Gates Piano Service

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Gates Piano Service

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Services

Piano Tuning

Most manufacturers and makers of pianos recommend a minimum of tuning twice a year for most in home pianos, due to the humidity and temperature changes from winter to summer. Not only does this keep your piano in the best possible tune, but it also allows the tuner to keep an eye on the inner parts of the piano and identify potential future problems before they become too expensive. While twice a year is common for in home pianos, different settings such as churches, schools, universities, and event centers often require more attention as their environment is often harsher on the instrument.

Dampp Chaser Installation

Extreme or fluctuating humidity levels can have detrimental effects on your piano, ranging from inconsistent pitch to long term structural damage. The Dampp Chaser System provides a consistent environment for your piano, both humidifying and dehumidifying the interior of the piano, as well as prolonging tunings and the life of your piano. These are most commonly used and recommended in churches and schools where the climate sees many temperatures changes throughout the week.

Hammer Shaping

What is hammer shaping? Well much of it is in the name. This is something that goes hand in hand with voicing a piano. The hammers (which is the part of the piano that strikes the strings to make the sound) wear as their felt becomes used, and ages over time. It compacts from striking over and over again, making the material hard and flat, as well as putting groves into the tops of the hammers. This creates extra striking points that should not be there. The shaping process simply returns the hammers to the original shape they once were. Which ensures the proper striking point and a much increased quality of sound!

Minor Repair

We offer a wide range of minor repairs. From a simple squeak in the pedal, to stuck or sticking keys, chips in the finish, broken hammers, pedals, flanges, and nearly anything else you can think of inside your instrument. Just as we need a doctor from time to time so does your piano. So don’t let the aches and pains of a broken key or misaligned Hammer keep you from enjoying your instrument they way it was meant to be enjoyed. Give as a call today!

Piano Regulation

Just as your vehicle from time to time need’s more then just fuel and an oil change to run properly, your piano needs more then just tuning to achieve the best possible touch and tone. Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the pianos to compensate for the effects of wear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and buckskin, as well as dimensional changes in wood and wool parts due to changes in humidity. 

Pitch correction

My favorite thing people say when I ask how long it’s been since the last tuning is, “Well let’s see who was president back when… fill in the blank.” (You know who you are) Not judging but come on, that is a crazy long time without a tuning, lol!
When a piano has not received a tuning in many years, or in some cases decades, then it may need what is called a pitch correction. Essentially what this is, is a very hard and fast roughed in tuning. This pulls the pitch up dramatically towards where it should be at, much more then a fine tuning could. Then, once that is done, a fine tuning wraps things up by pulling everything nice and neat and in line for a lovely finish!

String replacement

Got a broken string? No worries! Much like blowing a tire on the road, these things happen for any number of reasons. Factory defect. Little rust on the string. Or just good old fashioned age, wear, and tear. Whatever the reason don’t panic, we’ve got it! 
When a string has broken this is what happens… If it’s a bass string most techinicians will take one of two paths. One is they will use a universal string kit and try to match the string that broke as best they can, but usually in doing this the sound doesn’t quite match what was there before. The other way is to send the broken string off to a shop, where they will make a brand new custom string exactly the size of the old one. This is the process I use, as we have found it yields the best results. 
If the string that broke is a simple mid or treble range string that’s even easier! We have every gauge of piano wire there is at the shop and can get you back to playing before you know it. 
Once the new string is in place it usually takes a few tunings before that new steel is ready to stay stretched and where it belongs (as steel doesn’t like to stretch easily) but once that’s done you are as good as new! 

Voicing

Not happy with the tone of the piano you have? Many people are unaware that you can do far more to a piano’s sound then just tune it. Through Piano voicing, you can adjust the density of the felts covering the hammers striking the string to produce a warmer or brighter tone or sound. And when you are done it will sound like an entirely different piano! 

Piano Appraisal 

Curious about the value of your piano? Looking to sell it? Maybe you just need to update your insurance information.
Whether it’s for insurance purposes, or it’s time to sell your piano, an official appraisal offers a reputable, highly credible valuation that all sides can feel confident in.

Piano Tuning

Most manufacturers and makers of pianos recommend a minimum of tuning twice a year for most in home pianos, due to the humidity and temperature changes from winter to summer. Not only does this keep your piano in the best possible tune, but it also allows the tuner to keep an eye on the inner parts of the piano and identify potential future problems before they become too expensive. While twice a year is common for in home pianos, different settings such as churches, schools, universities, and event centers often require more attention as their environment is often harsher on the instrument.

