Lusaka Piano Tuning Services

Started this morning tuning a Kawai upright freshly imported from China and only unpacked for a week. But in the afternoon I got to work on this very handsome large upright by R. S. Howard of New York. Circa 1920. She hadn't been tuned up for a while but took it well and responded well to a quick reshape of the deeply cut hammers and a regulation of let off buttons and back checks throughout.

The first of 5 pianos tuned today was this Bechstein parlour grand. It has a serial number 241053 but I can't make this fit with known serial numbers, especially as the case is clearly circa 1920 or so.
The Piano was "tropicalised" with brass pins holding the ivories onto the keys (they obviously did their job!) And all places on the case where glue joints might normally fail in Africa's swings between very high humidity and extreme dry air, are reinforced with brass screws, beautifully installed with their slots perfectly lined up - top cabinet work.
I had to remove encrustations from potter wasps and also glue (and reinforce with a large piano screw) the pedal box.
All tuned up nicely tho and a happy customer.

I tuned this Henry Herbert piano in Blantyre for the first time today. It was in pretty bad shape. But it cleaned up OK and seems relatively stable. AI tells me it was made by Mason and Risch in Canada with the serial number suggesting last quarter of the19th century. The tenor and upper registers were bright and full but I am afraid the coverd strings in the bass are pretty dull and lifeless. Unfortunately the much needed restring would cost many times the piano's value.

In the last post I mentioned detail in quality craftsmanship. This J&J Hopkinson from c 1910 is very fine quality construction and in pretty good condition given its age. Even still has its original key which so many don't.

In Lilongwe. This John Spencer of London. C1905 or thereabouts, transition between arts and crafts and art nouveau. I love the daffodil marquetry motif. Shame the candle sconces are missing. She needs new dampers at some stage on the birdcage action but a wonderful vibrant tone. Details count in manufacture.

Just finished this Daneman upright serial number 74793, made in 1956, that had been completely trashed by moths. I had to replace every cloth, felt, pad and washer including the dampers but managed to keep the original hammer heads. Also stripped and revarnished the casework. It is now with a new owner.

A cool Chappel upright piano is back on the market. Serial no 9130 places this as built c1868/9. The front board has been replaced with glass so you can see the action as you play. Seeking ZMW 54,000.

This stunning turn of the century upright piano by Holmann and Co of Berlin is a beautiful burr walnut case has just come on the market. Brought in from.South Africa some years back. Urgent sale as the owners are downsizing to a smaller residence. It is stable and in good playing condition. Currently in Makeni. Seeking K70,000. Whatsapp 971195052 for further information.

Today I was tuning a Knight upright (very bright tone and took the tuning well). The other one was a Dale Forty from the 1920s. Nice logo, redolent of the era. It had not been tuned for quite a few years and was very ragged to say the least.

Dale, Forty & Co. Ltd. Fine Pianos was founded in 1873 in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, partners Henry Dale and Frank Forty, formerly piano tuners with the Broadwood company purchased the established music house of Finlayson. The newly named Dale, Forty & Co. also acquired Hale & Co. music publishers by appointment to the Queen. Their magnificent music warehouse dominated the town’s famous Regency Promenade. Situated opposite Neptune’s Fountain, Dale, Forty sold absolutely everything to do with music, instruments, gramophones and later, radio. The Dale, Forty piano workshops imported all major marques of piano, repaired and reconditioned customers’ instruments and by the late 1900s manufactured a range of uprights and small grands, many of which are still in service today. By the early 20th Century, Dale, Forty had upwards of sixty shops throughout the Midlands and Wales, a tuning and repair service covering more than half of the country, together with a showroom and offices in Great Portland Street, London. Brand ownership is still in Cheltenham to this day.

Today I am working on a Yamaha U3 tall upright. Its one of a batch with a catastrophic glue fail. I know of three in Lusaka that must all be from this same batch but this is the worst with almost every key top come off. A tedious job gluing them all back on again.

Yesterday I pulled back up to a low pitch this Bently. It looked familiar but I have never tuned this one and it certainly hadn't been tuned in many years. I had noticed a couple of broken strings up in the high treble so didn't dare pull it up to concert pitch so left it about a whole tone low. At least it is now in tune for the owners visiting family to play Christmas carols next month.

Just spent the weekend reassembling this Broadwood and Sons bo***ir grand piano. It had been in storage in Bulawayo for at least 6 years and had quite a rough journey up to Kabwe. It will need a better overhaul in due course but for now it is playing again.