4 Best Practices To Maintain The Value Of Your Piano

For the most part, pianos entail a big investment that warrants proper care and attention to ensure they retain their performance and condition for years to come and do not degrade quickly. This matters, given that most people who take up the piano will stick to their first instrument for quite a while before upgrading to something better that matches their skills. As such, to ensure your piano lasts for as long as you need it, take care to follow these four best practices on caring for your instrument.

1. Tune your piano periodically

When it comes to acoustic pianos, regular tuning is necessary to maintain a consistent sound quality. Getting tuning services four times in the first year is recommended for new pianos. Afterwards, at least once or twice a year will suffice. Tuning is necessary because various factors, such as humidity and how much you play, heavily affect the components of a piano and, ultimately, its sound quality and lifespan. Moreover, piano tuning lets the instrument settle and stretch its strings, allowing it to better hold its tune for subsequent tunings.

2. Look after the finish

Unlike other instruments, a piano also serves as a furniture piece. Fun fact: pianos have gained much renown in western culture such that it gave way to the universal adoption of the term ‘piano finish’, which describes the highest quality among wood finishes. Thus, taking care of your piano’s finish lets it add to the overall decor of your interior but also maintains its value should you choose to sell it in the future. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to ensure your piano’s finish always looks as good as new:

  • Regular cleaning is the best way to keep a piano’s finish in good condition, along with keeping it away from direct sun exposure, abrasion, and other temperature extremes.
  • When cleaning, only use a feather duster or a damp soft-fibre cloth to avoid abrasive dust from leaving scratches on the finish.
  • Moderate the humidity and temperature swings around the instrument to best preserve its finish, tuning stability, and overall structure. This is important as the wooden nature of a typical piano means it is vulnerable to contraction and expansion from humidity changes. This wood movement may eventually lead to tiny cracks in the finish and cause irreversible damage.
  • Avoid placing objects atop the piano, especially drinks or plants, as they can cause scratches or cause spillage and condensation that compromises its integrity.
  • Consider the benefits and necessity of piano polishing before going ahead with the process. Only opt for the dedicated piano polish to prevent damage and contamination on the piano parts. Avoid using inexpensive ‘furniture polish’, lemon oil, and aerosol products when polishing the piano.

3. Research humidity control measures

Around 90 per cent of a piano is made of wood and metal. While these materials may seem sturdy enough, wood is susceptible to swelling and shrinking in response to changes in humidity. As such, they may press against the metal parts during such movements.

During the months of May and June in Singapore, when it is hotter, the wood in a piano will take in moisture and expand even in the best climate-controlled environments. The opposite occurs in colder weather (typically during the monsoon seasons), wherein the arid air removes any remnants of moisture left in the wood, causing it to shrink. This back and forth eventually damages a piano and prevents it from holding its tune.

This is where piano humidity control systems come in. They regulate the humidity inside the piano, which prolongs its lifespan and tuning as well as protects your investment. Their built-in humidifier and dehumidifier maintain a constant humidity, so there is virtually zero expansion or contraction of the wood and issues like rusting parts, softening or hardening of the hammers, and glue failure. Moreover, the absence of movement means there will be significantly reduced problems with the action, such as stuck keys.

4. Consider piano voicing

Voicing is a process that alters the tone quality within each note in a piano by adjusting the tension of the felt hammers as they tend to harden over time due to repeated impacts. A harder hammer produces a brighter tone quality that eventually becomes harsh and unpleasant to the ears. Moreover, this repetition causes grooves to form at the contact points with the strings.

This service involves using needles to make the hammers more pliable – or tense – according to the player’s requirements. Piano voicing is highly beneficial for your piano if:

  • The sound has noticeably changed from what it used to be initially.
  • The piano can no longer be played softly.
  • There are significant variations in tone from note to note.
  • You do not like the sound after the last piano tuning.

Conclusion

When it comes to maintaining a personal piano, owners need to be aware of the proper ways and services to keep their instrument sounding good and in top condition for a long time. Hopefully, the contents discussed above help you start on the right foot and serve as a stepping stone to the many other maintenance processes involved in taking care of your piano.

If you ever need piano services in Ang Mo Kio, look no further than Mun Kai Piano Company. Our decades-long experience dealing with pianos has made us the leading piano dealer and servicer you can rely on for piano sales and various piano maintenance services. Visit our piano showroom today to get a feel of the pianos we offer!