Piano String Replacement — What to Expect

Full piano restringing is a major undertaking — typically costing S$1,800–S$3,500 for an upright and S$2,500–S$5,000+ for a grand. It involves removing all ~230 strings, cleaning the plate and interior, fitting new strings, and then multiple pitch raise and tuning passes over several months as new strings stretch into position. Here is what to expect from start to finish.

When Is Restringing Necessary?

Not all pianos need restringing. Signs that strings have reached the end of their life include:

• Visible rust or corrosion on the treble strings
• Bass strings with corrosion on the copper windings (the outer winding separates from the core wire)
• Strings breaking regularly under normal tuning tension
• Muffled, dead tone in the bass register that does not improve with voicing
• An instrument over 60–80 years old that has never been restrung

In Singapore's humidity, strings tend to rust faster than in dry climates. A piano stored for years in a non-air-conditioned environment may have corroded strings even if it is not especially old.

The Restringing Process

Step 1 — Measure and Source Strings

Each piano has strings specific to that model. The treble and tenor strings are plain steel wire. The bass strings are copper-wound around a steel core, with each bass string custom-wound to a specific diameter, speaking length, and termination. Bass strings cannot be purchased off-the-shelf — they must be ordered to measurement from a string manufacturer. This adds 2–6 weeks to the timeline for the bass section.

Step 2 — Remove Old Strings

All strings are brought to zero tension (detuned) and removed. This is a full day of work for a skilled technician. With all string tension released, the plate visually relaxes and the interior of the piano can be fully cleaned — decades of dust, felt fragments, and debris are removed from the plate and soundboard.

Step 3 — Install New Strings

New treble/tenor strings are looped around hitch pins at the bottom of the plate and wound onto tuning pins at the top. Each string must be positioned precisely across the bridge pins and plate bearings. The process requires setting the correct initial tension, coiling the correct number of turns on the tuning pin, and ensuring the string seating across the bridge is correct. This takes 2–3 days for a full upright.

Step 4 — Pitch Raise Sessions (Multiple Over 6–12 Months)

New strings stretch considerably. After initial stringing, the piano must go through a series of pitch raise passes — bringing all strings to tension repeatedly as they settle. The first tuning after restringing is a rough pitch raise. A second and third tuning over 4–8 weeks brings the piano closer to stable pitch. Final precise tuning at A440 is achievable after 3–6 months for most pianos, and the pitch continues to stabilise for up to 12 months. Pitch raise sessions (S$120–S$180 each) are additional to the restringing cost.

Cost Breakdown

Higher costs reflect premium string materials (Röslau German wire, Mapes custom bass strings). Entry-level stringing uses acceptable-quality wire at lower cost but may not match the tone of the original instrument's string specification.