Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend that pianos in homes be tuned at least once per year. A  new piano will need to be tuned more frequently for the first year or  two while the instrument settles in and becomes stable.

Pianos in churches, music schools and teacher's pianos are generally  tuned more frequently as they receive heavier usage.  Many times concert  and studio pianos are tuned before every recording or concert. 

Piano strings are under a great deal of tension that is supported by  the piano rim, the plate, pinblock, tuning pins, bridges, and the  soundboard. All of these components are affected by changes in  temperature and humidity, and even by playing the piano.

Pianos are built mostly out of wood. As the wood swells or contracts  with changes in humidity and temperature, the tension on the strings  will change. 

The strings are held at the proper tension by the tuning pins. These  pins are held tightly in place in the pin block by friction.  Playing  the piano will eventually cause the tuning pins to move – ever so  slightly- but enough to change the tension on the strings. As pianos  age, the pin block can lose some of that friction or even become  cracked, making it impossible for the piano to stay in tune. The good  news is that when properly cared for, most pianos can last 100 years or  more.

The average time for tuning is about 2 hours. If a piano has not been  tuned for a long period of time it may require a little more.

If the piano has been sitting for a very long time, it may need a  "pitch raise" to bring it back to the standard concert pitch (A440).  This adds about one more hour to the job for a total of about 3 hours.

Conditions of fluctuating temperatures, humidity and/or not tuning  your instrument regularly may cause the pitch of your piano to slip  below that of concert pitch (A440) and you may wish to have the pitch  raised.

Pianos are specifically designed to sound there best when tuned to  the standard concert pitch.  Although it is possible to tune a piano  below the standard pitch, you may not be happy with the results.

Over time, the piano's action (the moving parts) will slowly go out  of adjustment due to being worn down from hours of play.  The keys may  feel loose to the touch. Some notes may cause the hammer may bounce or  double strike the strings unintentionally.  It may become difficult to  achieve the power desired for loud passages or the control needed to  play very softly.

Regulating the action of a piano is simply the adjusting of all of  those thousands of parts to work together as the factory designed them  to work.  When this is done properly, the pianist has the optimal  control over the way the hammers strike the strings. The pianist can  then focus on musical expression instead of fighting against a worn out  instrument.

Piano "Restoration" means to put the piano back to a condition just  like new. This is a very expensive procedure that involves complete  disassembly of the piano, refinishing the case, and replacing every part  that is worn with a new part.

Piano Restoration is usually done only on very high quality  instruments or pianos with significant historical or sentimental value.

In most cases it is better to "Recondition" a piano. This is a much  less costly procedure that involves repairing and re-adjusting parts to  work like new and replacing parts that are beyond repair.  The piano  finish can be cleaned and touched up to make the piano look wonderful  without a complete refinishing of the case.

Reconditioning will often involve replacing the strings and/or  hammers. This is a major factor in improving the sound of an older piano  to bring back the rich vibrant voice that it had as a new instrument.

We are happy  to work with our customers to recondition pianos to  meet their aesthetic and economic goals.  If appropriate we will also be  happy to do a complete Restoration.

• Have your piano tuned at least once a year.
• Have your piano checked for any potential structural issues that could develop into future problems.
• Keep your piano in a temperature controlled environment that has as little fluctuation of temperature as possible.
• Keep all foreign objects away from your piano like: crayons,  pencils, rings, small hair barrettes, sewing needles, small toys, etc...
• Do not eat at the piano.
• Do not have your drinks sitting on top of or around your piano.
• Remove all plants from the top of your piano.
• Respect this most wonderful musical instrument.

If the outside casing of your piano is made of wood, many families  simply use their favorite wood cleaner or the same furniture polish that  they use on the other fine wood furniture in their home. On pianos with  a high-gloss finish, there are some special cleaning products on the  market for those types of surfaces. Be very careful that no liquid ever  seeps into the cracks between the keys as you could have problems with  sticking keys.

Interior cleaning of a piano is a very delicate job, therefore it should be done only by a professional!

There are climate control devices made specifically for pianos and  can contribute to the life of the piano when environmental conditions  might otherwise harm your piano.