ON-LOCATION SERVICES
Tuning:  Piano manufacturers recommend tuning twice per year.  Changes in temperature and relative humidity affect tuning the most.  The soundboard takes on moisture from the air and releases it according to the relative humidity, causing it to expand and contract and making the pitch go up and down.  The instrument should be at A440 or above.  Generally speaking, the longer a piano is left untuned, the more the pitch will need to be raised to arrive at standard pitch.  This is due to the great string tension which is exerted over time.
Voicing:  The tone of the instrument can be altered to make it mellower or brighter, and it can be smoothed or  equalized throughout the range.  The pianist may desire a change in brightness or tonal color or sustain.  With continued playing, which causes the felt of the hammers to compact and wear, the tone of the piano will naturally change over time and will require some adjustment.    The hammers of the piano can be shaped, hardened, steamed, or needled to alter the tone.  Voicing also entails improving tone by seating and leveling strings.
Regulation:  This is a step by step process which consists of adjusting the moving parts of the action and pedals to achieve optimum performance.  All pianos need this periodically to some degree.  A few of the steps are shown on the right:  setting let-off, adjusting drop, and adjusting repetition springs.

Shop Services

There may be times when a piano will benefit from some degree of restoration, whether it be the action alone, a structural part such as a leg, a pedal lyre or a bench, or the entire piano.
Action reconditioning:  A frequent service is the replacement of keytops or key bushings.  Keytops can become unglued (ivory in particular) or worn or discolored.  Felt key bushings can become worn to the point where the keys are too loose.  Various other action parts can be replaced or reconditioned, making a vast improvement in performance.  
Structural repairs:  Sometimes case parts such as music desks, legs, or pedal lyres, or often the piano bench, need some reconstruction in order to restore functionality to the piano.  Such parts can simply be removed from the piano, repaired in the shop, and returned to the owner.
Piano refinishing and rebuilding:  Whether the instrument is a family heirloom or a professional performance piano needing refinishing or rebuilding, it can be relocated to the shop for major restoration and returned to the owner after several weeks, having undergone a beautiful transformation.


Dean Boesen will complete most of the action reconditioning and repairs in his own shop.  For refinishing or rebuilding, he will subcontract with respected companies in Los Angeles.