Charlottesville Piano Company
  
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Why are our Rebuilt Vintage Steinways better than a New Steinway?

Charlottesville Piano Company - We restore pianos in CharlottesvilleThe Original Steinway Harp
It is said that the harp is the “soul of the piano.” Most Steinways built before 1945 contain genuine Steinway harps that were cast in the Steinway foundry in Queens, New York. Harps in newer Steinways come from commercial foundries which also make them for other piano manufacturers! Pianists and technicians frequently observe that harps from the Steinway foundry in Queens were the best harps ever made. Since we only rebuild “vintage” Steinways, you are assured that our pianos have the genuine Steinway harp.

 

 

 

 

Charlottesville Piano Company - We restore pianos in CharlottesvilleRenner Actions
We use German-made Renner Actions in our restoration process. These actions are built to Steinway specifications, and are found on currently produced German Steinways. Pianists and technicians often prefer these actions for their speed, control, and consistency over Steinway actions. Other top name pianos, like the hand-crafted Bosendorfer, Fazioli, Bechstein and other discriminating piano manufacturers use Renner parts.

 

 

 



Charlottesville Piano Company - We restore pianos in CharlottesvilleNew Soundboards
We make our own soundboards for our rebuilt Steinway pianos and hand-press them with hickory “gobars”, the way Steinway did it for over a hundred years! The imported quarter-sawn, vertical-grained Canadian spruce used is superior to that we find in the original soundboards we remove. No stain, twist, bluish color, or knot, regardless of how small it may be, is tolerated in the manufacturing of these soundboards, making them more stable and offering them greater flexibility. The more vertical the grain, the better the transmission of the sound; the sound waves traveling in concentric circles throughout the board.

 

 

Hand-Wound Bass Strings
Most new pianos have machine-wound bass strings. But not our restored pianos. We use only hand-wound, imported German copper bass strings for superior performance and unparalleled richness of sound. The unique “Steinway growl” lives on in our beautifully rebuilt pianos.



Charlottesville Piano Company - We restore pianos in CharlottesvilleHand-Rubbed Custom Finishes
Most new piano manufacturers spray a high-gloss finish on their pianos and ship them out the door as quickly as possible. At Charlottesville Piano, we refinish each cabinet the old-fashioned way. Each case is hand stripped, stained, and lacquered. Then the piano is hand-rubbed producing a beautiful satin finish, just like they did in the Steinway factory a hundred years ago.

A Century of Craftsmanship
Tom Shaw, who installs and regulates the actions and dampers in our rebuilt pianos and tunes and voices these pianos personally, is a third-generation piano rebuilder, tuner and technician. He brings almost a hundred years of rebuilding experience handed down to him by his father and grandfather before him. There is no university degree, no “twenty-four years in the business” that can substitute for the direct-lineage craftsmanship that goes into our rebuilding process. Tom’s reputation as a master rebuilder has earned him an international clientele of celebrities and piano officiandos.

The Rebuilding Process
Here’s a list of everything we do in the process of rebuilding your piano, or ours:

Structural Work:

  • Piano Breakdown/Measurements
  • Sand, Seal & Refinish Original or New Soundboard
  • New Soundboard Installation
  • Install New Pin Block
  • Bronze Cast Iron Plate (Harp)
  • Complete Restringing, Under felting, Set Bearing

Action Work:

  • Install new set of Renner® Wippens
  • Install new set of Hammer Shanks & Flanges
  • Install new set of Abel® Hammers
  • Install new set of German Keytops or Clean & Repair Ivories
  • Replace new Keybushings – Front & Balance Rail
  • Refelt/Seat Keyboard & Regulate
  • Complete Action Regulation
  • Refelt & Regulate Dampers
  • Install Dampp-Chaser® Climate Control System
  • Complete Tuning to Standard Pitch (6x in shop) and Professional Voicing

Piano Case Work:

  • Complete Refinish – Satin Finish
  • Replate & Polish all Hardware & Parts
  • Additional Services Available
  • Pickup & Delivery, Case Repair, Install Player System, Long-term Storage, Piano Appraisal
  • Install New One-Piece Ivory Keytops

For a free estimate on restoring and refinishing your grand piano, please call 434-296-8886, or email you’re your request to info@charlottesvillepiano.com.

To read an interesting story entitled A Piano in the Parlor about Charlottesville Piano and restoring a vintage Steinway, please visit: http://george.loper.org/~george/trends/2004/Mar/945.html
 
Charlottesville Piano Company • 634 Rio Road W • Charlottesville, VA • 22901
434.296.8886 • Fax 434-296-8890
info@charlottesvillepiano.com

 

