Parke Piano Strings & Materials-Main supplier of piano strings, parts, wire and materials throughout Australia.

ABOUT US AND OUR SERVICES

Parke Piano Strings & Materials (Proprietors Lou & Alisa Parke) began trading in 1981 following the retirement of Mr Len Parke (Lou's father, now deceased) from the successful piano-string making business he had built up since the 1950's.

We are specialist piano bass string manufacturers and suppliers to the piano trade throughout Australia and New Zealand of quality piano materials, tools and books, as well as services such as custom hammer boring and cutting.

We also stock a large range of Music Wire (high tensile polished steel), which finds many applications outside the music industry.

The business is operated from factory premises in Frenchs Forest, Sydney, and to a lesser extent from our home in Turramurra. Most of our business is Mail Order, but customers are welcome at any time to call at our Frenchs Forest factory.

SERVICES PROVIDED

To find out more about the products and services we offer, please click on one of the following boxes:

BASS STRING-MAKING SERVICES

HAMMERS / CUSTOM BORING & CUTTING

OTHER SERVICES

MUSIC (PIANO) WIRE

BASS STRING-MAKING SERVICES

We provide complete piano bass string-making services (all strings spun using top quality German steel and copper wire) :
* Full sets
* Partial sets
* Odd strings
* Hexacore Replacement Strings

FULL SETS & PARTIAL SETS

These can be made to samples, rubbings (paper templates), or specifications. If sending samples, send all strings strictly in order on a piece of wire, preferably with the wire cut just below the tuning pin coil. Indicate any missing strings with a cardboard washer. When a rubbing is sent, please also include the first and last strings to allow me to accurately interpret the rubbing. If you are unsure of the best way to take a rubbing, please give me a ring. If you are sending specifications, list information for each string (see below for odd strings). In all cases, please quote Make, Model & Serial No. of piano if possible, as well as the total number of Monochords (Singles), Bichords (Doubles) and Trichords (wound triples). Indicate also the number of Break-Notes (wound strings on the tenor bridge). We have a vast library of scales for all makes and models of pianos, so in many cases it is possible to make a set of strings knowing only the make, model and serial number.

ODD STRINGS

Please send samples, or measurements as below:
A; Hitch pin to start of winding (Back Length)
B: Winding length
C: Diameter of steel core wire
D: Overall diameter of wound section (state whether single or double wound)
State also the type of eye (loop) required (eg. English. Single German, Double German), and whether the lengths are measured with the string under tension or off the piano. Alternatively, lengths can be stated as hitch pin to inner bridge pin, and speaking length (vibrating length of string). If possible, quote note number (rather than string number), and make/model/serial no. of piano.

HEXACORE REPLACEMENT STRINGS

These strings are made in 20 sizes on hexagon wire, enabling copper to be cut to any required length. Numbered from No. 1 (thickest) to No. 20 (thinnest), the strings are available as a set of 20 or may be ordered individually. They are designed as a convenient stop-gap replacement in situations where it is difficult to order a custom replacement. Please contact me if you would like any more information on these strings.

HAMMERS / CUSTOM BORING & CUTTING

We stock a comprehensive range of German and Japanese Hammer Heads for both Upright & Grand Pianos.
Upright heads are available pre-bored or un-bored, or may be custom-bored (and cut if required) from samples.
Grand heads are usually supplied un-bored or custom-bored.
For custom boring, send end hammers from each section, together with shanks, and state the number of hammers in each section.
Please state if new shanks are to be used, as this will determine the size of the drill hole.
Custom boring is done by Mr Emanuel Rey, Swiss-trained Piano Builder, and one of Australia's most highly regarded Technicians.

CUSTOM-MADE HAMMERS

Occasionally, hammers cannot be supplied from stock and must be custom-made by our German supplier (Abel). We can order a set of custom-made hammers for you on the basis of the samples you supply (see above).The cost is usually not much greater than an equivalent set from stock, but obviously supply may take significantly longer.

OTHER SERVICES

PIANO REBUILDING, RE-STRINGING, AND REGULATION

Subject to available space, pianos may be shipped to our workshop for attention by Mr Emanuel Rey, one of Australia's most respected Technicians. Emanuel graduated as a Master Piano Builder with the Swiss company Burger & Jacobi. He specialises in the following work.

· Grand & Upright Piano Action and Keys (Restoration/rebuiding and modification if necessary).
· Grand Dampers/Levers (Restoration/rebuilding and modification if necessary).
· Grand & Upright Piano Re-stringing (including adjusting string bearing to balance down pressure on sound board, etc, and chip-up).
· Grand & Upright Piano Action Regulation
· Grand Damper & Sostenuto Regulation.
· Grand & Upright Hammer Drilling and Cutting Service see section on Hammers/Custom Boring (& Cutting), Drilling (& cutting) is available only for hammers supplied by Parke Piano Strings & Materials.
Emanuel may be contacted on (02) 47541454 ( ph / fax / answer machine )

TUNING PLANKS

We supply sheets of tuning plank material (sufficient for 2 or 3 wrest planks), or material may be cut to your specifications. Send a paper pattern if you would like plank cut to irregular shape.

MUSIC ( PIANO ) WIRE

We stock a full range of sizes of German Music Wire (from 0.20mm to 1.70mm diameter). Besides its use in pianos, the superior quality high-tensile steel wire finds applications in a number of other industries outside the music trade.
Usually available in 500g or 250g rolls (depending on diameter), we will also take special orders for larger quantities on sufficient notice.