Since 1961
Piano Restorations Buffalo NY
Specializing in restoration of Steinway, Baldwin and all vintage pianos.
Full Service
Piano Repair and Sales
All of our work is completed at our own facility by skilled technicians and support staff.
60+ Years Experienced
A Complete Music Store
New and restored pianos, a full printed music division, and accessories that will enrich your home.
Illos Piano Restorations has a national reputation sustained by the highest level of craftsmanship.
About UsWelcome to Illos Piano Restorations in Buffalo NY
Family owned and operated since 1961, and celebrating more than 60 years in business.
We specialize in rebuilding and restoring pianos for clients across the country. We also sell quality new and used pianos, and install state-of-the-art player systems. We can arrange for transportation of your piano between our facility and anywhere in the country. In addition, we offer the following services:
- Tunings
- Appraisals
- Rentals
- Lessons
- Moves
Every restoration is completed in our own Buffalo facility by craftsmen, sanders, strippers, trained woodworkers, wood finishers, piano movers, piano builders and tuners on our own staff. Joseph Illos is an active member of the Piano Technicians Guild and a Registered Piano Technician, which lets us provide qualified service anywhere in the United States through the guild.
Our Services
We are a full service piano and music store offering many services such as:
Piano Restoration
Our facility is equipped with state of the art tools and manned by a proficient staff.
More about piano restoration
Piano Moving
We move pianos every day of the week. Professional and dependable.
More about piano moving
Piano Sales
We offer many pianos from various manufacturers from around the world.
See pianos for sale
Sheet Music
Simply the best stocked, most knowledgeable printed music store in Western New York.
More about sheet music
Piano Tuning
Our trained technicians have combined over 100 years experience tuning, repairing and appraising pianos.
More about piano tuning
Piano Lessons
We have the finest teachers in Buffalo on staff who have been teaching at our facility for over 25 years.
More about piano lessonsAreas We Serve
Our shop sits at 2940 Main St. in Buffalo's University Heights neighborhood, a few minutes from the UB South Campus and Delaware Park. Most of our tuning, moving and in-home service work covers Erie and Niagara counties: Amherst, Williamsville, Clarence, Cheektowaga, Depew, Lancaster, Orchard Park, Hamburg, West Seneca, Kenmore, Tonawanda, Grand Island, Lockport and Niagara Falls.
Full restorations travel much further. Outside Western New York we take on major repair work and full restorations only, with the piano coming to our Buffalo shop for it, and where a city is beyond the range of our own truck we facilitate the move with our partner piano movers and coordinate it for you. Because a rebuild takes months in our shop rather than hours in your home, transport is a small share of the total cost:
- Piano restoration in Albany, NY
- Piano restoration in Boston, MA
- Piano restoration in Cleveland, OH
- Piano restoration in Columbus, OH
- Piano restoration in Nashville, TN
- Piano restoration in New York City, NY
- Piano restoration in Philadelphia, PA
- Piano restoration in Pittsburgh, PA
- Piano restoration in Rochester, NY
- Piano restoration in Syracuse, NY
For Immediate Assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to restore a piano?
Every instrument is quoted individually, because the price depends on what the piano actually needs. A partial restoration that covers refinishing or action work costs far less than a full rebuild with a new pinblock, restringing, soundboard repair and new action parts. We inspect the piano, measure downbearing and string height, check the plate for stress cracks, then give you a written quote before any work begins. Call 716-832-0013 to arrange an assessment.
How long does a full piano rebuild take?
A complete rebuild is measured in months, not weeks. The piano is disassembled, the old finish is hand stripped and washed, then grain filled, sealed and lacquered, while the action is rebuilt with new keytops, bushings, hammers, shanks, flanges and wippens. Each stage has to cure and settle before the next one starts. We will give you a realistic schedule for your instrument when we quote it.
Is my old piano worth restoring?
Often, yes. Pianos built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries used multi-laminate pinblocks, thick hardwood veneers, sand-cast plates and solid spruce soundboards, with no plastic or particleboard. Only the most expensive pianos built today are made that way. We rebuild instruments from dozens of those makers, and we are glad to tell you honestly when a piano is not worth the investment.
Do you move pianos, and how far will you travel?
We move pianos every day of the week on our own specially designed truck. Local moves around Buffalo and Western New York are routine, and because we move so frequently we can price them competitively. For restoration work further afield, where the destination is beyond our own trucking range, we facilitate the move with our partner piano movers and coordinate the job end to end. See our piano moving page for details.
How often should a piano be tuned?
Twice a year suits most home instruments, and pianos used for teaching, worship or performance usually need more. A piano that has not been tuned in several years may need a pitch raise before it will hold a fine tuning. Our technicians have a combined century of experience tuning, repairing and appraising pianos.
Where are you located and when are you open?
We are at 2940 Main St., Buffalo, NY 14214. The store is open Monday to Wednesday 9AM to 6PM, Thursday and Friday 9AM to 5PM, and Saturday 10AM to 2PM. We are closed Sunday. See the contact page for a map and directions.