We will pick up pianos and restore them and deliver them to the following cities: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, San Antonio, Detroit, San Jose, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Jacksonville,  Columbus Ohio, Austin, Memphis, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Boston Massachusetts, Charlotte, El Paso, Washington District of Columbia, Nashville, Davidson TN, Seattle, Fort Worth, Denver, Portland Oregon, Oklahoma City, Las Vegas Nevada, Tucson, New Orleans, Long Beach California, Cleveland, Albuquerque New Mexico, Fresno, Kansas City Missouri, Sacramento, Virginia Beach, Mesa Arizona, Atlanta, Oakland California, Omaha, Tulsa, Honolulu, Minneapolis, Miami,  Colorado Springs, Wichita, Arlington Texas, Santa Ana, St. Louis, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Tampa, Toledo, Raleigh, Buffalo, Aurora Colorado, St. Paul, Corpus Christi, Newark New Jersey, Riverside, Anchorage, Lexington, Fayette, Stockton, Bakersfield, Louisville, St. Petersburg, Jersey City, Birmingham, Norfolk, Plano, Lincoln, Glendale, Greensboro, Hialeah, Baton Rouge, Garland, Rochester, Scottsdale, Madison Wisconsin, Akron, Fort Wayne, Fremont, Chesapeake, Henderson, Lubbock, Modesto, Chandler, Montgomery, Glendale, Shreveport, Des Moines, Augusta, Tacoma, Richmond, Yonkers, Grand Rapids, Spokane, Irving Texas, Durham, Mobile, Chula Vista, Huntington Beach, Orlando, San Bernardino, Laredo, Reno, Arlington Virginia, Boise, Winston-Salem, Salem, Columbus Georgia, Little Rock, Salt Lake City, Jackson, Newport News, Oxnard, Amarillo, Providence, Worcester, Knoxville, Garden Grove, Oceanside, Ontario, Dayton, Huntsville, Irvine, Santa Clarita, Tempe, Overland Park, Fort Lauderdale, Aurora, Chattanooga, Tallahassee, Pomona, Santa Rosa, Springfield, Rockford, Moreno Valley, Paterson, Brownsville Texas, Vancouver, Salinas, Kansas City, Pembroke Pines, Hampton Virginia, Syracuse, Pasadena, Lakewood, Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana, Hollywood, Hayward, Torrance, Salem, Eugene, Bridgeport, Pasadena, Corona, Warren, Escondido, North Las Vegas, Naperville, Grand Prairie, Gilbert, Orange, Alexandria, Sioux Falls, Sunnyvale, Fullerton, Mesquite, Savannah, Sterling Heights, Coral Springs, Concord, Fort Collins, Lancaster, Hartford, Palmdale, Fayetteville, New Haven, Elizabeth, Peoria, Thousand Oaks, Cedar Rapids, Topeka, Flint, El Monte, Stamford, Vallejo, Evansville, Lansing, Joliet, Columbia, Simi Valley, Waco, Abilene, Ann  Arbor, Carrollton, Inglewood, McAllen, Independence, Cape Coral, Bellevue, Beaumont, Peoria, Springfield Illinois, Lafayette, West Valley, Costa Mesa, Downey, Manchester, Clearwater, Waterbury, West Covina, South Bend, Allentown, Norwalk, Clarksville,  Provo,  Lowell, Athens, Berkeley, Ventura, Westminster, Pueblo, Wichita Falls, Burbank,  Richmond California, Arvada, Erie, Fairfield California, Daly, Santa Clara, Cambridge, Green Bay, Olathe, Gary, Livonia, Antioch, Portsmouth Virginia, Centennial, Charleston, South Gate, Port St. Lucie, Cary, Dearborn, Norman, Davenport, Everett, Richardson, Visalia, Rialto, Elgin, Mission Viejo, Macon, Midland, Compton, El Cajon, Brockton, Gainesville, Gresham, Boulder,  New Bedford, Roanoke, Albany, Thornton, Vacaville, Carson, Killeen, Fall River, Kenosha, Billings, San Mateo, Roseville, Vista, Lawton, Waukegan, Fargo, Odessa, Wilmington, High Point, Rochester Minnesota, Miramar, Denton, Lynn, Miami Beach, Westminster CA, Santa Barbara, Sand, Quincy, Citrus Heights, Sunrise, Nashua, Alhambra, San Angelo, Pompano, Watertown, Hamburg, New Concord, Annapolis, Winchester, Hoboken, St Augustine, Utica, Rome, Troy, Berea, Farmville, Burlington, DuBois, Scranton, Wilkes Barre, Ashtabula, Toledo, Maumee, Schenectady, Plymouth, Bennington, Boise, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Ft Collins, West Point, Petersburg, Girard, North East, Dunkirk, Fredonia, Mayville, Jamestown, Cuba, Corry, Meadeville, Conneaut, Conneaut Lake, Forestville, Lily Dale, Amherst, Painesville, Wheeling, Austin, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Altoona, Johnstown, El Paso, Albert Lea, Williamsport, Williamsville, Steuben, Brook, Canandaigua, Fairport, Steamboat