Frequently asked piano care and maintenance questions
How often should I tune my piano?
Tuning your piano is about more than intonation. It’s also about maintaining consistent pressure on the soundboard over the piano’s life, which helps maintain tuning stability. As the pitch falls, it dramatically reduces tension. Piano manufacturers recommend tuning every 6-12 months. As a piano ages, you may find pitch will hold longer.
What maintenance needs to be done?
Over the life of a piano, some parts wear and age, and must have work done. This includes:
- Reshaping or restoring hammer surfaces
- Realigning where hammers strike the string
- Decompressing damper felts and restoring damper pedal action
- Returning tension to jack spring or repetition lever spring
- Regulating action parts so the Strike, Escapement, and Aftertouch are consistent and operate correctly.
- Removing dust and debris that collect inside the piano
How long does a tuning take? What’s included?
The basic piano tuning can take as little as 90 minutes, or as much as 3 hours. Also included in the standard service is:
- Non-cosmetic cleaning of the parts of the piano vulnerable to dust and debris.
- Repair of poorly functioning notes or pedals, as time allows.
What’s not included?
A piano tuning does not include voicing, full action regulation, or restoration. If your piano could benefit from one of these services, it will be offered at your tuning. These services are infrequently required, and time consuming.