We hope this information will answer your questions about how to maintain your piano in its original, beautiful condition. Your piano is an investment that can give a lifetime of happiness and pleasure.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR PIANO
Your piano is a precisely designed instrument as well as a beautiful piece of furniture. Both the exterior cabinet and the interior mechanism need and deserve intelligent care. A piano is a blend of many diverse and costly raw materials: top quality woods, iron, steel, copper, brass, plastics, wool, cotton, etc. All of these materials are affected differently by age, wear from use, humidity, and temperature. To receive the best performance from your piano, the piano must be serviced regularly.

TUNING YOUR PIANO
Your piano should be tuned to standard pitch. A-440 CPS, and should be tuned at least four times during the first year after purchase and two times each year thereafter. A certain amount of tuning instability should be anticipated during the first few years of the piano's life due of the elasticity of the piano wire, combined with the piano's normal adjustment to humidity changes. If a piano is not serviced for long periods of time, it will go further and further out of tune as well as drop in frequency. More time and expense will be required.

Changes in pitch occur in all pianos. These changes are caused primarily by the expansion and contraction of the soundboard. Dimensional changes occur when the moisture content of the wood increases during periods of high humidity, and decreases when the air is dry. Movement of the soundboard causes the bridges and strings to move, which increases or decreases the tension of the strings. This causes the pitch of each note to change. The amount of change varies in different parts of the scale.

HUMIDITY CONTROL
Besides tuning your piano on a regular schedule, the best way to improve tuning stability is to reduce the changes in humidity. The usage of air conditioning in humid summer months and adding a humidifier to your central heating system will reduce the extremes of high and low humidity and improve tuning stability. Room humidifiers and dehumidifiers, as well as systems designed to be installed inside pianos will control humidity, however related disorders can still occur. Place the piano away from windows, outside doors, heating vents, fireplaces and other sources of extreme or sudden humidity or temperature changes. In normal environments, changes in temperature are important only because of the changes in humidity that result.

Humidity control will not only improve performance, it will also be a major factor in determining the useful life of your piano. Historically, pianos have lasted as long as people. Recent improvements in design and production methods should contribute to an even greater life expectancy if the piano is properly maintained.

COMPLETE PIANO SERVICE
There are three components of musical performance that need to be adjusted periodically: pitch, tone, and touch. The initial accuracy of a piano tuning is dependent on the skill of the technician. The long term stability of the piano's pitch is affected by humidity more than any other variable. Prior service, scale design of the piano, the original quality of the piano, and intensity of use may also be contributing factors.

The adjustment of tone, called voicing, gives more brilliance or softness to individual notes or entire sections of the scale. All pianos become more brilliant with use and eventually sound harsh and less pleasant. Our technicians can make adjustments to the strings and hammers to restore the pleasing tone of your piano.

The touch of the piano, or how each key feels when it is played, determines the amount of control the player has over the instrument. Pianos played on a regular basis, whether in the home, studio, or on the concert stage, can become uneven and less responsive. There are over 9,000 parts in a piano action, and most of them must be adjusted to tolerance of a few thousandths of an inch. It is normal for a piano from time to time to have sluggish or sticking notes. Changes in temperature and humidity are the normal factors that cause this.

CLEANING YOUR PIANO CABINETRY
Piano finishes are famous for their quality and are equal to or better than those of fine furniture. Avoid placing the piano where it will be exposed to direct sunlight. To dust the piano, a soft cloth is recommended. To clean the keys, use a small amount of mild dishwashing detergent and water. Clean, do not wash, the keys, then dry the same way, although cleaning of the keys is seldom necessary.

Avoid the use of polishes. While some may be acceptable, others contain chemicals which are absorbed into the wood and make future repairs difficult. Even a small amount of mist from sprays can have a devastating effect on the inside of a piano. Consult with us if you wish to clean the inside of your piano, or remove a small object that has fallen into the piano. While this may appear to be a simple task, care must be taken not to misalign or damage the many small parts inside the instrument.

ENGLAND CUSTOMER SERVICE
We hope your piano ownership experience is a pleasurable one for years to come. Our best advice for you in order to receive the best performance from you piano and to protect your investment, is to service your valued piano on a regular basis.