Five years ago we got started as a hobby collecting and restoring pianos for our own private collection.
I purchased a piano for my wife and paid a piano rebuilder locally to rebuild it so long as I could help.
I am Michael D. Prisco and as a musician of 30 years playing five instruments including voice, I know
what a good instrument sounds like. I have spent my entire life playing and composing music
however the art & craft of restoring pianos was something different.
I was told that it would take several years to perfect the craft and hone my skills and that if I applied
my educational skill used in other trades, it would make a great marriage said my 1st Mentor Rand
Reves. I worked for a short time at Rand's shop in New York and acquired many skills like action key
bushing, key leveling, hammer shank traveling, rebuilding wippens, pinblock extraction and
duplication, soundboard shimming and restoration, stringing, bridge capping and bearing.
Rand respected my skills with every type of hand and power tool in the shop and he knew that I could
duplicated anything he was doing. I transferred all that I learned everyday to another grand piano in
my home shop and before I knew it, I had rebuilt my first piano including the finish. It was a
Chickering baby grand piano that I ended up selling on ebay for $7,000. I then rebuilt another
Chickering just like the first one and sold that as well for $7,000 both photoed below.
I then set my eyes on a Model B Steinway & Sons Grand Piano, this was a special instrument as it had
a wrinkle finished plate. Photoed below before and after restoration, all that I learned from Rand went
into this piano however I could have done better knowing what I know now.
I heard of an old timer that worked at the Steinway & Sons Factory in Long Island City, New York, his
name was Angelo Andino. It was reported that he rebuilt the Golden Eagle Steinway Concert Grand at
the White House. His reputation was flawless with his clients and had co-founded Faust Pianos, GDPR
and many other piano shops as he mentored many people in the piano trade over the years.
I contacted him through a third person and he returned my call. I asked him if all I heard about him
was true and he replied, yep! I said to Angelo, I heard your the best of the best and is that true? yep!
They say I am the best, what can I do for you?
I began to explain my time in the industry and had rebuilt several dozen pianos, and worked for a
company out west that was formerly known as Posey Spruce, a piano soundboard manufacturer with
over 100 years in business. I marketed there soundboards to the industry as well as worked on
developing a product line. I had many consultations with a Piano Rebuilder named Dell Fandrich, I
explained to him what I was doing and asked him for advice on the best way to proceed with this
endeavor. He began to instruct me on soundboard construction and all of the many facets and designs
including the wood that is best as well as many other things, I learned a great deal from Del.
Angelo had heard of Del however he did not subscribe to his restoration methods but that he was
certainly a professional and well respected with the group of rebuilders that thought they could make
the Steinway better by floating soundboards and supplement bridges and the like. I understood
exactly what he was talking about and although there is always room for improvement, the Stienway
should be restored the way it was made.
I asked Angelo if he would teach me the secrets of Steinway, the secrets from the Old World Masters
like himself was important for me. He agreed and without delay came up to visit me and my shop
with his son that currently is a bellyman at Steinway. Angelo is the 4th person from the left in the
photo below.
We talked about everything from bearing to soundboard construction, Angelo truly was a master and
we both agreed that we should have another meeting. We got together a second time and I told Angelo
that I had just rented a 10,000 square foot factory and that I was moving my shop there.
Angelo told me that he would come back in two weeks and that he would help me set the shop up like
a miniature Steinway Factory. I told him that I would open the checkbook and do as he directed.
Below is the shop on a panoramic view.
Angelo and I put our heads together on a soundboard manufacturing leg of the business as we only
wanted the best soundboards available in our pianos. We got in touch with the company that supplies
Steinway and began receiving shipments of Sitka Spruce. Angelo and I made several soundboards
together and tested them in many different ways and they held up as expected.
A student of Angelo named John Heartman had perfected soundboard construction and we spoke
with him, he was excited with what we was putting together and agreed to train me personally and
sold me his soundboard panel press and jigs for all Steinway Pianos. We spent a couple days together
in his shop and incorporated that knowledge into our manufacturing.
We began selling our soundboards to many piano rebuilders, one of the soundboards we
manufactured was for a client in Yonkers, New York, that wanted to install it into a Rosewood
Steinway Concert grand piano. Photo below of the soundboard and the piano it went into.
