EXPLORE PROJECTS OF RESTORED PIANOS

Discover what 1066 Pianos is capable of. Our family-owned business has been a trusted name in piano restoration in Cambridge and across the UK for over half a century. That’s a legacy of quality and craftsmanship you can rely on.

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World Class Reputation

Workshop In The Heart Of Cambridge

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A Portfolio That Speaks For Itself...

Every piano has a story, and the team at 1066 Pianos brings those stories to life. Our highlighted projects showcase the finest examples of piano restoration, vintage rebuilding and disaster refurbishments, each a testament to our dedication and skill. Whether you're a seasoned pianist or a passionate beginner, our projects offer inspiration and insight into the world of high-quality pianos and their potential when working with a team like ours. From Cambridge to Berks, our work has touched the lives of many, creating instruments that not only sound beautiful but also stand as works of art. Dive into our collection and see the magic we bring to every piano we touch.

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A retired professional pianist brings a Bechstein back to life

This was the client's childhood piano. She wasn’t a top pianist but enjoyed playing and had played this piano for years and years. In her semi-retirement, she bought a lovely grand piano for the main lounge but this was for performance; sometimes you just want to play alone. Asking advice many said, 'Buy a cheap Yamaha or similar', but the tinny sound was loud and unforgiving, and she didn’t enjoy playing that sort of tone. This piano had formed her ear for something more special.

We had sold her the grand for the drawing room so she called us out to discuss the upright, and whilst it was a significant investment, we could hear what she loved about the piano and we were able to assure her this would be enhanced and brought out even more, and everything she didn’t like would be removed. 300-man hours later the BECHSTEIN emerged from our workshops absolutely transformed - and musically it was perfect, just needing some playing-in and refining as the hammers were used. A later voicing session after a few months brought it up to its very best.

Unusually, the cabinet came out too dark - the piano was very sun-bleached so when re-polished, it found its original colour. The 1066 Pianos workshop team stripped it down, bleached and repolished it again. Now both appearance and music are exactly right and our client is delighted.

A piano to be proud of

Robert and family play really well – they have a good upright and this Broadwood sat in the lounge. Stable tuning was an issue, the action was a roller but an early ‘comb’ continuous -centre action and alignment was an issue and playability was poor. The case had lots of veneer issues and was very dark – you couldn’t see the beautiful grain figure. The soundboard was split from top to toe, the bridges were split, and the very heavy steel frame had lost its gloss. The Broadwood crest proving the same factory had made a similar sized piano for the Royal family, which now resides in Sandringham was looking rather sad. Robert liked it but the only option was a big investment into a big piano – was it worth it? Would he be happy with the finished piano? His parents loved the idea and wanted to help it become a reality. After much consideration, they went forward with the works.

Several months later the piano emerged, transformed. The comb action was upgraded, the whole acoustic side fully rebuilt, and tech ambient French hand polished with a real deep body to the shine. Indeed, it is now an awesome instrument that British Heritage should be proud of. Robert and family are delighted, especially now the piano has settled in and played-in and the tone really filled out and mature.

The Bechstein Grand from New Zealand

Tammy’s family Bechstein Grand she learned to play on resided in a remote seafront home near Auckland in New Zealand – it was the other side of the globe, literally. It was bequeathed to her but, could it be brought back to England and restored to a condition for her own daughters to also enjoy it, and progress on it to the next level as they had outgrown their very standard Yamaha Upright? Tammy was recommended to us by a pianist friend for whom we had restored her own Bechstein, which now resides with her own daughter. It made the possibility nearer as it was a similar case, so Tammy called us up. Immediately she found that an import from even New Zealand left us un-phased - we already had connections, and in due course it was all happening.

It wasn’t without complications – the Bechstein had original ivories which of course we wanted to keep. Being vintage we were able to get CITES certification from both NZ and UK authorities, which took a few months. When this was finally through, there was a period of terrible storms and flooding in Auckland, and the piano just couldn’t be moved for quite a few weeks. When it finally could, the CITES had expired and we had to re-apply. In due course, the piano hit Felixstowe port and went through customs smoothly and arrived in Cambridge for an initial inspection, confirmation of quote tendered, and discussion of the various options on the casework.

