Does anyone have any guesses at about how much it would cost to get a piano tuned? I've had one sitting in my house for about a month that's in desperate need of a tuning, but I wanna make sure it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to do.
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Piano Tuning
- Thread starter mattscott306
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Holy Cow!
Matt, why not just phone around? This market is intensely local and prices will vary. Call the piano shops and/or your local University music department, and ask who they recommend.
I sent out a few emails, to different companies I found online, last week but got no replies.
I didn't think about checking at school (or uni as y'all call it) so I guess I'll do that. Really I'm just trying to get some price guesses, and I don't feel like dealing with pushy sales type people to get prices verbally.
You just need to find a good guy (or gal). It should cost you well less than $100. I believe my guy charges $55.
Piano Tuning Kits can be had (ex. Schaff) for around U.S.$50 and up. If you have any kind of ear at all, and can settle on an A-440 (as Katie mentions), it shouldn't be that difficulst just using Tuning Hammers.
My oldest brother (concert pianist) used to drive us crazy with his tuning sessions, but it works.
My oldest brother (concert pianist) used to drive us crazy with his tuning sessions, but it works.
Is this a new Steinway grand, a vintage Duo-Art Player Piano or just an old "common" upright? If the piano has some real value beyond a no-name upright or studio piano I wouldn't let just anyone that owns a tuning hammer tune it.
Generally this is bad advice, unless the piano is virtually worthless. A novice with a tuning hammer can easy to break strings and other things. This page offers some good advice on the subject of tuning your own piano.
Most pianos are tuned 1/4-step flat out of the factory. Many old pianos have never been tuned to A=440. Bringing them up to A=440 should be done slowly, least old strings may suddenly snap. Esp. on say a 50-year old piano that's never been tuned. If the piano is worth $25, it's no big deal. I've seen people screwup some valuable pianos trying to do it themselves however...
Why would your same advice be considered good and the other, bad?
You assume "novice" as a relative, catch-all term.
It's a kimball upright a friend had no use for any longer. The friend was under the impression it was made sometime in th 50's, but I have no evidence of that.
I was asking neighbors about piano tuners just last month, when I arranged for a piano to be donated to our school by a neighbor of mine.
I also read the Wikipedia page and learned there's a lot of music science behind it!
I concluded that local word-of-mouth is indeed a good way to find piano tuners.
I also read the Wikipedia page and learned there's a lot of music science behind it!
I concluded that local word-of-mouth is indeed a good way to find piano tuners.
How bad is it out of tune. Can you play a song and still get the basic tune or is it so far out that you can't even make out a chord. Do the strings sound sharp and crisp or is there a pingy sound when the hammer hits. You might need to fix more then strings in an old piano. The hammers might not be striking right or the dampers might be out of whack. If you attempt to self tune make sure not to damage the sound board. That would be very bad.
I would say $75-150 depending on the piano and the work needed.
I would say $75-150 depending on the piano and the work needed.
My dad does piano tuning as a part time hobby, he usually charges $75-$150 depending on the condition, time needed, etc.
You will probably have to spend a lot more if you hire somebody that uses computers to tune your piano. Get somebody who does it by ear, it will sound better.
You will probably have to spend a lot more if you hire somebody that uses computers to tune your piano. Get somebody who does it by ear, it will sound better.
My guy charges $90, but I've paid as much as $210 before (rip off). For a regular upright, it shouldn't be a large outlay of cash. Sometimes if it would be inordinately difficult to bring a very out of tune piano up to A=440, they can tune the entire piano flat (but in tune with itself) which is fine unless you have perfect pitch or you'll be doing any accompanying.
If you're unsure of who to turn to for a referral, you can ask your local church organist or school music teacher who they recommend.
If you're unsure of who to turn to for a referral, you can ask your local church organist or school music teacher who they recommend.
It's pretty bad off- I can get out a few chords around middle c, but anything else is a bit off. I do know that Middle C is tuned correctly as I've tested it out with both my guitar and an electronic keyboard I have.
The actual sound of isn't as bright as I think it should be, but I figured it was just becuase it was an older piano. (Can you tell I don't have much experience with them...)
My guy charges $90, but I've paid as much as $210 before (rip off). For a regular upright, it shouldn't be a large outlay of cash. Sometimes if it would be inordinately difficult to bring a very out of tune piano up to A=440, they can tune the entire piano flat (but in tune with itself) which is fine unless you have perfect pitch or you'll be doing any accompanying.
If you're unsure of who to turn to for a referral, you can ask your local church organist or school music teacher who they recommend.
Since middle C is in good shape, I'm assuming it shouldn't be too hard to bring the rest up to a=440. As for referals, I don't know any church organists nor school music teachers. As for my Uni, they're out of session untill next week, so I can't ask them just yet.
holy cow, a few hundred dollars? i think my tuner is <$100, but my piano doesn't really go out of tune but I do break the occasional string, and it's been a while...
otoh it's a yamaha upright. i want to get a steinway grand but there's no room...
otoh it's a yamaha upright. i want to get a steinway grand but there's no room...
I spend about $85 to tune mine every year. Depending on how humid/how often your climate changes you may need to get it tuned more/less often. I'd say that you should be able to find some place to do it for under $100. If you know of anyone else that has a piano you may try to get a recommendation from them.
You probably want to get a real tuner then, if it's not evenly out of whack then it's probably been let go for a really long time and may take a few passes to get it into shape (the added tension from bringing up all the other strings will likely flatten the ones that currently seem to be in tune, and so on).
That can be addressed, but it'll cost you
You may want to convince yourself that you like it that way.
Trivia: Wood must be dried when used to manufacture a piano. The amount it needs to be dried depends on the climate of the area in which it will be sold.
Hmm, I was hoping I wouldn't have to call them out more than once, but I was thinking I probably would have to. Oh well, I'd rather do that than have the piano just sitting unused.
Well that sucks, would it require string replacement to get to sound brighter?That can be addressed, but it'll cost you