Not all jobs are a complete rebuild. Here's a very nice Everett piano that literally started to come apart! As you can see, the left side of the case was separating from the piano itself.
This piano is fine condition - except for the cabinet coming apart. Repairs like this all depend on the quality of the piano. If the piano is of a medium to high quality, it is worth it to fix something like this.
We widened the gap and slathered the joint with a high-quality bond.....
....making sure to get glue into the tight joints on the inside. Here we are pushing glue into the joint with one of our super high-glossy and beautiful business cards!
Then we put some carpeted cauls on and clamped it. This will set for a number of days and the rest of the cabinet will be reassembled, the piano tuned and sent back to the customer.
A note from this customer:
"A few years ago, I was looking for someone to repair my upright piano that had been stored in a basement for twenty years and then moved to Arizona. The sides of the cabinet were warped and out of alignment, and I wasn’t sure if it could be tuned. One person came over and told me that the mahogany was very good but the inside needed to be completely rebuilt and it would cost $2,400. Another person came and said that he could tune it, but he could not repair the wood. He gave me the name of someone who could do it, but that person didn’t return phone calls or make appointments. After a while I gave up. When I was ready to proceed with the project, I looked online and reached out to a few businesses. Two of the piano tuners I contacted highly recommended Dennis Chapin. I emailed Chapin Piano Service and received a response almost immediately.
Dennis arrived at my home on the minute he said he would be there. I was awestruck as this master technician shared his knowledge and expertise. The fact that he has been in the piano world for decades and has worked with gifted artists tells me that he is the gold standard. I appreciated his open and honest communication. The quote I received was completely fair and realistic for me. It was such a pleasure working with Dennis, Enedina and Sam.
The finished work is beautiful. The repair work is flawless. The wood looks like it has been refinished, and the sound takes me back 56 years ago when I fell in love with this instrument. I can’t say enough about the Chapins and their marvelous family business!"