 12 years old. Mom has left me for almost 10 years and recently I treated the repaired piano as a linkage between mom and me. I started playing piano again last Sat after 35 years😅. Your videos are inspiring. Will treat my piano better ~ to have tuning regularly.
Great video. Fellow technician here! One bit of advise that was very helpful to me when it came to old worn out grands and uprights alike is just how useful a brass brush can be. If the hammers are extremely worn and very grooved but you don't have time/resources for a full filing, you can quickly brush directly over the string grooves with a brass brush. It does a very good job of bringing down the brightness that comes with old, grooved hammers. Hope it helps like it did for me!
That was very, very cool. About 35 years ago I worked for a tuner/tech installing Pianocorders in new and older instruments. I saw a whole lot of what you showed in your video and it certainly brought back memories. I wondered when you mentioned the loose pins if you were going to whip out the magic juice to tighten them. I smiled when I saw you doing that. It's been a very long time since I saw someone pull the action from an old lady for cleaning. Great video, man. Thanks for this.
I don't have a piano but I do enjoy your videos and how passionate you are in doing it even for free or discounted fees.. Amazing. I'm learning a lot too❤ hopefully soon many more would watch your videos and learn to take care of their pianos 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
I got a little misty eyed when you took the Barbie comb and the little toy nascar out from under the lid. It made me think of my own girl and her Barbie and my own childhood and how fast time slips away and how many lives have come and gone while that piano was being played and being used to teach children about music. As far as I'm concerned you're doing the most beautiful job in the world. May God bless you.
old pianos sound so good for some reason, like something about the echo gives it a more ambient vibe to it which is perfect for olden day classics. newer ones sound clearer and are much suited for modern day songs since you dont want that old ambient sounds in those songs. this piano cleaning and fixing is amazing considering its 80 years old. you can really hear the sound improvements on the piano. amazing job
The sound depends on the maker and the tuning. I can always tell a Kawai piano as soon as I hear the bass notes. Yamaha tries to mimic Steinway And Sons, but never quite gets it. To be honest, I don't care for Steinway pianos, new or old. My own piano is a 1903 Gerard Heinzman 6 foot upright. The Gerard, pre 1932, was an exceptional instrument on par with the best in the world. Very expensive, of course, and the company went bankrupt in 1932 and was bought by the "other" Heinzman Piano Company. The two families were cousins. After 32, Gerard became the less expensive second line.
Erm in my opinion Yamaha usually sounded more likely Fazioli but Fazioli sounded much more dim kind of 'transparent' (like lightly hitting on wine glass that kind of sound? It's hard to describe the differences between the sound produced by Yamaha and Fazioli, you have to hear them by yourself and I kinda adore Fazioli more than Yamaha but Yamaha is great for playing Mozart and jazz and modern music I think). Yamaha don't really sounded like Steinway but Kawai does sometimes, precisely many of the times and Kawai usually sounded a bit much more muffled and 'cloudy' than typical Steinway since I heard Kawai is kind cooperating with Steinway to produce cheaper version of Steinway e.g. the Boston brand grand piano? (if I'm not wrong) By the way I'm more of Kawai person (well, I play acoustic double bass too, maybe that's why LOL) than the chirping Yamaha but I really get wow-ed by an old upright Yamaha U3 piano. It sounded so good! I wish I have the money to buy the piano LMAO I had special permission to play and practise on the old Yamaha U3 in the private music school where I had my piano lessons. Not every Yamaha sounded like piercing chirping piccolos but most Yamaha I have play before sounded so standardised across the same model but most Kawais sounded so different from piano to piano even though all of the Kawais are exactly the same model across the exhibition room! That's why, I guess
One reason old pianos might sound better is not only the aging but old pianos is made from slower growing wood, today we don't have much of it left because we plant trees that grows faster but not as dense. I don't know if that what makes it but I believe it probably has something to do with it at least.
i've been doing this but with guitars, just taking them apart, cleaning and fixing them, restringing, and tuning them! honestly, giving an old instrument life again is so satisfying and it's such a great feeling!! i love your work, keep going!
Never knew watching this can be very interesting before i found your channel. I think i get it why doing this can be so much fun for you to even give them a free service. Great work on the dusty old piano btw, you’re not just saving it from being thrown away, you also bringing back the memories of the owners, that’s priceless.
They make an attachment for your vacuum or shop vac to get into narrow spaces.. It’s a wand adaptor with like 20 or so needle nose hollow tubes that connect down into a single connection and would be perfect for vacuuming in-between the piano wires.. you need one of those! I loved watching you clean up this piano and bring it back to life! Great job.
that was beautiful to watch! I'm a piano owner and i had to learn to to restore and tune my piano the hard way. I'm glad that nowdays there's content like this for future owners, it's so satisfying to watch the before and after all the great job. loving the content!
Stunning piano. She's lived through generations of growth. I loved hearing the owner say he got teary eyed when he read the loved. She's well loved and I'm so glad she'll continue to make beautiful music for this family. 🤍
It's always crazy to see the before and after tuning, I am not exaggerating when I say a big smile grew across my face when I heard the difference. It sounded really good and also gives me hope in my search for an acoustic piano, just because a piano is old and looks old, it doesn't mean it can't sound amazing.
Love this! House cleaning is my business and I know how satusfying it is to do the detail work and get something back to good working order for people. It means a lot! It was lovely to see the makers label show up so vibrantly ❤ and hear the baby back in tune!
Im a sound engineer from Ireland and I tune pianos as a side gig. Using non alcohol wipes on old wood is fine but what I like to do is lightly soak a clean rag in guitar fret oil and not only does the dust stick to it but it treats the wood at the same time and gives it a nice shine. Keep making these videos, I have learned one or two things from you too.
Nice work! I just did my first low budget restoration of a 90 year old baby grand, and I'm 53! Kudos. Recently posted a few somewhat similar videos. Cheers from California!