Dampp Chaser Installation

Extreme or fluctuating humidity levels can have detrimental effects on your piano, ranging from inconsistent pitch to long term structural damage. The Dampp Chaser System provides a consistent environment for your piano, both humidifying and dehumidifying the interior of the piano, as well as prolonging tunings and the life of your piano. These are most commonly used and recommended in churches and schools where the climate sees many temperatures changes throughout the week.

Hammer Shaping

What is hammer shaping? Well much of it is in the name. This is something that goes hand in hand with voicing a piano. The hammers (which is the part of the piano that strikes the strings to make the sound) wear as their felt becomes used, and ages over time. It compacts from striking over and over again, making the material hard and flat, as well as putting groves into the tops of the hammers. This creates extra striking points that should not be there. The shaping process simply returns the hammers to the original shape they once were. Which ensures the proper striking point and a much increased quality of sound!

Minor Repair

We offer a wide range of minor repairs. From a simple squeak in the pedal, to stuck or sticking keys, chips in the finish, broken hammers, pedals, flanges, and nearly anything else you can think of inside your instrument. Just as we need a doctor from time to time so does your piano. So don’t let the aches and pains of a broken key or misaligned Hammer keep you from enjoying your instrument they way it was meant to be enjoyed. Give as a call today!

Piano Regulation

Just as your vehicle from time to time need’s more then just fuel and an oil change to run properly, your piano needs more then just tuning to achieve the best possible touch and tone. Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the pianos to compensate for the effects of wear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and buckskin, as well as dimensional changes in wood and wool parts due to changes in humidity. 

Pitch correction

My favorite thing people say when I ask how long it’s been since the last tuning is, “Well let’s see who was president back when… fill in the blank.” (You know who you are) Not judging but come on, that is a crazy long time without a tuning, lol!
When a piano has not received a tuning in many years, or in some cases decades, then it may need what is called a pitch correction. Essentially what this is, is a very hard and fast roughed in tuning. This pulls the pitch up dramatically towards where it should be at, much more then a fine tuning could. Then, once that is done, a fine tuning wraps things up by pulling everything nice and neat and in line for a lovely finish!

String replacement

Got a broken string? No worries! Much like blowing a tire on the road, these things happen for any number of reasons. Factory defect. Little rust on the string. Or just good old fashioned age, wear, and tear. Whatever the reason don’t panic, we’ve got it! 
When a string has broken this is what happens… If it’s a bass string most techinicians will take one of two paths. One is they will use a universal string kit and try to match the string that broke as best they can, but usually in doing this the sound doesn’t quite match what was there before. The other way is to send the broken string off to a shop, where they will make a brand new custom string exactly the size of the old one. This is the process I use, as we have found it yields the best results. 
If the string that broke is a simple mid or treble range string that’s even easier! We have every gauge of piano wire there is at the shop and can get you back to playing before you know it. 
Once the new string is in place it usually takes a few tunings before that new steel is ready to stay stretched and where it belongs (as steel doesn’t like to stretch easily) but once that’s done you are as good as new! 

Voicing

Not happy with the tone of the piano you have? Many people are unaware that you can do far more to a piano’s sound then just tune it. Through Piano voicing, you can adjust the density of the felts covering the hammers striking the string to produce a warmer or brighter tone or sound. And when you are done it will sound like an entirely different piano! 

Piano Appraisal

Curious about the value of your piano? Looking to sell it? Maybe you just need to update your insurance information.
Whether it’s for insurance purposes, or it’s time to sell your piano, an official appraisal offers a reputable, highly credible valuation that all sides can feel confident in.

Gates Piano Service

The Highest Quality

About Gates Services

Dedicated to service, dedicated to excellence, Gates Piano Service is a name you can trust in the piano tuning and service industry! Serving the Bloomington, IL area and beyond, Gates provides a variety of services for your beloved instrument that will keep you in love with your music. 

SERVICING MORTON, BLOOMINGTON, NORMAL, CARLOCK, GOODFIELD, CONGERVILLE, LINCOLN, FUNKS GROVE, SHIRLEY, MCLEAN, ATLANTA, LINCOLN, DEWITT COUNTY, TAZEWELL COUNTY, PEORIA COUNTY, PEORIA, WASHINGTON, EUREKA, HUDSON, DOWNS, EL PASO, ROANOKE, GRIDLEY, MINONK, PEKIN, DUNLAP, MANITO, HOPEDALE, CLINTON, HEYWORTH, and MORE!

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ADDRESS

2079 County Road 100

Carlock, IL 61725

(309) 750-8478     cgpianoservice@gmail.com

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Isaiah 40:29-31