Piano Manual: Buying, problem-solving, care, repair and tuning - Hardcover

John Bishop; Graham Barker

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1844254852 ISBN 13: 9781844254859

Publisher: J H Haynes & Co Ltd, 2009

Synopsis

Aimed at everyone with an interest in pianos, amateurs and professionals alike, this is a thorough but highly readable technical guide to the world's most influential musical instrument. Most people, even competent pianists, have no idea how a piano works, yet understanding a piano's truly remarkable technology can greatly increase the pleasure of owning and playing one. Even though the most humble upright has thousands of working parts, this innovative manual explains how straightforward it can be to maintain and improve a piano's performance.

About this title

From the Author

This manual is based on John Bishop's 35-year experience of tuning, repairing and buying and selling pianos. We wrote it mainly to help pianists (a) improve their knowledge of piano technology and (b) buy wisely, because outside the safe havens of reputable dealers, bad pianos greatly outnumber good.

We also wanted to give some instruction on how to maintain, repair and tune a piano for those keen and able enough to try - ideally, on an instrument of low value. For those who prefer to let professionals take the strain, these sections at least provide an insight into the skilled work of piano tuners and technicians.

Most reader feedback tells us that the manual is valued as a highly readable and useful addition to the literature on the piano.

We're therefore puzzled by the vehemence of the some very negative reviews posted here by piano technicians. Most are non-specific, so it's difficult to respond to them, though we've done our best via the Comment facility next to each review.

There may be some undetected minor errors, and we acknowledge a big error on page 37, where there is some incorrecct labeling of parts. Overall though, we stand firmly by the integrity and accuracy of everything we've written.

About the Author

John Bishop has 35 years' experience of pianos as a tuner, technician, rebuilder, buyer, seller and player (in Birmingham rock bands) - all this has tended to overshadow his day job as an economics lecturer. Graham Barker is a technical writer who knows little about pianos, but proved to be the ideal person to organise this manual into something even he could understand.

Edition details

• Publisher: J H Haynes & Co Ltd
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1844254852
• ISBN 13: 9781844254859
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 196