The bass strings crystalize if not used enough. That is what mutes them. The sound you are describing depends on the hardness of the hammers. Old pianos were made with hammers that are slightly softer than new. My 1903 got new hammers and bass strings custom made back in the 80s. The mellow sound did not change, but the bass notes became clear. The sound is very different to new pianos, but oh, so much more pleasing to the ear.
Lester pianos are considered among the high quality pianos made (1888 - 1970 I believe…) and can still fetch above $20 Grand if in good shape! You really did them a great service on cleaning and tuning it up! Wow, hard to imagine the stories that piano could tell…
Wish there was someone with your skill around here. I have a 130 y/o piano. It sounds great, considering its condition and age, but it's got a few playability issues. There's a guy who tunes pianos, but doesn't feel comfortable with repairs. And it was never raised to A-440, and is missing a string in the bass section which was remedied by switching the mute out for a single string mute instead of a new string, so he thinks there might be bridge damage. I'm mostly annoyed by the key that sticks, but he didn't want to try to fix that either. The previous owner said it hadn't been tuned since the 70s, but it's more or less in tune, just a few cents flat. Compared to the cheap new pianos at the college, it has magnificent tone.
ever since my piano teacher wanted me to try my hand at piano repair, i was hesitant due to a lot of complications and judgement, but since then, I've been able to continue much more successfully. I'm planning to take after a few of your techniques to help tune pianos within my city
As others have said nothing makes me happier than to see somebody respecting an old piano especially someone at 19 years of age another wonderful video you had me all excited about downloading that tune lab app... That is, until I saw the price was $299 worthwhile for you obviously the very best to you, always
Your soo grateful brother. 19 years old, i came with tears watching you servicing that piano and every other you do. Wish u all the strength and courage to keep up the unforgettable work💚❤💪🙏.
Wow you're only a year younger than I am and are already basically a piano fixing professional! I'm gonna be watching you from now on to learn how to fix pianos from now on!
This incredibly talented piano technician definitely loves his job and puts his heart and soul into making those the best cleaned and best sounding pianos! 👏 👏 👏 What a magnificent young man! 💖
Amazing you brought it back to life. Love your thank you too. I don’t think people realize what an impact it makes just watching someone’s video all the way through. TH-cam is incredible and life changing. Keep it up!
Amazing as always! I have myself a Kawai digital piano and whenever I see instruments in bad condition it gets me really melancholic. It's always so heartwarming to see an instrument lover bring a piano back to life
Hi! I remember doing this deep cleaning on my old 1916 player piano when I first got it. It is a LOT of work and you did an amazing job with this grand piano. Cleaning through the strings is a pain in the rear end and I was taught to dismantle the piano for cleaning so you can really get every part. I restore the old player pianos and orchestrions so every part in those has to be dismantled and redone but it always makes for a better more clean look in the end. Amazing video!
You brought it back to life! Congratulations! I have tuned and fixed pianos for some 30 years or so. I use Cory Detailing oil to shine up and clean the soundboard, damper heads and the plate. It shifts the dirt build up easily and enables a nice shine.
Subscribed. That is amazing. My grandma's grand piano holds some of my favorite memories in life, just sitting with her and learning and playing along. Thank you for showing this to others, and for keeping the lingo simple to understand. This is a beautiful thing.
I need to clean and tune my piano! I want to learn how to play, my wife used to play and my kids want to learn. It just seems like such a daunting task!
Not a piano guy, but I'm stunned at how well this came out! It kind of played in with the clip at the end where you included the clips of the playing: the before sounded haunting, like a wailing from a distant time, and the after sounded a lot more "alive."
Excelllent video Piano Doc! I love how the piano goes from a fun old west honky tonk style bar piano to a really nice concert piano. Keep the Good work!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ideas and videos. Was interesting and entertaining. Will never forget watching our family piano being tuned as a kid. The guy was blind but took it apart and cleaned it as if he could see every speck of dust and then tuned it. As a kid it amazed me that he knew where everything was and went when he put it back together. Wishing you a great future and looking forward to seeing more of your videos as your able to share.
Idk why, but it always warms my heart to see a piano go from practically unplayable to that beautiful sound all pianos should have Idk, it just feels like the piano has like, beat some kind of illness and is bouncing back I guess that’s why you call yourself the piano doctor 🤣 Thanks for saving this piano haa
Such a lovely piano! It's amazing how long an instrument can last when built well. So glad you were able to fix it up and give the piano a chance to play for many more years to come. 😊
Just....wondrous. It is SO gratifying to know that one such as you - so young, just starting out on Life's journey - is SO enraptured with an instrument so integral to the human experience. Thank you; BLESS you; for the work you do to bring these instruments to life again.
Hey there! I just wanted to say that I really love this long form content, and I hope to see more of it in the future :D . I am aspiring to become a piano technician myself, all because I saw your channel! Thank you!
You’re a miracle worker! Bringing that old Lester back to life and hearing how it sounded before and after…just WOW! 😯 Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us here.
I absolutely loved this!!! I have a piano that is also really old and out of tune. I've been trying to get my parents to get it turned as all of the keys are either flat or sharp, but because it is so old, they think we might have to replace the strings altogether. It makes me sad because it doesn't sound quite right being out of tune and my parents aren't yet willing to get it tuned. I love when people like you are willing to do this with either little to no costs for the people that are in need of it!
Piano strings can last a loooooong time. We have a 1889 grand at the shop I work at and it still has its original strings as far as we can tell. We came to an agreement that if they were replaced at anytime, it was probably in the 20s or 30s. Anyway, why not try to teach yourself to tune? I’m sure there are videos here on the TH-cam’s that could help get you on your way.
