Piano Basics

Pianos are heavy! Even the smallest spinets weigh hundreds of pounds and gorgeous grands are upwards of a thousand. With all this weight focused on narrow legs, flooring can become damaged. Whether your piano is perched on a rug, hardwood, or tile floor, the weight may be denting the surface and compromising the integrity of your flooring. Worse, if the piano is moved or bumped, the feet can scratch and gouge the surfaces. Thankfully, shallow wood dishes called caster cups do a great job of reducing the potential damage. Making a small investment in good-quality caster cups goes a long...

Acoustic pianos -- as opposed to electronic or electric pianos -- are usually self-contained, but sometimes you’ll discover a power cord coming from the inside of your piano. What in the world could it be powering? Modern player pianos may have electric bellows, motors, or drivers. There might be a factory-installed music desk light. Some models of acoustic pianos also have decorative lighting.  Your piano may have a Dampp-Chaser climate control system installed. These are meant to protect the wooden interior of your instrument. Alternatively, a dehumidifier bar may have been installed. DIY interior modifications may have electronic components. Be cautious...

When you sit down to play your piano, you expect your piano to sound as beautiful as it looks. Instead, your gleaming grand sounds like an old-timey saloon piano from a spaghetti western. What gives?     Humidity and weather No matter what kind of acoustic piano you have, most of the inner workings are made of wood. Like any wood, it expands in warm humid weather and contracts when it’s dry and cold. It only takes a few rainy days to make the wood swell, and there’s no guarantee that everything will go back to the right place when...