Lusaka Piano Tuning Services

Today I was working on a good Samick and then one of that batch of Yamahas with the failed key top glue. The only ones that were still attached were the ones I had glued on last time before I knew about this known issue. All sorted now tho.

I have been working overhauling a 1936 Broadwood baby grand for a client. Having identified and glued several cracks in the soundboard and a few areas of loose soundbars, I was frustrated that I still had not solved a dreadful buzzing in several areas on a wide range of notes. After much poking around underneath the plate with some long thin wires I eventually found several potter wasp encrustations that had fallen off the underside of the plate and were vibrating on the soundboard. They took a lot of time to break up into smaller pieces and extract through the wider gaps between the strings as they were too heavy to either blow out with my puffer or vacuum out. So relieved that I finally solved the mystery.

Now that's a beautiful modern piano!

I don't only do piano tuning. I am also the antique furniture restorer.

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The Antique Restorer Zambia I offer repair, restoration and conservation of antique pieces large and small.

I haven't seen this old dear for many years. She dates from 1897. She was "discovered" in the best traditions of African discoveries in a tiny house in Chilomoni in Blantyre, sadly in very poor condition. I rescued her and brought her back to life but she could really do with a full restring one day.

Just tuned up the Steiner at Essence. Kot to self - must bring a spare key front next time. One loose hammer head was making a clicking rattle on a''. Now silenced. Time for an entertainment methinks. A little smooth jazz tomorrow evening?

Just come across (and tuned) this small grand by Julius Kreutzbach of Leipzig. Apparently it was acquired in Kenya but no idea how it got to be there. I reckon it was once a veneer finish but was painted black not so long ago. Its had pintite applied (quite liberally) in the past and as a consequence the pins perfer to be too high or too low but hate to be in the "just right" position!

Good morning everyone. As Zambia's winter (is it going to happen this year??) approaches and humidity begins to fall you may find your piano getting a bit ragged. Now is the time to get it tuned. Call or whatsapp on 971195052 to make an appointment.

I have just done a complete overhaul of the action on this 1929 Challen baby grand. The dreaded moths had got into it and hardly any felts/cloths had survived - a few damper rail bushes, the capstan felts, and the hammers were all that was left. All the keyframe washers and backtouch baize, the hammer rest baize, butt bads, check felts, key bushings, damper felts and lift pads etc had to be replaced. Even the music desk slide lining cloth. The hammers had mercifully been left more or less untouched so a little gentle shaping had them right as rain again. Many of the ivory key tops had come loose and several were missing, luckily I had an old keyboard beyond repair that I could take replacements from. A few minor repairs to missing veneers on the cheeks and all was back to normal. Finally the wobbly legs had to be reglued into their bracket blocks.
Delivered back to a happy owner.

Funnily enough I also worked on another Challen baby grand last week (a bit later - probably 1940-50) that was barely playable with off sounding notes, dead notes and many not even striking the strings. Reshaping of deeply cut hammer heads and a full set-up and regulation had that one transformed.