My 1903 upright had new bass strings wound in the 1980s. The old ones had crystallized, and so did not sound right. Because it is used regularly the "new" springs should last a very long time. Done properly the sound will not really change in the type of sound, only the quality.
For someone who is 19 at the time yet knowing so much about how to fix pianos at such an early age, I already see you having so much potential in the near future. Well done, you made it sound like it was meant to be and you surely have the experience of like a 50 year old that still is relevant and full of wisdom, well beyond your years. Cheers!
What an amazing job you’ve got. First video I’ve seen from you, so I’m going to assume your parents put you in piano as a youngster. Who would’ve thought that decision would lead to your career. And what a great career it is. Bringing life back to these beautiful instruments, and being able to really see your results with all your skills, what a gift. This was so worth 7 minutes of my day. Thank you!
You’ve really inspired me a lot. I would love to be a piano technician as my career. I would like to do performances, but I can’t rely on that to make a living. You’ve shown me that this would be a good job. Thank you!
I’m so glad! That exactly why I’m making these videos :) I started a similar way. I wanted to perform for a living, but I knew I needed a steady income if I ever wanted to support a family. This is a great option!
Great job! I have a 1910 upright that was given to me about 25 years ago. I only work on it as a hobby now and then. It was a total wreck but I have restored the action and keys. One day I will be done with stripping and refinishing, then can start putting it back together, regulating, and tuning. Doing one is enough as I have many other hobbies. I am impressed by your focus and ability.
WOW that is amazing. I loved watching this. I have an antique Hamburg Steinway Model A grand piano and I am dreading knowing how to look after it. This vid was really helpful, thank you. ~ Gen
Every time I see a video like this I think, once upon a Time, we wouldn't have been able to witness this kind of trade in person. It's like it's career day everyday now with creators like this.
What is the piece you are playing at the end, if you don't mind me asking. You are only 19 and you did a wonderful job. Being a piano tech looks like a very satisfying trade.
Really really really loved this it’s very satisfying watching a piano be cleaned thank you for making this ❤❤ I would love to see more videos like this
This is insane, doing this at this age is something that I really respect. It's sastisfying and it makes people happy ! I love what you do and I love you
I admire not only what you did for this couple, but for your diligence in pursuing a craft that is "becoming a lost art." You are also are obviously focused, articulate and don't mind the dirty parts of the job in order to see it "come to life" again. It's obvious to me that God gave you a musicians hands with those long fingers which glided over the keys as well!
Hmmm - I've been tuning and restoring pianos for 43 years, and I have to say I disagree with some of the things shown here. Specifically: 1) When dampers are sluggish, this could be due either to the centre-pin of the damper flange being stiff, or the circular guide rail felts needing a little reaming out. The best way to loosen the stiff damper flanges is by a process called re-centring, which is much more time consuming than using a lubricant, but is far more reliable and long-lasting. 2) When tuning I tuning the notes from the F (below middle C) to the G (above Middle C) - known as the bearing octave (or in my case a slightly expanded octave). I then tune the rest of the piano to that middle octave. Starting from the lower bass is a VERY strange way to tune a piano. Also, I use a tuning fork to get middle C and then tune everything else to that by ear - no electronic tuning aids needed. 3) If tuning pins are loose, the answer is to repace them with larger diameter tuning pins, also known as wrest pins. This is provided that there are no splits in the pin-block (also known as the wrest plank) and provided that the wood of the wrest plank has not gone soft. I personally would NEVER use 'Pin Tight' or any other liquid to make the wood of the wrest plank swell up. This guy's approach is to use short-cuts, which are bodges, rather than a proper, thorough rebuild. Admittedly doing things the proper way is very time-consuming and expensive, but the results will be long-lasting. I would recommend anyone wanting confirmation of what I've said to look at the Bible for piano tuners - *'Piano Tuning, Servicing and Rebuilding' by Arthur Reblitz.*
I absolutely love and admire your devotion and your attitude. It will take you far. With time, you will understand the Piano... and.. become a Master Piano Tuner.. A Mastreo..
I’ve been studying your channel for the longest as I’ve been interested in building and maintaining musical instruments from guitars to pianos especially. These videos help a lot in understanding the construction and maintenance of the instrument, I thank you so much for this. Although I’ve been wondering about the strings of the piano and if you ever change them and if so what is the rule of thumb for when to change?
Very thorough job and very kind of you! Going into music education I aspire to one day learn how to tune pianos. Just curious, where did you learn how to tune pianos?
I'm not a piano technician, I don't even know how to play one if I'm being honest, but being a maintenance tech, and a former cello player I recently was asked to make an attempt at fixing up my wife's grandma's piano and tuning it... I never quote realized how much goes into this process. 8+ hours later of removing the action, lubricating the sticky pins, and tuning and retuning (and I'm still going to have to retune it again as I only got through every string once and it was more than a whole note off flat) I have an absolutely new respect for you guys. When I heard that it was gonna be more than $300 to tune this piano not including repairs I thought "there's no way". After doing this myself now, I understand, and definitely respect the work put in on jobs like this, and think that's absolutely a justified cost for the amount of work needed. Keep up the good work man, and thanks for releasing content like this! I really enjoyed the video.
I'm really impressed with this video. Especially the speed up speed. Normally i fast forward even sped up bideos but you picked the perfect speed for that. Hope you learn a lot about cleaning pianos and youtube.
TH-cam recommended your channel. I'm glad it did! I really enjoy watching your craft and skill, and appreciate the joy to are giving to those who treasure their piano. Bravo to you! I subscribed.
Always love piano, it has a way into my soul. I never thought I would find cleaning pianos very satisfying. Thank you for what you do! I know you're still very young but I hope you get to pass on this skills to someone else someday. It really takes mastery. It's one thing to learn how to play piano and a whole lot different thing to know how to clean one. You're awesome! I immediately clicked subscribe without hesitation :)
One time the contrabass part of my piano was weirdly sticking, like one key would press down the whole octave, I recently opened it to see what was the problem and a pencil was stuck in the mechanism. It was like this for 2 years.
