Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Is this pinblock restored?

Hello, I recently bought an old piano but I've discovered that some parts are been restored (hammer felt etc) and now I would know if the pinblock is restored because I can see the holes of the pins like they were restored and I don't know if its normal to see this holes in the lower part of the pinblock.


I supose that if the pinblock is restored the strings wouldn't be the original ones!

Thank you and sorry for bad english!.

I'll put a picture to make easy to understand what I'm trying to say.

I beleive the holes being bored all the way through the pin block is normal. So the pin block is likely original.

Original block.

The wood sure looks old to me. If it were new, there would be splinters hanging down from the bottom of those holes (from how roughly it was drilled). And you're right: if they replaced the pinblock, the strings would probably be new as well. Your tuner will know when he or she measures the torque on the pins.

--Cy--

Look old, probably if an extensive rebuild have been done, the action would have be transformed for a modern one (this is a very old kind of strange action)

Because of the instrument is of little commercial value, the pinblock change have not be considered, probably.

AN old pinblocak can hold the tuning quite wellif the piano is stabilized enough, there are bends and friction that refrain the wire to shake too much the tuning pins, some old Pleyels ( i.e. 1848) hold pitch "by habit" while the strength at the tuning pin is less than 6 kN.

Does not mean it is a good situation but the instrument then is playeable as long as you don't wish to change pitch.

If not, inserting strips of veener allow the restorer to keep the original tuning pins, hence protect the original parts (museum like restoration) If the piano have to be played daily , then rebuilding became necessary.
But is is far from being an useful operation when it comes to particular models and pieces of historical value (globally before 1837 so it leave many instruments that can be rebuild, hopefully !)

Okey! (damn... no restored pinblock.. xD) well thank you very much for your extensive replies !

Inconclusive. New blocks will have holes drilled all the way through. That feature alone doesn't prove one thing or another. Also, the picture posted does not have enough light on the pinblock to show the true color of the wood.

Pull the action all the way out of the piano and place the camera directly under the pinblock for a good close up shot. Use good lighting or a flash. You may even take several shots going across the length of the board from one side to another.

If the wood is light in color and there are no cracks anywhere, the block may be new. If the piano has been in a dry climate its entire life, the wood may still be light in color, and no cracks, fissures or separations may be evident.

A new block would allow the rebuilder to use size 2 pins. If the original block was used, size 4 pins are more likely.

If you click on the picture you will see that the image that comes up has enough detail to show that it is an old block.

Quite a large gap between stretcher and pinblock. Normal for this make I suppose?
Some manufacturers do not attach the blocks to the stretcher but they can usually get it closer than that.
Why do I waste time applying finish to the underside of stretchers.

Because you do the job properly and completely like some of us do.

Because "we" are detailed orientated...and that's a good thing. Just like filling holes and finishing the supports underneath...

Well, I honestly don't see it. To me, the block appears dark because it is in a shadow.

I can't make a judgment on that picture alone.