A Specialist Area of Work
I have a particular passion for pneumatic player pianos and am one of the very few technicians in New Zealand who services these instruments. Most piano technicians avoid tuning player pianos because they are much more complex and require a different skill set.
These fascinating machines from the 1910s and 1920s are now at an age where major rebuilding work is often required for them to function properly. Few people have heard a player piano performing as it did when it left the factory, and many are genuinely surprised by the result.
Restoration of Player Pianos
Player pianos require specialised tools, techniques and materials that differ significantly from standard piano restoration. The work demands meticulous attention to detail to ensure long-term reliability.
As the player mechanism is only as good as the piano it operates, the instrument itself often requires substantial work alongside the restoration of the player system.
I have a particular passion for pneumatic player pianos and am one of the very few technicians in New Zealand who services these instruments. Most piano technicians avoid tuning player pianos because they are much more complex and require a different skill set.
These fascinating machines from the 1910s and 1920s are now at an age where major rebuilding work is often required for them to function properly. Few people have heard a player piano performing as it did when it left the factory, and many are genuinely surprised by the result.
Restoration of Player Pianos
Player pianos require specialised tools, techniques and materials that differ significantly from standard piano restoration. The work demands meticulous attention to detail to ensure long-term reliability.
As the player mechanism is only as good as the piano it operates, the instrument itself often requires substantial work alongside the restoration of the player system.
Gluing in new pouches - quite a delicate task! (Aeolian)
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Gluing recovered pneumatics
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Setting the valve travel in an Aeolian Pianola
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Reproducing Pianos
I also specialise in the service and restoration of reproducing pianos.
These were highly sophisticated instruments capable of recreating the original performance of the artist — including dynamics (loud and soft passages), accents, pedalling, and expression.
Fewer than 5% of player pianos built were reproducing instruments. Because of their rarity and historical significance, they are almost always worthy of restoration.
Case Study: 1920 Marshall & Wendell Ampico
Below are images and a video of a 1920 Marshall & Wendell Ampico reproducing piano rebuilt in my workshop in 2017.
This instrument had been unplayable for decades, suffering from:
- Insect and rodent damage
- Severe rust
- Worn-out components
- Case and finish deterioration caused by fire
"Were I a Bird" played by Rachmaninoff
The lower half of the piano
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Behind the pneumatic action
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The upper part of the reproducing piano