Honestly a bit disappointed the part from the thumbnail where you clean the action with an air compressor isn't part of the video, because that's the part I'd have been most interested in.
Probably wouldn't use an air compressor to clean it as that air contains quite a bit of moisture that you are spraying in and all over the action. Might want to try a warm air option instead like the blow side of a vacuum, same air pressure but no moisture.
I had elderly neighbors when I grew up, a very nice couple, and they had a piano that sounded exactly like your before here. I never liked to play that piano but didn't understand why. Now I do.
Wow, a job welldone! Just love the old instrument. You are so young and so caring. May your love for what you are doing grow in leaps and bounds and bring great prosperity!
You may be young by the standards set out by society, but your knowledge of pianos and what makes them tick is amazing! I wish I'd been as good years ago! I started tuning pianos as a hobby a few months ago in the hopes I can help friends and my own piano stay in tune. One piano in particular has offered me an issue. How do you tune the upper range when one of their children fancied himself a piano tuner and decided the hammer bar was too loose and welded the screws at each end? I can't fit the thick felt or a thinner one I have between the strings. It's an upright piano so I can't even get the rubber wedges to stay in place due to the lack of room between the bar and the tuning pins. Can you help me devise a way to resolve this challenge? Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Oh man, that’s a crazy problem. I honestly have no idea where to start. I would recommend asking some other piano tuners in your Local PTG chapter who have more experience.
I am so excited that I found your channel! I have played piano since I was a kid, and I just recently brought my old (and I do mean old 🤣) upright home to live with me. She's out of tune and needs some tlc, and I'm planning to do the job myself since I've tuned her a few times before. Watching your videos is definitely going to help!
The song at the end of the video is called Nuvole Bianche if anyone was wondering! Great video, im so glad you have been able to find a job and community in this
oh man tysm :)) i've heard it so many times and just couldn't pin the name today. And yeah it's super inspiring to see people make something out of a dream especially in music where a stable job is never really guaranteed, and either way the video and intention behind it is super sweet. anyways hope you have a good rest of ur day!
Thank you
Want to learn it
i love playing this song so much by far my favorite
Thanks
My son played two old pianos at a hospital. Both of them need to be tuned. They definitely need someone like you. Keep up the good work. "Music speaks the language of the soul, penetrating into the past and resonating into the future."
This was nice a lot of people would have written this piano off. I have a lot of respect for you for working on it.
Hello nice work but please take caution because that the dust inside the piano maybe contains abstestos and other chemicals that on early years there were no regulation so please be becareful use always protection, greetings from Ecuador
You're only 19? Wow, you did a good job! Keep up the good work👍
I think the dude's above me are in the wrong section
HE SHOULD GET MORE MONEY FROM THIS.
Yeah cause everyone just writes off grand pianos…
I felt so relieved! The 80y.o. piano was saved! People like you deserved a great gratitude. As a music lover and also an instrument lover, knowing that one instrument was saved from being thrown away is such a relief. And seeing you saved a memorable one is touching! I'm thankful that you bring it back to life!^^ good job!^^
Hello! Great work! Being a piano technician myself I would recommend one thing which might once upon a time save your day)
During the pre-tuning, when the piano is more than 10Hz lower, if you tune the bass as usually, it might cause problems with the bass bridge (sorry, do not know how it's exactly called in English), my teacher told the whole bridge just came off the soundboard, which was kinda not a pleasant surprise. That happens because bass bridge is short and the tension rises on one side much more than on another, so there is a possibility it will turn away.
So, instead of tuning all the strings one after another, you should try tuning from up to down all the "right" strings in two-string choires, then all one-string choires and only then proceed to tune unisons (left strings in two-string choires)
This method expells any problems with bass bridge, which might be caused by tuning)
Best wishes!
Thanks for the advice!! :)
@@PianoDoctor it's really good advice I think
I'm going to try this on my next tune, seems like an interesting technique
It’s more because of the glue joints. Tuning from the low bass up to the last note high C. Usually is preferred.
It evens out the tension.
All the way up. But that’s only one way.
@@TM-jo4wz Hello! You mean during the pre-tuning? 'cause you can't start from the bottom during final tuning.
The method I described I rarely use on good instruments. 80% of my job are "not bad" at most Soviet upright pianos, and it works well with them.
It never ceases to amaze me how much pianos will endure over the ages, they are living, breathing beings, and when invested in and cared for they really shine!! Beautiful work sir!
Yes for all instruments! I got to experience a historic flute room once and it was simply amazing. Even knowing the history of the instrument (flutes have changed quite a lot!), it was still amazing to be able to look between a flute that's nearly 150 years old and my own flute which is much, much, much younger and see how similar they are. It's sort of a marvel, I think, to be able to see that.
@@bens2718 alive at some point
@@bens2718 When does life begin and end? For me, a piano is really alive, like any other instrument.
Piano are people too
@@dandinzinLet's see:
- It does not breathe
- It does not drink
- It does not eat in any form
- It does not grow
I suppose you water them every week?
Your dedication to your profession is impressive. Your customers are lucky to have you fixing the problems of their pianos. I haven't touched my piano for nearly 35 years😅. Its condition was terribly bad and almost all guys from some piano companies in Hong Kong suggested me to dispose of it. But I finally asked someone to fix the problems because it was a gift from mom to me when I was 12 years old. Mom has left me for almost 10 years and recently I treated the repaired piano as a linkage between mom and me. I started playing piano again last Sat after 35 years😅.
Your videos are inspiring. Will treat my piano better ~ to have tuning regularly.
