Are there any cheap ways to improve the quality or lifespan of a secondhand piano?
Talking to your piano technician is always the first step – (s)he will be able to tell you if a piano is nearing the end of its useful life. It is important to bear in mind that piano restoration can be a very expensive process, however if you are simply looking to get a few more years out of a piano without spending a fortune, here are a few simple “tweaks” that you can ask your technician to carry out: – A common problem with older pianos is a lack of response in the bass. This can sometimes be addressed by “twisting” the bass strings in order to get more resonance by increasing the tension of the copper windings. – Often the felt on the hammers will have been hardened through many years of striking the strings, and this can render the tone flat and brittle. A way around this can be to reshape and tone the hammers, which improves the pianos’ tonal quality.
