What to Know Before Your Tuning Appointment

Who to Have Present at Your Tuning: Whoever will be playing the piano most frequently.

• Everyone hears a little differently. Some people are happy with the piano, while others find notes that sound off to them. I want to have happy clients. It helps a lot to have the piano player present at the end of the tuning to pass of my work.

My one-month policy:

• Pianos have a lot of moving parts. During a piano tuning, a lot of tension is added to the strings. Because of these factors, it is easy for a recently tuned piano to have a note or two fall out of tune. If anything sounds wrong up to 1 month after your appointment, I will come back and fix it! If your piano still sounds good after one month, the tuning should stick for 6 months to a year :)

• After your tuning and after I have come back (according to my one-month policy), if you are unhappy with my work, I will refund 50% of your money and you can hire another tuner. I would suggest calling David Orton at 88 Keys Piano Service in Twin Falls, ID.

When Your Piano Was Last Tuned:

• If your piano was tuned within the last 5 years there should not be any problems in getting the tuning to stick.

• If your piano has not been tuned for 5-10 years I add a charge of $25. I should be able to get a tuning to stick within one visit, but it will take more work. I will have to manipulate multiple strings/pegs. Because of this, there is a possibility I will need to come back and fix a note or two. Because of my one-month policy, my second visit will be free of charge.

• If your piano has not been tuned for 10 years or more your piano will more than likely need a pitch raise and stabilization. My charge for pitch raise is $100. A pitch raise is needed when the piano has fallen really flat. To accomplish a pitch raise, I will need to come in two visits. My first visit will be raising the pitch of the piano. Your piano will not be fined tuned when I leave. During my second visit, I will tune the piano. I cannot accomplish a pitch raise and a tuning in the same session because the piano strings need time to get used to the tension needed to hold a tune.

• If your piano is new (within two years) your piano will take 3-4 tunings a year for the tuning to stick. The strings of a new piano take time to stretch and settle.

• If your piano has been left outside, in a garage, or an uncontrolled climate you will need to bring the piano inside (away from an outside wall) and wait 3 weeks for the piano to climatize to room temperature. Your piano will need to be treated like new (see bullet point above). It will take a couple of visits for the piano to stick. It is possible that your piano is damaged and untune-able. I will have to come and see your piano in person. For pianos that have been left outside that I think I can fix, I charge my pitch raise fee (which includes 2 visits). For every other visit needed for the tuning to stick, I charge $100. Depending on how much the piano costs and/or the sentimental value you have for the piano, it is often not worth the money to have me tune a piano that has been left outside.