This Yonkers based company said that this was the most incredible sounding Steinway and that our
soundboard are the best of the best in the industry. They had installed several of our soundboards
into Steinway Grand Pianos which were then played by concert pianists. This company surveyed
those that played the pianos and they determined that our soundboards made the pianos sound better
then the soundboards made by Bolduc in Canada, a huge compliment. We have made soundboards
that have been completely precrowned and fully tapered as it is done at the Steinway & Sons Factory
with one added bonus, they are all constructed from tone tested and matched flitches, of the finest
Sitka Spruce money can buy. This is what our rebuilder clients desire as well as the clients we install
for.
Our shop equipment along with the operators are seasoned and trained by Angelo Andino and myself
they have countless hours of training and expertise in the areas needed to produce great results. We
continue teaching others this wonderful trade and offer the best we are capable of producing in spite
of those that wish to see us fall.
There are many levels of piano restoration, we perform according to the budget of our clients, there
is a Complete Budget Restoration for around $7000.00 there is a Complete Intermediate Restoration
for about $10 to $15,000 and a Complete Performance Restoration for around $20 to $25,000.00.
Photos below of our work.
What is our specialty you may ask, to restore pianos from the 1800's to the 1940's that do not play
and make them sing again. Many of the pianos that come to us simply do not play at all, they have
over time fallen to the stresses and strains of decades of use, and have become just pieces of
furniture, we make them play again.
The piano retail and restoration trade is a cut throat industry, many members of the trade will call us
and hang up just to take us from our work and slow us down, many will spread lies and rumors about
us to discourage us from the industry. I have even told people in the trade we was closing our doors,
this is when the harassment stops for a short time and then they start back up again.
We recognise that many in the piano trade wish us to just close our doors and pack it in however, we
refuse to give in to those that would like to see us fail. Many have bad things to say about us however
we just ask you to be the judge.Watch our show, learn about our trade, ask all the questions you like
and at the end of the day when you consider doing business with a piano restoration company We
hope you will choose us.
My greatest thanks to our partner Angelo for all he has shared with us and the many secrets bestowed
upon us, there could be no other then he. I have been trained by a Master Craftsman, The Last of the
German Trained Steinway Legacy of Craftsman, the legendary Angelo Andino.
I purchased a piano for my wife and paid a piano rebuilder locally to rebuild it so long as I could help.
I am Michael D. Prisco and as a musician of 30 years playing five instruments including voice, I know
what a good instrument sounds like. I have spent my entire life playing and composing music
however the art & craft of restoring pianos was something different.
I was told that it would take several years to perfect the craft and hone my skills and that if I applied
my educational skill used in other trades, it would make a great marriage said my 1st Mentor Rand
Reves. I worked for a short time at Rand's shop in New York and acquired many skills like action key
bushing, key leveling, hammer shank traveling, rebuilding wippens, pinblock extraction and
duplication, soundboard shimming and restoration, stringing, bridge capping and bearing.
Rand respected my skills with every type of hand and power tool in the shop and he knew that I could
duplicated anything he was doing. I transferred all that I learned everyday to another grand piano in
my home shop and before I knew it, I had rebuilt my first piano including the finish. It was a
Chickering baby grand piano that I ended up selling on ebay for $7,000. I then rebuilt another
Chickering just like the first one and sold that as well for $7,000 both photoed below.
I then set my eyes on a Model B Steinway & Sons Grand Piano, this was a special instrument as it had
a wrinkle finished plate. Photoed below before and after restoration, all that I learned from Rand went
into this piano however I could have done better knowing what I know now.
I heard of an old timer that worked at the Steinway & Sons Factory in Long Island City, New York, his
name was Angelo Andino. It was reported that he rebuilt the Golden Eagle Steinway Concert Grand at
the White House. His reputation was flawless with his clients and had co-founded Faust Pianos, GDPR
and many other piano shops as he mentored many people in the piano trade over the years.
I contacted him through a third person and he returned my call. I asked him if all I heard about him
was true and he replied, yep! I said to Angelo, I heard your the best of the best and is that true? yep!
They say I am the best, what can I do for you?
