Your piano’s tuning pins are essential to keeping all its strings in proper alignment. As such, when some of them inevitably loosen over time, it can have a serious effect on the way your instrument plays. For this reason, it’s vital that you know how to identify when some of our pins are looser than others and can perform a few basic techniques to reattach them. These are a few tips for fixing loose tuning pins effectively.
Test the Resistance of Your Tuning Pins
Before you even begin the process of tightening your tuning pins, you must first pick out the ones that actually need maintenance. While the entire piano will experience the swelling and contracting that comes with exposure to certain weather changes, various parts of the instrument will do so differently. So, just because one or two pins are loose, it doesn’t mean that all the others are as well. To identify which pins you will need to fix, place the head of your tuning lever over the pin and note how much effort it takes to turn it. If it moves with very little force, it likely needs some additional attention.
Apply Only Thin Glue Products
Upon discovering which pins you will need to retighten, the next step is to pour a small amount of glue into the pin hole. This will return the opening to its proper size and create the right amount of seal against the pin. The important thing to remember about this step is to only use thin glue products. Using anything thicker can accidentally fill the hole entirely and dirty the surrounding pins.
Drive the Pin Further Into the Pin Block
If this still doesn’t reestablish the proper tension, another tip for fixing loose tuning pins is to push the pin further into its wooden base. Since you’ll be driving it down into new wood, this process will naturally create the seal you’re after and keep the pin and its string taut when struck. However, make sure you only hammer after placing the tuning lever head over the pin to protect it. Otherwise, you could risk damaging that pin to the point that you will need to replace it.
For more information on how to properly fix and maintain your piano’s tuning pins, reach out to our team at Chicago Piano Tuners. Our piano tuning company has over 18 years of experience restoring, tuning, and fixing pianos. This makes us confident that we can assess your specific issue and resolve it in a timely manner.
