Since July 2020 James Carney Pianoworks has been rebuilding highest quality acoustic instruments at the first piano workshop/showroom in Industry City - located on the Sunset Park waterfront in Brooklyn, NY. 

A lengthy career in music including performance, composition, leading many studio recordings and curating a well regarded series of live music led James Carney in recent years to expand into skilled work in the tech and restoration of fine pianos. In his shop and showroom located at 68 34th Street in Brooklyn, Carney transforms older, beloved Steinway grand pianos into custom, modern instruments. Retaining the integrity of these instruments is a driving force behind his work, informed by his decades of musical experience. 

"I was fortunate to acquire my workshop in Industry City during the Covid lockdown, which allowed us to be able to afford this wonderful space - and all the new tools and equipment necessary to perform high-end piano restorations" says Carney. "Since the summer of 2020 we've rebuilt four grand pianos, a vertical piano, and we've also replaced several customized actions for recording studios and private clients. We now have several Steinway grands ready to rebuild and sell, and we continue to restore client pianos as well; our specialty is working with discerning recording studios, pianists, and musicians who appreciate customized work that transforms the touch and tone of any given factory piano. We spend copious amounts of time on refinement of the original instrument, new parts preparation, and the actual rebuild itself." 

The large, secure, light-filled space with 13' ceilings and polished concrete floors is perfect for Carney's high end, meticulous piano work. "It's a modern, clean, and technologically advanced shop with real humidity and acoustic control. Featuring state-of-the-art tools and equipment, the focus is on rebuilding techniques that make the most of an instrument's performance potential while preserving the vintage parts and aspects of a piano that can’t be replaced. We’ll engage in time-honored rebuilding techniques while utilizing newer innovations such as wire rescaling, hybrid wire inclusion, and customized action modifications that elevate the touch and tone of each individual piano."