Work began – the piano underwent the routine kilning to climate it for the UK, and then the full rebuild over several months. It had great potential, and after our works became a wonderful piano to treasure forever and pass down the generations again.

Our restoration process gives every piano a life expectancy as when first built, rebuilt to last and give lasting satisfaction and happiness, and rebuilt rugged to withstand the storms ahead wherever and whatever they may be. The piano’s own trouble free performance is guaranteed. It’s another 1066 great story about a great piano and a very happy musical family.

Bechstein piano taken apart for restoration

Bechstein open and working following restoration

A 100 year old piano, reborn

Louise and her sister were clearing up their parents’ home as circumstances meant they had to go into care. Being local and recommended, they contacted 1066 to ask what to do about the piano.

They thought it had been in the family from new but they weren’t sure. It had a good tone for its size and the cabinet was well cared for – there was plenty of music in the family but it was a question of if the piano justified the investment.

This was a 1926 Windover Upright, made in London. 1066 have rebuilt many over the years, not famous but well-made good-sounding solidly-built uprights and baby grands with a full powerful bass and good contrasting treble – definitely a rewarding investment.

In our inspection we discovered a folded piece of paper under the frame in the bottom of the piano. It was the original bill of sale, and yes, it was made out to the two sisters' grandfather exactly 100 years before! This confirmed that the piano had in fact always been in the one family, which made the restoration all the more special.

After due consideration the family went ahead with a full rebuild, and just minor works to the case. The results were brilliant, and the instrument is now giving excellent service 4 and 5 generations on.

‘It has never sounded or looked this good!’

The tuner in Wales told Mrs Jones either she would have to restore the piano or get another – it would no longer hold pitch, and the playing action was poor.

Furthermore, it was her late husband’s family piano and on the piano among others stood a photo of her daughter’s wedding day and her playing this same piano. So much history, so many happy memories, they couldn’t get another.

Recommended to us, we visited, quoted, and collected the piano into our workshops and after 3 – 4 months, it was returned home again. As quoted by Mrs Jones, ‘It has never sounded or looked this good!’

Yet another satisfied customer and a family piano that will continue down the generations.

And the tuner has called us saying what a lovely job and how enjoyable now to tune!

Piano with cover over, in process of restoration

FIRE DAMAGE – BABY GRAND AND FURNITURE EFFECTS

We were called out to see a ‘Fire Damaged Baby Grand’ in the north of England - and to this day I have never forgotten the atmosphere in this once lovely little period cottage...

The main room of the house had caught fire, started electrically. It had already had a quick clean but everything was black – everything you touched made you go black, my suit needed a full dry clean and I went to my next appointment looking very much shabbier than normal... such an event in family history needs to be forgotten and all traces of it in any furniture or effects that are restored and preserved need to be without blemish or even a sniff of the fire about them... it’s a big ask but it is possible.

This story was particularly poignant – the house belonged to a widow who was now in care and her husband had been a violinist and musician who won many prizes and this was his special piano which they had wanted to keep in the family – it had significant sentimental value. There was a framed photo of him standing by this piano holding his violin (see below, shown covered in soot on the piano at the fire scene).

There were one or two other nice pieces of furniture too that they wanted to keep but had almost lost hope of it being worthwhile.

Furthermore, as the widow was not living there she at the time knew nothing about the fire, so it was important that the pieces to be restored for the family could be done without trace or memory ...

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A vintage wooden piano, featuring the strings.

PLEYEL Satinwood Grand Flood Damaged

A 1910 Pleyel grand in a satinwood case with ebony banding belonging toa client near Saffron Walden in Essex.

Significant flood damage had afflicted this piano, and a lack of care in the drying out meant much of the veneer was loose and needed completely re-laying.

The before after photos are quite dramatic – showing just what can be achieved by the scope of the skillset in 1066 workshops…

The appearance of the piano was absolutely transformed along with the sound and touch – now a beautiful instrument

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.