Tuning:
Tune a piano by ear. $180 A full tuning can take from 1.5 to 3 hrs.
Repairs:
Most repairs can be done at no extra cost, when possible, while I am tuning the piano if time allows. If further repairs are needed, further charges will apply. If this is the case, I will make any recomendations and give a quote for more repairs.
Pitch:
Most pianos are tuned so that the A above middle C is 440Hz. This pitch is called A440. Most pianos stay in pitch from 6 months to a 1 year depending on the conditions of the piano and its environment. When a piano has not been tuned for many years, it's pitch will sag. If the pitch falls by more than half of a semitone (half the distance between 1 note and the next), then it will not hold it's tune when it's pitch is raised back to A440. To tune such a piano to A440 pitch will require tuning it twice at least and there is a greater risk of strings breaking.
It is best, when tuning such a piano, to only raise the pitch slightly, so that it will stay in tune longer, then raise the pitch some more the next time it is tuned. If the customer wants such a piano tuned to A440 pitch in a single visit then it will take from 3 to 5 hrs and cost $230.
Beale Pianos:
Beale is a brand name. The older Beale Pianos have a different tuning system than all other pianos. These pianos take longer and are more difficult to tune, but once finished, will stay in tune longer than a normal piano. I charge $200 to tune an older Beale and $250 to do a pitch raise.
Sometimes the tuning pins can get rusty and need attention before tuning it.
Read more