Great video. Fellow technician here! One bit of advise that was very helpful to me when it came to old worn out grands and uprights alike is just how useful a brass brush can be. If the hammers are extremely worn and very grooved but you don't have time/resources for a full filing, you can quickly brush directly over the string grooves with a brass brush. It does a very good job of bringing down the brightness that comes with old, grooved hammers. Hope it helps like it did for me!
Just wondering, but what do you mean by "brightness"?
@@cezzy_1496 A bright piano has a clear and sharp tone with more high-frequency sounds.
@@YoujustgotJ1NXED ohh, I understand now. Thank you❤
Hey, nice video, I’m a piano tech in Florida, tape off the metal part of your cleaning brushes so you don’t scratch the plate!
That was very, very cool. About 35 years ago I worked for a tuner/tech installing Pianocorders in new and older instruments. I saw a whole lot of what you showed in your video and it certainly brought back memories. I wondered when you mentioned the loose pins if you were going to whip out the magic juice to tighten them. I smiled when I saw you doing that. It's been a very long time since I saw someone pull the action from an old lady for cleaning. Great video, man. Thanks for this.
I don't have a piano but I do enjoy your videos and how passionate you are in doing it even for free or discounted fees.. Amazing. I'm learning a lot too❤ hopefully soon many more would watch your videos and learn to take care of their pianos 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Wait what
I don't have a piano and I find this type of videos really interesting ! 😄
I have a piano but tuning him is very expensive so I'm here gritting to learn to do it by myself
He do it for free???
@Evgen Konyshock in Spanish I'm fluent. Tengo un piano y como no lo puedo afinar, estoy acá viendo tutoriales a ver si lo puedo hacer yo
The before and after is really stunning to hear. Thank you for including that bit in particular
I got a little misty eyed when you took the Barbie comb and the little toy nascar out from under the lid. It made me think of my own girl and her Barbie and my own childhood and how fast time slips away and how many lives have come and gone while that piano was being played and being used to teach children about music. As far as I'm concerned you're doing the most beautiful job in the world. May God bless you.
old pianos sound so good for some reason, like something about the echo gives it a more ambient vibe to it which is perfect for olden day classics. newer ones sound clearer and are much suited for modern day songs since you dont want that old ambient sounds in those songs. this piano cleaning and fixing is amazing considering its 80 years old. you can really hear the sound improvements on the piano. amazing job
The sound depends on the maker and the tuning. I can always tell a Kawai piano as soon as I hear the bass notes. Yamaha tries to mimic Steinway And Sons, but never quite gets it. To be honest, I don't care for Steinway pianos, new or old. My own piano is a 1903 Gerard Heinzman 6 foot upright. The Gerard, pre 1932, was an exceptional instrument on par with the best in the world. Very expensive, of course, and the company went bankrupt in 1932 and was bought by the "other" Heinzman Piano Company. The two families were cousins. After 32, Gerard became the less expensive second line.
Erm in my opinion Yamaha usually sounded more likely Fazioli but Fazioli sounded much more dim kind of 'transparent' (like lightly hitting on wine glass that kind of sound? It's hard to describe the differences between the sound produced by Yamaha and Fazioli, you have to hear them by yourself and I kinda adore Fazioli more than Yamaha but Yamaha is great for playing Mozart and jazz and modern music I think).
Yamaha don't really sounded like Steinway but Kawai does sometimes, precisely many of the times and Kawai usually sounded a bit much more muffled and 'cloudy' than typical Steinway since I heard Kawai is kind cooperating with Steinway to produce cheaper version of Steinway e.g. the Boston brand grand piano? (if I'm not wrong)
By the way I'm more of Kawai person (well, I play acoustic double bass too, maybe that's why LOL) than the chirping Yamaha but I really get wow-ed by an old upright Yamaha U3 piano. It sounded so good! I wish I have the money to buy the piano LMAO
I had special permission to play and practise on the old Yamaha U3 in the private music school where I had my piano lessons. Not every Yamaha sounded like piercing chirping piccolos but most Yamaha I have play before sounded so standardised across the same model but most Kawais sounded so different from piano to piano even though all of the Kawais are exactly the same model across the exhibition room!
That's why, I guess
One reason old pianos might sound better is not only the aging but old pianos is made from slower growing wood, today we don't have much of it left because we plant trees that grows faster but not as dense. I don't know if that what makes it but I believe it probably has something to do with it at least.
@@reddotproduction1823 it might be! What the sound depends on is firstly strings but then mainly the sound board!
i've been doing this but with guitars, just taking them apart, cleaning and fixing them, restringing, and tuning them! honestly, giving an old instrument life again is so satisfying and it's such a great feeling!! i love your work, keep going!
Never knew watching this can be very interesting before i found your channel. I think i get it why doing this can be so much fun for you to even give them a free service. Great work on the dusty old piano btw, you’re not just saving it from being thrown away, you also bringing back the memories of the owners, that’s priceless.
They make an attachment for your vacuum or shop vac to get into narrow spaces.. It’s a wand adaptor with like 20 or so needle nose hollow tubes that connect down into a single connection and would be perfect for vacuuming in-between the piano wires.. you need one of those! I loved watching you clean up this piano and bring it back to life! Great job.
that was beautiful to watch!
I'm a piano owner and i had to learn to to restore and tune my piano the hard way.
I'm glad that nowdays there's content like this for future owners, it's so satisfying to watch the before and after all the great job. loving the content!
Stunning piano. She's lived through generations of growth. I loved hearing the owner say he got teary eyed when he read the loved. She's well loved and I'm so glad she'll continue to make beautiful music for this family. 🤍
It's always crazy to see the before and after tuning, I am not exaggerating when I say a big smile grew across my face when I heard the difference. It sounded really good and also gives me hope in my search for an acoustic piano, just because a piano is old and looks old, it doesn't mean it can't sound amazing.
I'm a piano player too and I'm 18. I'm amazed at the work you did only being 19. Very inspiring.
