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I am trying to open my piano for tuning, but I am not sure how to do it right.

The fallboard hinges on the upper panel, and weirdly the fallboard is connected to the body.

Here's a picture: enter image description here

And here are other pictures of the piano as a whole:

enter image description here enter image description here

Thus it seems to me I can't remove the whole thing.

What is the proper way to do it? Should I unscrew the thing connecting the fallboard to the body? If so, is it better to unscrew it from the body, or from the fallboard?

Thanks in advance for the help!

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    Is there not a lid on the very top that lifts?
    – Andy Bonner
    Commented Aug 22, 2023 at 17:59
  • @AndyBonner One still has to remove the fall board to sufficiently access the tuning pegs.
    – Aaron
    Commented Aug 22, 2023 at 18:55
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    Could you add a picture showing the piano as a whole? Just in case it offers a clue. Also knowing the make of the piano might prove relevant.
    – Aaron
    Commented Aug 22, 2023 at 18:56
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    It looks like you have an upright piano. If it's anything like the one in my old house, the tuning pegs are more easily accessed from the top, not the front. Does the top of your piano have a lid you can swing open?
    – Dekkadeci
    Commented Aug 23, 2023 at 6:09
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    @Dekkadeci to tune the piano it is necessary to have access not only to the tuning pegs but also to the strings. It will usually be easier to take off the front panel than to struggle with muting individual strings through the lid, and removing the front panel may require removing the fallboard.
    – phoog
    Commented Aug 23, 2023 at 7:42

1 Answer 1

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As noted in the comments, more pictures of the piano or more information about the maker and model might be helpful.

Should I unscrew the thing connecting the fallboard to the body?

You can clearly see gouges on the screws from their having been removed and replaced with an ill fitting screwdriver, so that is apparently a solution others have chosen. A professional tuner would likely do it; removing screws and parts of the case is frequently necessary for tuning and always necessary for doing more involved work such as adjusting the action.

If so, is it better to unscrew it from the body, or from the fallboard?

I would do whatever is easiest, especially since I would want to minimize the potential for further damage to the screws or the holes in which they sit.

(I would also consider folding the front panel and fallboard down without detaching them from the side board, but I suspect that I would not consider it for very long: there's a good chance that it would increase the risk of damage rather than reduce it, and it is also likely, depending on the size of the instrument, to make tuning more difficult rather than less as it will make it difficult to move from the keyboard to the strings.)

I would also be careful to find a screwdriver that fills the slot in the screw head. It's better to have the right tool for the job, and if you're planning on maintaining the tuning yourself you may find yourself doing this several times a year.

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    Thanks a lot for the answer! I have added pictures, in case it helps
    – Vic Seedoubleyew
    Commented Aug 23, 2023 at 16:53
  • @VicSeedoubleyew Just adding a concurrence — the bracket should be unscrewed from the fall board. I didn't find anything specific to Elcke pianos, but the consensus on a post on Piano Technicians Guild is that such brackets should be removed.
    – Aaron
    Commented Aug 23, 2023 at 17:37

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