Piano decals – is my piano really that old?

Piano manufacturers often use decals from prestigious competitions and events for decades afterward. Piano owners sometimes assume these decorations are indicative of the age of the piano, but they’re not. Sometimes they may even be from a prize that was won more than a century earlier! This decal was on a 1961 Baldwin L grand […]

Interlochen Piano

It’s common for piano manufacturers to form marketing partnerships with arts organizations. This emblem on a 1965 Wurlitzer today was a new one for me in this area.

Old serial numbers & other markings

 This serial number on an old Jacob Bros. upright traces to 1907! Serial numbers are sometimes hard to find, but typically on American uprights and grands they can be found in a plate cutout like this, somewhere in the tuning pin area. Even more interesting here are the dates etched into the plate above the […]

Plastic parts – not as bad as you might think

If you tell people their piano has plastic parts, most don’t think of that as a good thing. When plastics first became mainstream in manufacturing in the 20th century, they were used in all kinds of ways they should not have been and have a bad track record for durability. Early plastics became brittle very […]

Stencil pianos – what are you actually getting?

This is a great example of what is known as a “stencil” piano. The name “Brahms” appears on the front of the piano, but in fact the plate (visible in the background) is stamped with Winter & Company, the actual manufacturer of the piano. I couldn’t find any background information on this particular customer’s piano, […]

Rust comparison – a dead giveaway in pianos

Compare the tuning pins in these two pianos. They are around the same age and both are school pianos. I advised the music teacher that the one on top was very concerning because of the amount of corrosion. Rust on strings and tuning pins is always a red flag! Having another piano around of similar […]

Keytop replacement – a world of difference

New keytops can make an enormous difference in the look of an older piano, and it is a comparatively inexpensive job. If you feel that your piano is an eyesore, call or email for a quote!

Piano leg repairs done right

This is a common repair: front legs on spinets and other small upright pianos break or split very easily. Fortunately, this was an easy repair, but if you have an upright piano with unsupported front legs, you should keep in mind that they are not designed to handle much sideways stress.

Social Media Links

Approximately twice a week, I post pictures of pianos I have worked on, usually focusing on a specific aspect of piano care, maintenance, or repair. Sometimes they’re educational, sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re scary, and sometimes just plain interesting. If you’re a pianist or a piano owner, follow South Jersey Piano Service on Instagram and […]