Love this! House cleaning is my business and I know how satusfying it is to do the detail work and get something back to good working order for people. It means a lot! It was lovely to see the makers label show up so vibrantly ❤ and hear the baby back in tune!
Im a sound engineer from Ireland and I tune pianos as a side gig. Using non alcohol wipes on old wood is fine but what I like to do is lightly soak a clean rag in guitar fret oil and not only does the dust stick to it but it treats the wood at the same time and gives it a nice shine. Keep making these videos, I have learned one or two things from you too.
Nice work! I just did my first low budget restoration of a 90 year old baby grand, and I'm 53! Kudos. Recently posted a few somewhat similar videos. Cheers from California!
I love the sound of old strings, they have a bit of a muted (dull) quality that I really like for certain kinds of playing. Great job on this one
The bass strings crystalize if not used enough. That is what mutes them. The sound you are describing depends on the hardness of the hammers. Old pianos were made with hammers that are slightly softer than new. My 1903 got new hammers and bass strings custom made back in the 80s. The mellow sound did not change, but the bass notes became clear. The sound is very different to new pianos, but oh, so much more pleasing to the ear.
When you played the melody before and then the melody after the tuning, I smiled and imagined that grand old piano was smiling too!
0:20 According to Pierce Piano Atlas, Lester 25155 would have been made in 1902. So that's a bit more than 80 years.
So you assume the piano came dusty?
@@Jackjackgolf42 I'll bet they charged extra back then for a dusty piano.
Lester pianos are considered among the high quality pianos made (1888 - 1970 I believe…) and can still fetch above $20 Grand if in good shape! You really did them a great service on cleaning and tuning it up! Wow, hard to imagine the stories that piano could tell…
Wow beautiful work made me smile on the end, it sounded amazing, brilliant
Wish there was someone with your skill around here. I have a 130 y/o piano. It sounds great, considering its condition and age, but it's got a few playability issues. There's a guy who tunes pianos, but doesn't feel comfortable with repairs. And it was never raised to A-440, and is missing a string in the bass section which was remedied by switching the mute out for a single string mute instead of a new string, so he thinks there might be bridge damage. I'm mostly annoyed by the key that sticks, but he didn't want to try to fix that either. The previous owner said it hadn't been tuned since the 70s, but it's more or less in tune, just a few cents flat. Compared to the cheap new pianos at the college, it has magnificent tone.
ever since my piano teacher wanted me to try my hand at piano repair, i was hesitant due to a lot of complications and judgement, but since then, I've been able to continue much more successfully. I'm planning to take after a few of your techniques to help tune pianos within my city
As others have said nothing makes me happier than to see somebody respecting an old piano
especially someone at 19 years of age
another wonderful video
you had me all excited about downloading that tune lab app... That is, until I saw the price was $299
worthwhile for you obviously
the very best to you, always
Your soo grateful brother. 19 years old, i came with tears watching you servicing that piano and every other you do. Wish u all the strength and courage to keep up the unforgettable work💚❤💪🙏.
Wow you're only a year younger than I am and are already basically a piano fixing professional! I'm gonna be watching you from now on to learn how to fix pianos from now on!
This incredibly talented piano technician definitely loves his job and puts his heart and soul into making those the best cleaned and best sounding pianos! 👏 👏 👏 What a magnificent young man! 💖
I love the doll comb!
Amazing you brought it back to life. Love your thank you too. I don’t think people realize what an impact it makes just watching someone’s video all the way through. TH-cam is incredible and life changing. Keep it up!
Amazing as always! I have myself a Kawai digital piano and whenever I see instruments in bad condition it gets me really melancholic. It's always so heartwarming to see an instrument lover bring a piano back to life
I watched this video like 1000 times! Lots of respect tuning this piano for FREE!
Hi! I remember doing this deep cleaning on my old 1916 player piano when I first got it. It is a LOT of work and you did an amazing job with this grand piano. Cleaning through the strings is a pain in the rear end and I was taught to dismantle the piano for cleaning so you can really get every part. I restore the old player pianos and orchestrions so every part in those has to be dismantled and redone but it always makes for a better more clean look in the end. Amazing video!
Not only did you extend the life of the piano, the sound improvement was really nice. Thank you for your knowledge, diligence and work.
Great work, but it really confuses me that you don’t show any footage of cleaning the keys outside, only the thumbnail shows it
You brought it back to life! Congratulations! I have tuned and fixed pianos for some 30 years or so. I use Cory Detailing oil to shine up and clean the soundboard, damper heads and the plate. It shifts the dirt build up easily and enables a nice shine.
Subscribed. That is amazing. My grandma's grand piano holds some of my favorite memories in life, just sitting with her and learning and playing along.
Thank you for showing this to others, and for keeping the lingo simple to understand. This is a beautiful thing.
Gosh, I could listen to you play all day. I'm so fascinated to watch you do this job.
I need to clean and tune my piano! I want to learn how to play, my wife used to play and my kids want to learn. It just seems like such a daunting task!
Not a piano guy, but I'm stunned at how well this came out! It kind of played in with the clip at the end where you included the clips of the playing: the before sounded haunting, like a wailing from a distant time, and the after sounded a lot more "alive."
I love it when creators leave links to full videos.
Excelllent video Piano Doc! I love how the piano goes from a fun old west honky tonk style bar piano to a really nice concert piano. Keep the Good work!
Amazing. I'm a piano tuner from Singapore. I do learn a lot from you! Keep it coming.
Wow
Is Singapore there has some kind of Piano Technician Guild or registered association to work there as professional piano technician?
@@JoanKSX unfortunately not. You've got to pick it up from a tuner. In my case my dad is a piano technician himself so he taught me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ideas and videos. Was interesting and entertaining. Will never forget watching our family piano being tuned as a kid. The guy was blind but took it apart and cleaned it as if he could see every speck of dust and then tuned it. As a kid it amazed me that he knew where everything was and went when he put it back together. Wishing you a great future and looking forward to seeing more of your videos as your able to share.