Springs, Sonoma, Beaufort, Brunswick, Kannapolis, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Rapid City, Traverse City, Boothbay, Bath, Wiscassett, Kennebunkport, Orchard Beach, Hingham, Provincetown, Fire Island, Key West, Truro, Bennington, Montpelier, Barre, Manchester, West Haven, Danbury, Tuxedo Park, Southport, Freeport, Southington, Groton, Andover, Exeter, Princeton, Fairfield CT, Hudson Beach, Lake Placid, Palmyra NY, Bala Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr, Pottstown, Haverford, West Chester, Hamilton, Chester, Chevy Chase, Severn, Severna Park, Roysterstown, Rehoboth, Atlantic City, Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, Hilton Head, Pinehurst, Ft Lauderdale, St Johns, Walnut Creek, Nantucket, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Palm Springs, Potomac, Highlands, Aiken, Mill Valley, Saratoga, Cold Spring Hills, Wayne, Wellesley, Rockville, Livingston, Stone Harbor, Cape May, Cape Fear, Lowell, Stamford, Randolph, Sun Valley, Moorestown, LaGrange, LaPorte, LaSalle, Bar Harbor, Camden, Belfast, Bangor, Castine, Rockland, Jaffrey Center, Chimayo, Cody, Bradford, Shelter Island, Shelter Cove, Quechee, Eden Prairie, Sugar Land, Columbia, Ellicott City, Eagan, Troy Hills, Sandy, Newton, Ann Arbor, Orem, Orland Park, Cherry Hill, Smoke Rise, Cedar Grove, Verona, Appleton, Longmont, Jupiter Island, Rolling Hills, Atherton, Matinecock, Hillsborough, Belvedere CA, Rancho Santa Fe, Los Altos Hills, Snowmass, Purchase, Sands Point, Saddle River, North Hills, Old Lyme, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Saybrook, Old Westbury, Westbury, Old Brookville, Hidden Hills, Portola Valley, Monte Sereno, Ross CA, Alpine, Beverly Hills, Woodside, Kenilworth, Green Village, Montecito, Bannockburn, Hunting Valley, Gulf Stream, Oyster Bay Cove, Bloomfield Hills, Muttontown, Diablo, Saratoga, Kent, Kentfield, Greenwich, Palos Verdes Estates, Mill Neck, Marina del Rey, Bronxville, New Canaan, New  Vernon, Los Altos, Wailea, Laurel Hollow, Port Jefferson, Mill Village, Lattingtown, Naples, Lido, Ft Myer, Sarasota, Gainesville, Venice, Sanibel, Jupiter Island, Bel Air, Hunt Valley, Somerset NJ, Middleburg, Paris, Westbrook, Tryon, Holly MI, Darien, Rockaway, South Hampton, Chester Springs, Mystic, Oldwick, Essex, Radnor, Woodbrook, Indian Springs, Olney, Wilamette, Bend, North Bend, Ashland, Woodstock, Bristol, Fairport, Dark Harbor, Hudson, Edgartown, Gay Head, East Boothbay, Sunapee, Wolfeboro, Geneva, New Hope, Murfreesboro, Pittsboro, Buck Head, Cambria, Canton, New Canton, Suwanee, Florence, Marblehead, Ogonquit, Stonington, Gay Head, Grosse Point, Grosse Point Hills, Sewickley, Fairview, Lake Geneva, Geuaga Lake, Crystal Lake, Kissimee, Pompano Beach, Spring Valley, Ithaca, Antioch, Hamilton, Long Island, Staten Island, Warwick, Chatham, Hialeah, Hyannis, Hyannisport,  Oxford MS, Hockessin, Cumming, Savannah, Marietta, Waikiki, State College, College Station, Zanesville, Sherman, Blue Hill, Rockport, Rockland, Parkers Ferry, Santa Fe, Sedona, Prescott, Kingman, Flagstaff, Tahoe, Albuquerque, Laramie, Centreville, Gillette, Asheville, and San Luis Obispo, Flint, Vail, Helena, Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Whitefish, Olympia, Elko, Del Rio, Gulfport, Anderson, Council Bluffs, Pierre, Bismarck, Eau Claire, Duluth, St Cloud, Escanaba, Mackinaw, Lansing, South Bend, Leo, Elkhardt, Williamsport, Coudersport, Charlestown, Augusta, Cape HAtteras, Kill Devil Hills, Duck, Binghamton, Dodge City, North Platte, Cheyenne, Sweetwater, Amarillo, Galveston, Coconut Grove, Dubuque, Centralia, Huntsville, Hope, Harrisonburg, Lynchburg, Richmond, Superior, Tyler, Brazoria, Abilene, Midland, Crawford, Akron, Marion, Salem, Johnson City, Bristol, Poughkeepsie, Brooklyn, Bronx, Elizabeth, Carson City, Tupelo, Biloxi, St Charles, Bloomington, Saginaw, Sault Ste Marie, Kalamazoo, Worcester, Lynn, Hagerstown, Shreveport, Bowling Green, Collinsville, Martinsville, Vero Beach, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Jonesboro, Fort Smith, McKeesport, Conneautville, Amityville, Watkins Glen, Fort Ticonderoga, Fort Niagara, Niagara Falls, Bethlehem, Blue Bell, Hamburg, and Lexington KY.