Taking out the strings.

It was start for fixing the piano and the day of taking out the strings.

On the comfortable day in early summer, we saw a family in visitors, who had the piano before it came to Youkobo. Father of the family plays piano as his hobby so we could see his feeling that he would like to play from his right hand putting on the piano.

During a talk about the story of the piano, we realized there were more visitors and it naturally changed into workshop.

Today, we worked together with Saito-san and an assistant, who work for piano. First, we moved the piano standing on the wall to middle of the room.

It looked much lighter than pianos, which are produced now. Because the frame for strings is thinner and the wood became dried and old.

And also, the scratches that got when residence artists exhibited the piano are part of the good taste.

After Saito-san and the assistant took out the front board, action and keyboard, they made loosen strings again and again.

In the end, they cut Piano wire of high tone without any hesitation. And they took out helix of low tone from pins and passed them though wires carefully.

This was finished. It is the same piano but without action, keyboard, pins and strings. It is very rare to see! But there is also pianist, who takes out action and put stuffs between strings to make up light piano prepared.

Curves and bridges of the frame beautiful.

After this process, we are going to make a special order for making suitable helix of low tone to factory, where produces it. The wood for body of the piano is going to be researched and changed into new one. Bottom of helix also needs to be fixed.

Everything except taking out strings was very simple and was first time for me to see all the process. Saito-san and the assistant transported the piano to factory by truck.

They were calmly working on it on the other hand the visitors were impressed. First, they covered the piano with blanket and fixed it with belt. During lifting it to truck, the owner of the piano, Murata-san was looking at it sadly. His lovely piano, which was always there has gone for a while.

There are memories and histories of the piano from its owners. However, it needs to be treated a little while to have more contacts with more people. I would like to see how it is going to be recovered.