Idk why, but it always warms my heart to see a piano go from practically unplayable to that beautiful sound all pianos should have
Idk, it just feels like the piano has like, beat some kind of illness and is bouncing back
I guess that’s why you call yourself the piano doctor 🤣
Thanks for saving this piano haa
Such a lovely piano! It's amazing how long an instrument can last when built well. So glad you were able to fix it up and give the piano a chance to play for many more years to come. 😊
Just....wondrous. It is SO gratifying to know that one such as you - so young, just starting out on Life's journey - is SO enraptured with an instrument so integral to the human experience. Thank you; BLESS you; for the work you do to bring these instruments to life again.
Hey there! I just wanted to say that I really love this long form content, and I hope to see more of it in the future :D . I am aspiring to become a piano technician myself, all because I saw your channel! Thank you!
You’re a miracle worker! Bringing that old Lester back to life and hearing how it sounded before and after…just WOW! 😯 Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us here.
I absolutely loved this!!! I have a piano that is also really old and out of tune. I've been trying to get my parents to get it turned as all of the keys are either flat or sharp, but because it is so old, they think we might have to replace the strings altogether. It makes me sad because it doesn't sound quite right being out of tune and my parents aren't yet willing to get it tuned. I love when people like you are willing to do this with either little to no costs for the people that are in need of it!
Piano strings can last a loooooong time. We have a 1889 grand at the shop I work at and it still has its original strings as far as we can tell. We came to an agreement that if they were replaced at anytime, it was probably in the 20s or 30s.
Anyway, why not try to teach yourself to tune? I’m sure there are videos here on the TH-cam’s that could help get you on your way.
My 1903 upright had new bass strings wound in the 1980s. The old ones had crystallized, and so did not sound right. Because it is used regularly the "new" springs should last a very long time. Done properly the sound will not really change in the type of sound, only the quality.
For someone who is 19 at the time yet knowing so much about how to fix pianos at such an early age, I already see you having so much potential in the near future. Well done, you made it sound like it was meant to be and you surely have the experience of like a 50 year old that still is relevant and full of wisdom, well beyond your years. Cheers!
Incredible work and care! Such beautiful instruments. You made some folks extremely happy!
What an amazing job you’ve got. First video I’ve seen from you, so I’m going to assume your parents put you in piano as a youngster. Who would’ve thought that decision would lead to your career. And what a great career it is. Bringing life back to these beautiful instruments, and being able to really see your results with all your skills, what a gift. This was so worth 7 minutes of my day. Thank you!
You’ve really inspired me a lot. I would love to be a piano technician as my career. I would like to do performances, but I can’t rely on that to make a living. You’ve shown me that this would be a good job. Thank you!
I’m so glad! That exactly why I’m making these videos :)
I started a similar way. I wanted to perform for a living, but I knew I needed a steady income if I ever wanted to support a family. This is a great option!
Great job!
I have a 1910 upright that was given to me about 25 years ago. I only work on it as a hobby now and then. It was a total wreck but I have restored the action and keys. One day I will be done with stripping and refinishing, then can start putting it back together, regulating, and tuning.
Doing one is enough as I have many other hobbies. I am impressed by your focus and ability.
WOW that is amazing. I loved watching this. I have an antique Hamburg Steinway Model A grand piano and I am dreading knowing how to look after it. This vid was really helpful, thank you. ~ Gen
Wish i could have one of those pianos at home. They are awesome to play, sounds so good too..
Every time I see a video like this I think, once upon a Time, we wouldn't have been able to witness this kind of trade in person.
It's like it's career day everyday now with creators like this.
Thanks fantastic. You have brought that piano back to life. I hope the owners will play the piano now and keep exercising it. Well done
What is the piece you are playing at the end, if you don't mind me asking. You are only 19 and you did a wonderful job. Being a piano tech looks like a very satisfying trade.
I think the piece at the end was Nuvole Bianche but do correct me if I'm wrong
@@simonsennero646 I think it might be. It sounds eerily similar. I love that piece as well.
Respect for your work👍👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
Really really really loved this it’s very satisfying watching a piano be cleaned thank you for making this ❤❤ I would love to see more videos like this
You’re gonna go far kid
it’s nice to see somebody who does what he loves and is successful with it. go in man, you’re a nice person and it’s a pleasure to see your videos :)
I LOVE old things. Pianos are especially my favorite. They're so beautiful and I'm glad there's someone like you that can fix them.
You’re only 19? Bro you sir, you are magnificent. Great job with this channel and I hope the future got some great things for you ❤
Beautiful work!! My daughter and I have learned to tune and maintain her piano together. It's been a fun way to bond.
This is insane, doing this at this age is something that I really respect.
It's sastisfying and it makes people happy !
I love what you do and I love you
I admire not only what you did for this couple, but for your diligence in pursuing a craft that is "becoming a lost art." You are also are obviously focused, articulate and don't mind the dirty parts of the job in order to see it "come to life" again. It's obvious to me that God gave you a musicians hands with those long fingers which glided over the keys as well!
Hmmm - I've been tuning and restoring pianos for 43 years, and I have to say I disagree with some of the things shown here. Specifically:
1) When dampers are sluggish, this could be due either to the centre-pin of the damper flange being stiff, or the circular guide rail felts needing a little reaming out. The best way to loosen the stiff damper flanges is by a process called re-centring, which is much more time consuming than using a lubricant, but is far more reliable and long-lasting.
2) When tuning I tuning the notes from the F (below middle C) to the G (above Middle C) - known as the bearing octave (or in my case a slightly expanded octave). I then tune the rest of the piano to that middle octave. Starting from the lower bass is a VERY strange way to tune a piano. Also, I use a tuning fork to get middle C and then tune everything else to that by ear - no electronic tuning aids needed.
