Please send an email to me at yourkeyisintune@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
A. Generally one hour to an hour and a half - especially if there are no repairs or pitch adjustments required.
A. The nationwide average is anywhere from $125 - $200. For a complete listing of my rates, check out the rate page on this website.
A. Many tuners will charge the same fee regardless of the type of piano they’re tuning. I have found that over the years I can tune a vertical piano slightly faster than a grand piano - thus the difference.
A. Ideally a piano should be tuned every 6 - 8 months, but in general, most individuals have theirs tuned once a year. Piano teachers usually ask me to tune twice a year, as well as many churches, schools and public meeting venues. Exceptions are performance venues and recording studios, which can have their pianos tuned anywhere from 3 - 6 times a year depending on use.
A. The short answer is no. The longer answer is covered in this blog.
A. The main reason pianos go out of tune is changes in temperatures, humidity, as well as the fact that pianos settle in varying levels between tunings. For more detail, check out this blog.
A. Believe it or not, I run across this issue almost weekly. The short answer is - yes, it is probably tunable. Rarely have I walked away from a piano that couldn’t be tuned. Those I have had to say no to either had a cracked soundboard, or the repairs required were too costly. Another factor is, if it’s not been tuned in years, more than likely it cannot be brought up to standard pitch, which is A-440. HOWEVER I am always able to tune the piano to itself, leaving it sounding much better than when I arrived. Subsequent tunings, raising the pitch each time, can in many cases result in restoring the desired standard A-440.
A. There are many reasons that could cause this to happen. Typically, the number one reason is the piano is in an environment where there are lots of temperature changes and humidity fluctuation. Also, when a piano is next to an exterior wall or a window, this could also affect the tuning. Humidity and temperature changes can cause the piano's wood and other parts to expand and contract, resulting in the pressure on the strings to change. One remedy is to stabilize the piano by installing a Piano Life Saver system, also known as a Dampp Chaser System.
A. There are many possible Piano Life Saver systems to choose from. Cost is one factor; the other is determining what system will work best for your piano. I am a Certified Installer of these systems - so feel free to contact me for a custom quote.