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Raising a piano

  • 1.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-26-2009 22:26 
    From Jack Houweling <jackhouweling@dccnet.com>

I have a customer who is very tall and would like me to raise her grand piano four inches higher off the ground.
Has anyone done this before or are there any suggestions? 

I was thinking about using some 4x4 blocks and using a boringbit to drill a cup for the wheels.


Regards,
Jack Houweling


  • 2.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-26-2009 22:34 
    From John Ross <jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca>

If you raise the piano, you will raise the pedals.
Why not lower the seat?
John Ross
  
    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 3.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-26-2009 23:25 
    From wimblees@aol.com

In addition to adding blocks under the caster, be sure to make a platform for under the pedals. 


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Mililani, Oahu, HI
808-349-2943
Author of: 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com



    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 4.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 04:16
      |   view attached 
    From "Simon Wroe" <simon@swroe.freeserve.co.uk>

When I worked in the Guildhall School London, we always kept a few shortened
stools for the taller pianists. Seemed to work fine.

 

All the best.

 

Simon.

 

Simon Wroe Piano Services Ltd

Waterside Fold

Heversham

Cumbria

LA7 7EZ

 

015395 637 11

07796 625 945

 

 <http://pianoservicesltd.com/> http://pianoservicesltd.com/

 



 


    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

                
    
                    
    
                        
                        
                    
    
                
    
        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 5.  Raising a piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-27-2009 06:50 
    From "Allan" <allan@sutton.net>

But the tall guy may have tall forelegs. He needs to raise the piano but
leave the pedals on the ground.

 

Am I not right Jack?

 

Allan Sutton

 

  _____  

From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of wimblees@aol.com
Sent: 27 f?vrier 2009 01:25
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Raising a piano

 

In addition to adding blocks under the caster, be sure to make a platform
for under the pedals. 

Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Mililani, Oahu, HI
808-349-2943
Author of: 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com




    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 6.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 07:17 
    From Ron Nossaman <rnossaman@cox.net>

> I was thinking about using some 4x4 blocks and using a boringbit to 
> drill a cup for the wheels.
> 
> Jack Houweling   

Hi Jack,
I don't know why that wouldn't work. I'd think you'd want to 
add a similar block to the lyre top plate, and move the plate 
(if there is one) to the top of the block. You'd need longer 
pedal rods, which aren't a problem, and I'm tooled up to make 
Steinway style lyre sticks of any length if you can use that 
style, or come up with something on your own.

You'll feel like a little kid sitting at the "big" table for 
Thanksgiving dinner when you tune it, but what the heck.
Ron N


  • 7.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 12:22 
    From wimblees@aol.com

If they guy has long forelegs, and you want to keep the pedals at the current height, then you'll need to figure a way to lengthen the lyre. Not just the wood part, but also the pedal rods. If the lyre isn't lengthened, if you don't put a platform under the pedals, the player's feet will be at a severe angle to operate the pedals, which creates physiological problems for the player.  


Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT
Piano Tuner/Technician
Mililani, Oahu, HI
808-349-2943
Author of: 
The Business of Piano Tuning
available from Potter Press
www.pianotuning.com



    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 8.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 12:50 
    From "David Boyce" <David@piano.plus.com>

Presumably this lady is not larger than Rachmaninov, who was 6'6" and with gigantic hands?  

If Rachmaninov managed with normal pianos, perhaps she can too!  

She may just be imagining that she would be better off with the piano raised 4", but might well find that it doesn't suit at all, even with plinth for the pedals. 

Perhaps the lady doesn't appreciate that all the great concert pianists, whatever their size, play pianos with keys the same height (give or take a very small margin) from the floor.   Making the stool lower seems the best option!  

Best,

David.


>I have a customer who is very tall and would like me to raise her grand piano four inches higher off the ground.
>Has anyone done this before or are there any suggestions? 
>I was thinking about using some 4x4 blocks and using a boringbit to drill a cup for the wheels.
>Regards,
>Jack Houweling


  • 9.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 13:10 
    From "Al Guecia/AlliedPianoCraft" <AlliedPianoCraft@hotmail.com>

I agree with David here. Best bet is an artist bench so it can be adjusted to the best height for comfortable playing. Messing with the piano height seems to be a drastic measure. I wouldn't touch that with a 4" block! <G>

my2cents,

Al


  From: David Boyce 
  Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 2:49 PM
  To: pianotech@ptg.org 
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Raising a piano


  Presumably this lady is not larger than Rachmaninov, who was 6'6" and with gigantic hands?  

  If Rachmaninov managed with normal pianos, perhaps she can too!  

  She may just be imagining that she would be better off with the piano raised 4", but might well find that it doesn't suit at all, even with plinth for the pedals. 

  Perhaps the lady doesn't appreciate that all the great concert pianists, whatever their size, play pianos with keys the same height (give or take a very small margin) from the floor.   Making the stool lower seems the best option!  

  Best,

  David.


  >I have a customer who is very tall and would like me to raise her grand piano four inches higher off the ground.
  >Has anyone done this before or are there any suggestions? 
  >I was thinking about using some 4x4 blocks and using a boringbit to drill a cup for the wheels.
  >Regards,
  >Jack Houweling


  • 10.  Raising a piano

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 02-27-2009 13:58 
    From reggaepass@aol.com

.... and on that same note, there are both longer and shorter legs available from Jansen for their artist benches.  At the school where I work, we have pianists who prefer both, so we take a few minutes and change out the legs each time one of them is performing.  Another option.



Alan Eder



    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 11.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 14:41 
    From John Ross <jrpiano@win.eastlink.ca>

When I first read it, I was thinking it was one pianist, who couldn't make up his mind, preferring both.
John Ross
  
    
                                                
    
					
                                                    

        
                                                
				
    
                                                
    
                                                    
                                                        
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  • 12.  Raising a piano

    Posted 02-27-2009 13:34 
    From Thomas Cole <tcole@cruzio.com>

Height of the bench is a matter of preference. Glen Gould liked to have 
a low chair because he like to put his face right over the keyboard. 
Others like to sit higher so as to "dominate" the keyboard.

But when I sit at a piano, I get dents in my knees from pressing against 
the keybed, no matter how high or low the bench. Maybe I need knee pads.

Tom Cole

David Boyce wrote:
> Presumably this lady is not larger than Rachmaninov, who was 6'6" and 
> with gigantic hands? 
>  
> If Rachmaninov managed with normal pianos, perhaps she can too! 
>  
> She may just be imagining that she would be better off with the piano 
> raised 4", but might well find that it doesn't suit at all, even with 
> plinth for the pedals. 
>  
> Perhaps the lady doesn't appreciate that all the great concert 
> pianists, whatever their size, play pianos with keys the same height 
> (give or take a very small margin) from the floor.   Making the stool 
> lower seems the best option!