3) If tuning pins are loose, the answer is to repace them with larger diameter tuning pins, also known as wrest pins. This is provided that there are no splits in the pin-block (also known as the wrest plank) and provided that the wood of the wrest plank has not gone soft. I personally would NEVER use 'Pin Tight' or any other liquid to make the wood of the wrest plank swell up.
This guy's approach is to use short-cuts, which are bodges, rather than a proper, thorough rebuild.
Admittedly doing things the proper way is very time-consuming and expensive, but the results will be long-lasting.
I would recommend anyone wanting confirmation of what I've said to look at the Bible for piano tuners - *'Piano Tuning, Servicing and Rebuilding' by Arthur Reblitz.*
I absolutely love and admire your devotion and your attitude. It will take you far. With time, you will understand the Piano... and.. become a Master Piano Tuner.. A Mastreo..
dude I love how it sounded before tuned its like chorus-y ambient dreamy sound like a 12 string absolutely stunning, beautiful
chor-ussy😩
I’ve been studying your channel for the longest as I’ve been interested in building and maintaining musical instruments from guitars to pianos especially. These videos help a lot in understanding the construction and maintenance of the instrument, I thank you so much for this. Although I’ve been wondering about the strings of the piano and if you ever change them and if so what is the rule of thumb for when to change?
Very thorough job and very kind of you! Going into music education I aspire to one day learn how to tune pianos. Just curious, where did you learn how to tune pianos?
I'm not a piano technician, I don't even know how to play one if I'm being honest, but being a maintenance tech, and a former cello player I recently was asked to make an attempt at fixing up my wife's grandma's piano and tuning it... I never quote realized how much goes into this process. 8+ hours later of removing the action, lubricating the sticky pins, and tuning and retuning (and I'm still going to have to retune it again as I only got through every string once and it was more than a whole note off flat) I have an absolutely new respect for you guys. When I heard that it was gonna be more than $300 to tune this piano not including repairs I thought "there's no way". After doing this myself now, I understand, and definitely respect the work put in on jobs like this, and think that's absolutely a justified cost for the amount of work needed. Keep up the good work man, and thanks for releasing content like this! I really enjoyed the video.
"I'm only 19 and I don't pretend to have all the answers" ...most 19 year olds don't have the wisdom to understand this...good for this kid.
Only 19?? This kid is going to do awesome in life. Keep up the great attitude!!!
Exactly 😊
I'm really impressed with this video. Especially the speed up speed. Normally i fast forward even sped up bideos but you picked the perfect speed for that. Hope you learn a lot about cleaning pianos and youtube.
idk why but i really like the sound from the piano on ‘before’ when he was showing the before and after
TH-cam recommended your channel. I'm glad it did! I really enjoy watching your craft and skill, and appreciate the joy to are giving to those who treasure their piano. Bravo to you! I subscribed.
6:48 ITS SO HAUNTINGLY BEAUTIFUL!! Its like the end of a movie thats sad but wholesome too ❤
Always love piano, it has a way into my soul. I never thought I would find cleaning pianos very satisfying. Thank you for what you do! I know you're still very young but I hope you get to pass on this skills to someone else someday. It really takes mastery. It's one thing to learn how to play piano and a whole lot different thing to know how to clean one. You're awesome! I immediately clicked subscribe without hesitation :)
One time the contrabass part of my piano was weirdly sticking, like one key would press down the whole octave, I recently opened it to see what was the problem and a pencil was stuck in the mechanism. It was like this for 2 years.
Honestly a bit disappointed the part from the thumbnail where you clean the action with an air compressor isn't part of the video, because that's the part I'd have been most interested in.
Wow, the before and after playing test is always so awesome! What a huge difference
Probably wouldn't use an air compressor to clean it as that air contains quite a bit of moisture that you are spraying in and all over the action. Might want to try a warm air option instead like the blow side of a vacuum, same air pressure but no moisture.
I had elderly neighbors when I grew up, a very nice couple, and they had a piano that sounded exactly like your before here. I never liked to play that piano but didn't understand why. Now I do.
He uses a $300 piano tuning app??????
When it's a 1 time purchase or even once a year and he charges $80 an hour you pay for it within a day
Almost like it's his job or something
What you do for these beautiful instruments is a true service of the heart and they are fun to watch. Much success to you.
00:02:11 I felt like I had to cover my mouth :D :D :D
Same T. T
Wow, a job welldone! Just love the old instrument. You are so young and so caring. May your love for what you are doing grow in leaps and bounds and bring great prosperity!
6:48 I dunno what it is, but the untuned piano sounds oddly special. I know it’s incorrect and not playing properly, but it sounds ethereal almost.
You may be young by the standards set out by society, but your knowledge of pianos and what makes them tick is amazing! I wish I'd been as good years ago! I started tuning pianos as a hobby a few months ago in the hopes I can help friends and my own piano stay in tune. One piano in particular has offered me an issue. How do you tune the upper range when one of their children fancied himself a piano tuner and decided the hammer bar was too loose and welded the screws at each end? I can't fit the thick felt or a thinner one I have between the strings. It's an upright piano so I can't even get the rubber wedges to stay in place due to the lack of room between the bar and the tuning pins. Can you help me devise a way to resolve this challenge? Any suggestion would be appreciated.
Oh man, that’s a crazy problem. I honestly have no idea where to start. I would recommend asking some other piano tuners in your Local PTG chapter who have more experience.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll reach out. @@PianoDoctor
Do you hydrate
sister
I am so excited that I found your channel! I have played piano since I was a kid, and I just recently brought my old (and I do mean old 🤣) upright home to live with me. She's out of tune and needs some tlc, and I'm planning to do the job myself since I've tuned her a few times before. Watching your videos is definitely going to help!