The truth about old pianos is that old does not necessarily mean valuable.

Unlike old violins, which can sometimes become extremely valuable with age, most old pianos don’t. A little like old cars, age brings wear. And perhaps we’re no different ourselves, the older we get, the more problems, pains, niggles and occasional replacement parts we tend to need!

Pianos are mechanical instruments containing thousands of individual components, and after 80, 100 or even 120 years it would be unrealistic to expect everything to remain exactly as it was when the instrument left the factory.

But that certainly doesn’t mean an old piano has reached the end of its life.

Restoring Pianos Others Have Written Off

Over more than 40 years working professionally with pianos, I have restored and reconditioned a considerable number of older instruments, often because the piano has enormous sentimental value to its owner.

I have even restored pianos after other piano tuners have said that the instrument couldn’t be restored.

Sometimes the financial value of an old piano isn’t the important consideration. It may have belonged to a parent or grandparent, been played by several generations of the same family or simply have a history that cannot be replaced by purchasing another instrument.

In those circumstances, restoration can be about preserving something far more valuable to the owner than its resale price.

More Than a Century of History

I’ve encountered pianos that have survived an extraordinary amount.

Some have stood through two World Wars. Others have spent years forgotten in storage, sheds, garages and barns, I’ve even encountered pianos that have been left in gardens.

I’ve seen the effects of damp, direct sunlight and years of central heating drying out an instrument.

After more than four decades in the trade, there really isn’t much I haven’t encountered inside an old piano.

Yet it is remarkable what can sometimes be achieved with an instrument that initially appears beyond saving.

Many Parts Can Still Be Replaced

One of the fascinating things about restoring an old piano is that many components used in instruments manufactured around a century ago can still be replaced today.

Depending upon the instrument and the work required, replacement components can include action parts, strings, tuning pins and key coverings, alongside many other parts of the piano’s mechanism.

This means deterioration of individual components does not automatically mean that the entire piano needs to be discarded.

The important thing is to assess the whole instrument and determine what can realistically and sensibly be restored.

Old British & German Pianos

I have developed a particular appreciation for good older British and German pianos.

When properly assessed and restored, I would personally rather own a good older British or German instrument than many of the inexpensive modern mass-produced pianos now available.

That isn’t simply nostalgia. Older instruments can possess construction, materials, character and tonal qualities that make a good example well worth preserving.

But every piano needs to be judged individually. Age alone neither makes a piano valuable nor makes it worth restoring.

Restoration or Reconditioning?

Not every old piano requires a complete restoration.

Sometimes an instrument can be brought back into good playing condition through careful reconditioning, addressing the parts that genuinely require attention rather than replacing everything unnecessarily.

Other instruments require considerably more extensive work.

My approach is to assess the piano individually, establish its condition and discuss what can realistically be achieved before deciding how far the work should go.

Experience Matters

Restoring an old piano requires more than simply replacing worn components.

You need to understand what you’re looking at, recognise how an instrument has deteriorated and decide which parts should be preserved, repaired, adjusted or replaced.

After more than 40 years working professionally with pianos, that judgement comes from having encountered an enormous variety of instruments and problems.

Sometimes an old piano isn’t worth restoring.

Sometimes it absolutely is.

And sometimes the reason for restoring it has very little to do with what the piano would fetch if it were sold.

Professional Piano Restoration & Reconditioning across Newport, Cardiff & South Wales

Call Robert King on 07811 683790