Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding: For the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist, 2nd Edition

This book is 30 years old and beginning to show it, but then it is about technology that is 150-200 years old - but it does mean that there's no accompanying website ! Note that the book is American, so there is a lot of detail about Steinways and Baldwins, less about Broadwoods or Bechsteins. The piano restoration trade remains a secretive closed shop (with notably helpful exceptions), so books like this are refreshingly rare. This one is full of illustrations, up to 8 on each pair of facing pages and very few without. The illustrations are repros of B/W photos but they do the job and many show craftsmen at work. not just the bits.The book starts with history, cleaning, maintenance and regulating, then two full chapters on tuning (theory and practice) before Chapter 8 which goes through a complete restoration project. I have been building and restoring keyboards for 40 years and learned a dozen new things in the first 5 minutes' reading. Don't just take my word for it - there is a letter of recommendation in the preface from none other than John H Steinway. Every piano owner should buy this book and any amateur who ventures inside the casing should read it from cover to cover first.

If you want to know anything about the maintance of the piano then this is your go to book. I purchased just to keep my piano in tip top condition (90 year old Monington and Weston) and it has proved invaluable, the piano has never sounded better (I also purchased a tuning kit to tweek the odd note that had slipped after having it professionaly tuned). The photo's are black and white and provide step by step instructions. This is not a flashy book but a very usefull one with tried and tested knowledge presented simply. I would highly recomend to anyone from the piano tinkerer to the professional, there is something for everyone.

its an excellent book . it gave me a great insight into the working of a piano . i found it easy to follow and the diagrams are so simple . from the first time i opened the book , the names of all the parts and how they work were clearly described. i can see now why it is the piano Bible for the professional restorer and the eager enthusiast alike.

I am currently restoring a bechstein grand piano and this book is incredibly helpful. The amount of detail it provides along with pictures is a real big help. It covers all types of pianos, and goes though just about anything you would need to know about the piano and its functions. Definitely worth the price, you'll wonder how you managed without it.

All good, recommend

Bought this a present for my hubby who has just bought an old grand piano with a view to fixing it up. Apparently he'd had one when he was a piano building student and he's been looking for another copy for years. Winner!

Very detail information with lovly pictures. A lots of mechanical explanation. Worth to read many times.

Very detailed, covering vitually everything you need to know about piano tuning and repair, although some of the pics are a litle dated.