I began to explain my time in the industry and had rebuilt several dozen pianos, and worked for a
company out west that was formerly known as Posey Spruce, a piano soundboard manufacturer with
over 100 years in business. I marketed there soundboards to the industry as well as worked on
developing a product line. I had many consultations with a Piano Rebuilder named Dell Fandrich, I
explained to him what I was doing and asked him for advice on the best way to proceed with this
endeavor. He began to instruct me on soundboard construction and all of the many facets and designs
including the wood that is best as well as many other things, I learned a great deal from Del.
Angelo had heard of Del however he did not subscribe to his restoration methods but that he was
certainly a professional and well respected with the group of rebuilders that thought they could make
the Steinway better by floating soundboards and supplement bridges and the like. I understood
exactly what he was talking about and although there is always room for improvement, the Stienway
should be restored the way it was made.
I asked Angelo if he would teach me the secrets of Steinway, the secrets from the Old World Masters
like himself was important for me. He agreed and without delay came up to visit me and my shop
with his son that currently is a bellyman at Steinway. Angelo is the 4th person from the left in the
photo below.
We talked about everything from bearing to soundboard construction, Angelo truly was a master and
we both agreed that we should have another meeting. We got together a second time and I told Angelo
that I had just rented a 10,000 square foot factory and that I was moving my shop there.
Angelo told me that he would come back in two weeks and that he would help me set the shop up like
a miniature Steinway Factory. I told him that I would open the checkbook and do as he directed.
Below is the shop on a panoramic view.
Angelo and I put our heads together on a soundboard manufacturing leg of the business as we only
wanted the best soundboards available in our pianos. We got in touch with the company that supplies
Steinway and began receiving shipments of Sitka Spruce. Angelo and I made several soundboards
together and tested them in many different ways and they held up as expected.
A student of Angelo named John Heartman had perfected soundboard construction and we spoke
with him, he was excited with what we was putting together and agreed to train me personally and
sold me his soundboard panel press and jigs for all Steinway Pianos. We spent a couple days together
in his shop and incorporated that knowledge into our manufacturing.
We began selling our soundboards to many piano rebuilders, one of the soundboards we
manufactured was for a client in Yonkers, New York, that wanted to install it into a Rosewood
Steinway Concert grand piano. Photo below of the soundboard and the piano it went into.
This Yonkers based company said that this was the most incredible sounding Steinway and that our
soundboard are the best of the best in the industry. They had installed several of our soundboards
into Steinway Grand Pianos which were then played by concert pianists. This company surveyed
those that played the pianos and they determined that our soundboards made the pianos sound better
then the soundboards made by Bolduc in Canada, a huge compliment. We have made soundboards
that have been completely precrowned and fully tapered as it is done at the Steinway & Sons Factory
with one added bonus, they are all constructed from tone tested and matched flitches, of the finest
Sitka Spruce money can buy. This is what our rebuilder clients desire as well as the clients we install
for.
Our shop equipment along with the operators are seasoned and trained by Angelo Andino and myself
they have countless hours of training and expertise in the areas needed to produce great results. We
continue teaching others this wonderful trade and offer the best we are capable of producing in spite
of those that wish to see us fall.
There are many levels of piano restoration, we perform according to the budget of our clients, there
is a Complete Budget Restoration for around $7000.00 there is a Complete Intermediate Restoration
for about $10 to $15,000 and a Complete Performance Restoration for around $20 to $25,000.00.
Photos below of our work.
What is our specialty you may ask, to restore pianos from the 1800's to the 1940's that do not play
and make them sing again. Many of the pianos that come to us simply do not play at all, they have
over time fallen to the stresses and strains of decades of use, and have become just pieces of
furniture, we make them play again.
The piano retail and restoration trade is a cut throat industry, many members of the trade will call us
and hang up just to take us from our work and slow us down, many will spread lies and rumors about
us to discourage us from the industry. I have even told people in the trade we was closing our doors,
this is when the harassment stops for a short time and then they start back up again.
We recognise that many in the piano trade wish us to just close our doors and pack it in however, we
refuse to give in to those that would like to see us fail. Many have bad things to say about us however
we just ask you to be the judge.Watch our show, learn about our trade, ask all the questions you like
and at the end of the day when you consider doing business with a piano restoration company We
hope you will choose us.
My greatest thanks to our partner Angelo for all he has shared with us and the many secrets bestowed
upon us, there could be no other then he. I have been trained by a Master Craftsman, The Last of the
German Trained Steinway Legacy of Craftsman, the legendary Angelo Andino.
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