1915 Kimball Upright Piano
BEFORE
AFTER
Scroll down to see the piano restoration process!
Kimball began manufacturing their own pianos in 1888 and the firm grew very quickly. Kimball’s manufacturing plant was one of the largest in the industry, and by the turn-of-the-century, Kimball was manufacturing around 20,000 pianos annually.
Scroll down to see the piano restoration process!
Piano Restoration Process:
Assessment & Disassembly
The piano is carefully disassembled and every individual piece is carefully recorded and labeled. All hardware and screws are removed, and the action and keyboard are removed and disassembled. Our crew assesses the instrument to see which parts and pieces will need to be custom made in-house for the instrument.
Piano Restoration Process:
Cabinet Repair & Refinishing
The old, faded finish is removed. Our crew fixes any damage caused by years of use and wear and tear. Broken and missing pieces are repaired and replaced. The instrument then receives multiple coats of stain and sealer. Each coach is painstakingly sanded smooth for luster and clarity. The Kimball decal is replaced above the keyboard with historical accuracy during the refinishing process.
Piano Restoration Process:
Soundboard Repair & Re-Stringing
The brittle, old strings are removed from the piano. The harp is removed, the soundboard is restored and refinished, and the bridges are repaired. The harp is re-gilded with gold lacquer and the new strings are installed.
Piano Restoration Process:
Action & Keyboard Restoration
All distinctive features of the action’s geometry are noted before work begins to allow for accurate and historically correct rebuilding.
The keys are re-bushed and new keytops are installed. The old worn felt and leather is replaced, and new hammers, shanks and flanges are installed. The rest of the piano action is rebuilt so that the instrument performs like new again.
PHOTOS OF PIANO
AFTER COMPLETE RESTORATION
After a total restoration, the piano looks, functions, and sounds like it did when the piano was factory new.