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10 Tips to Keep Your Piano Beautiful

1925 Steinway Model L, interior
  1. Dust your piano regularly. Nothing will preserve your piano's beauty more than the use of a simple hand duster.
  2. Keep the piano’s lid closed when you’re not using the piano. This will prevent dust from settling inside.
  3. Place your piano away from windows and direct sunlight. Over time, sunlight will fade the finish.
  4. Place your piano away from any heaters.  Again, a direct heat source reduces the longevity of your piano and causes it to go out of tune prematurely.
  5. If the keys get dirty, clean them with a damp cloth, wiping them quickly. Never apply any liquid directly to the keys. Just moisten the cloth with water.
  6. When entertaining guests, keep the piano lid open to prevent people from putting things on it. Warm or damp dishes can easily leave rings that are removable only by refinishing.
  7. Keep the humidity between forty and fifty percent in the piano’s room. Nothing will make a piano go out of tune faster than the fluctuation of humidity.
  8. Tune your piano regularly. Ideally, twice a year. When you turn the heat on and then off for the season, the piano will lose its tune. This is a good time to schedule your regular tunings. Tuning is particularly needed with newly restored pianos since these will have a “settling-in” period.
  9. Be careful what items you place on your piano, and particularly avoid plants. You could use an attractive fabric as a cover or runner between these objects and the piano. But really, shouldn’t your piano be seen rather than covered? Besides, stuff on the lid will discourage you from opening it, and the piano sounds best when the lid is open.
  10. Even with great care, age will inevitably show on a piano. If your piano looks worn or sounds tired give us a call. We love these pianos, and we’re happy toconsult with you on restoring your piano’s potential.

That's Our Steinway in the Street

Music makes a space come alive. And the right music in a public space can energize a whole street. So when our friends at the street design studio Arterial asked us to contribute to their [PARKing Day](http://parkingday.org/) event in Montclair, NJ, we were ready with a [1902 Steinway Model B](http://www.lindebladpiano.com/SteinwayGrandPiano1902.html). PARKing Day is an international event based around building small temporary parks within parking spaces to demonstrate the possibility of reclaiming and "rehumanizing" urban spaces.

A world of Player Piano Systems

Lindeblad Piano Restoration installs Automatic Player Piano Systems in probably 30% of the pianos we sell. They are incredibly popular. Take a look at this Steinway Model B with a QRS player system in it. Since the re-design of our website we have had very little information about player systems available, the old page is still up. But, we researching some changes for this page already.

The New (to us) Model D

One of the most exciting developments for Lindeblad Piano in the last month was acquiring a fantastic vintage Steinway Model D. The model D is a "Concert Grand" and measures nearly 9 feet long. It dominates a concert hall, let alone our show room here in Pine Brook.

Can you really work on my piano when I live so far away?

Absolutely yes! This is probably the number one question we get in our initial conversation with people who want to restore their piano or buy a restored piano from us. There seems to be an idea that since pianos are so heavy, large, valuable, and in some cases very ornate, we are only able to service individuals in our immediate area. Last year, we did almost 70% of our business out of state!

We've added Video!

We are so excited to announce that now many of our restored Steinway pianos for sale will have very high-quality videos of them being played! We put in a lot of extra hours over the holidays and this last month to get these videos up and running. We're still adding more every day, but, we wanted to give our blog a readers a sneak peek. The first piano on our inventory page, Ebony 1941 Steinway Model S, has the video and new page layout installed. Check it out here!

A Piano's "Action": 88 individual machines!

It's hard to appreciate the complexity of a piano sometimes. Behind the keys and the wood is literally 88 individual machines that respond from your fingers and strike the strings. 88 machines! Take a look at this model, (and select #2 Keybad & Action). 25 parts are listed there, and that's not even the whole thing! Such an impressively small and precise machine. When we restore a piano, the first thing we advise is proper action regulation.

Piano World Records

Want to know how many times a single piano key can be played in one minute? There's a World Record for that. Want to know the longest time an Organ has ever been played continuously? There's a World Record for that. Want to know what the Largest Piano Ensemble ever was?

The "Target" Knabe

[caption id="attachment_48" align="aligncenter" width="360" caption="Take a look at the "Target" on the note rack!"]Take a look at the "Target" on the note rack![/caption] We are in the middle of finishing this really unique Circassian Walnut Knabe.  The graining on it is fantastic and we think the loop in the center of the note rack looks like a target.

Victorian Steinway Grand Photos - Model B

We have recently completely restored a 1902 Steinway Grand piano with a QRS Pianomation installed.  I have attached photos of this masterpiece! Victorian Steinway Grand Piano - Model B Victoria </div> <div class=

Inquire About Buying a Piano

Piano Details
e.g. Steinway
The serial number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number located on the harp of the piano.

Please let us know if you have any additional comments. Was there any particular pianos that interested you in our inventory? You can also inquire about specific pianos in our inventory by using the Inquire option provided beside each piano. This saves you the trouble of describing which pianos you have in mind.

Inquire About Moving a Piano

Piano Details
e.g. Steinway
Enter length for a grand piano, and height for an upright.
The serial number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number located on the harp of the piano.
Pick Up Location
Delivery Location
How many steps are involved in place of pick up and in place of delivery:

Inquire About Selling Us a Piano

Thanks for considering us as a potential buyer for your piano. Before you contact us, please bear in mind that we exclusively purchase Steinway pianos.

Piano Details
e.g. Steinway
The serial number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number located on the harp of the piano.
Enter the length for a grand piano, height for an upright.

Please explain the current condition of the piano and what work you'd like to have done on it. Please explain the current condition of the piano. Also if any work has been done please specify what has been done:

Photographs are important in helping us determine the condition of your piano.

If you do not have photographs available, please submit the form anyhow we'll follow up with you.

Close-up shots of the internal parts are especially important. The more detailed photographs, the better we can assess your piano. Please upload your photos below by clicking "Browse" and select the file. Once you have selected all your files/photos, click "Submit".

Inquire About Having Us Restore a Piano

Piano Details
e.g. Steinway
The serial number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number located on the harp of the piano.
Enter length for a grand piano, height for an upright.

Please explain the current condition of the piano and what work you'd like to have done on it.

Photographs are important in helping us determine the condition of your piano.

If you do not have photographs available, please submit the form anyhow we'll follow up with you.

Close-up shots of the internal parts are especially important. The more detailed photographs, the better we can assess your piano. Please upload your photos below by clicking "Browse" and select the file. Once you have selected all your files/photos, click "Submit".

Request a Restoration Estimate

We're happy to estimate the cost of restoring your piano. We provide a written quote with all component costs broken out line-by-line. We'll also outline options you can choose from in order to manage the scope and cost of the job, and we'll explain possible trade-offs. If you have a question about your piano's mechanisms, or about the benefits of any part of the restoration, we're prepared to explain it to you.

We're committed to being accessible advisors to you during all stages of the process -- from your initial research into restoration, right through to the return of the finished piano to your home.

To get started, you can use this form to send us the basic information about yourself and your piano:

e.g. Steinway, Mason & Hamlin.
Usually one or two letters.
The wood used in the cabinet's veneer. E.g. Walnut, Mahogany. Use "Ebony" for black.
The general style fo the cabinet and legs. E.g. Traditional, Victorian, Louis XV.
An approximate is ok. Leave empty if you have no idea.
Knowing your budget helps us prepare a relevant estimate. We will of course respect your
The serial number is typically a 5 or 6 digit number located on the harp of the piano.
Enter length for a grand piano, height for uprights.

Please share any remarks or questions you'd like to send along with your estimate request.