TUNING SERVICES

I offer three levels of tuning service:

1) Basic Tuning - $115:  Tune to A-440. Check and adjust pedals. This service is best for newer pianos that are tuned regularly and kept up-to-pitch. 

Why should I have my piano regularly tuned?

Your piano is made of materials such as wood, leather, adhesives and felt which respond to the environment.  So even if the piano is not being played regularly, its pitch can change in response to humidity or temperature variations (humidity tends to be the strongest driver - the pitch rises as humidity goes up).  Your piano was designed to be tuned to the international pitch standard of 440Hz.  It will sound its best when tuned to this pitch.  Maintaining this pitch is also important if you have children in the household (so that they learn to remember pitches correctly) or if you regularly play with other instrumentalists or vocalists.  Most piano manufacturers recommend four tunings in the first year and twice a year after that. 

But in the end, the question has a simple answer: A tuned piano is more fun to play!

2) Full Service Tuning - $175: Tune to A-440 (including a Pitch Raise if needed).  Vacuum casework on request.  As needed for optimum performance: minor repairs, fix regulation issues (pedals, action, keys or dampers), seat and level strings (tone building), and light voicing for any uneven notes. (A separate estimate will be provided should more significant repairs, regulation or voicing be indicated.)  The Full Service Tuning is strongly recommended for older pianos that haven't seen a tuning hammer in a while and for anyone who wants a more comprehensive service call. Also recommended for recording sessions or performance venues. 

Why would a piano need a "Pitch Raise"?

Over longer periods of time, pianos generally tend to drop in pitch.  If a piano is far out of tune, it’s usually not possible to bring it up-to-pitch in a single pass since tightening the strings at one end of the piano will throw already completed sections out of tune.

A “Basic Tuning” assumes that the piano is close to pitch and only requires a single pass.  But if it’s been years since the last tuning, then it’s likely that a “Pitch Raise” will be required which includes two passes through the tuning process. (More than two passes may be needed if it’s been many years since the last tuning.)

3) Tone Building & Tuning - $250: Bed the keyframe, seat strings at bridges, level strings, file hammers for string matching, and tune to A-440.  For the most discerning grand piano owner, this process addresses many of the tonal issues that emerge when hammers don't simultaneously strike all three strings.  (The service should only be needed on an occasional basis.)  This picture shows the types of string-to-hammer alignment issues that can occur:

Discounts are available on tuning services for Piano Teachers - call 415-994-1030 for details

REGULATION

"Regulation" is the term for making all the needed adjustments in the keys, action and pedals so that your piano can play through its full dynamic range and with good repetition.  (There can be as many as 20 adjustments per key.)

q   Touchup Regulation: set hammer blow distance, adjust for lost motion, set let-off, and adjust back checks

q Basic Regulation: (repairs and adjustments necessary to bring regulation to a good level): ease keys, check and correct key height/dip, adjust: blow distance, lost motion, let off, checking, aftertouch, dampers to pedal, center pedal, soft pedal and bridal wires.

q   Complete Regulation: (all repairs and adjustments needed to achieve a fine regulation).  All Basic Regulation, plus: replace key punchings, level and adjust keys, set key dip, align all action parts, space and travel hammers, full damper regulation

q   Partial Damper Regulation

q   Full Damper Regulation: adjust all dampers from scratch.

SERVICE ESTIMATE

q Purchase / Repairs Estimate - $80          q Appraisal - $110

Are you considering buying or selling a piano?  For the Repairs Estimate, I will do a full evaluation and provide written documentation on the condition of the piano.  This can be very useful in your purchase decision or to help you convince a buyer on the quality of your piano. 

For insurance or valuation for charitable donation, I also do Appraisals.  This includes a full evaluation of the piano (with Repairs Estimate if you choose) and a statement of the fair market value or replacement cost for the appropriate purpose. 

If you are in the market for a new or used piano, I highly recommend getting copies of Larry Fine's books: "The Piano Book" and "The Piano Book 2007-2008 Supplement".  These are rich in information on buying pianos, histories of piano brands, relative comparisons of brands and retail pricing information.  An online version may be accessed through http://www.pianobuyer.com/

For buying or selling pianos, it's hard to beat Craigslist.  Just spending some time on the pianos page will quickly calibrate you on the typical prices of used pianos.   It also doesn't hurt to check other cities if you have a particular brand and model in mind.

REPAIRS