Stake Choir Contact Info
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Usually 10-14 days is sufficient.
If you're moving the piano within the same house from one room to another or to a different part of the same room, it shouldn't need to be tuned again. A move to a different location might affect a piano's pitch, but let your ear be your guide.
1. Your best defense against de-tuning is to invest in a Dampp-Chaser Humidity Control System, a dedicated humidifier/de-humidifier assembly which mounts directly inside the piano to maintain a consistent humidity level year-round. This can greatly improve tuning stability and extend the life of the instrument by reducing the wear and tear resulting from environmental changes over time.
2. Maintain a consistent humidity level within the room as much as possible. Many modern furnaces with built-in humidity controls can help to maintain a consistent level of relative humidity. A portable humidifier can also help as long as it's situated away from the piano. Leafy plants within the room can also be helpful.
3. Avoid placing a piano over air vents when possible. If your piano is seated over a floor vent, either close the vent or insert a piece of cardboard or similar material between the vent and the piano to diffuse the air.
4. Avoid placing your piano in front of outside windows when possible, as direct sunlight can cause de-tuning due to temperature fluctuation and also cause piano finishes to fade over time. Indirect sunlight is not usually an issue.
There is no hard evidence that this has any effect on tuning stability, and there is always the danger of the water spilling on the inside of the piano, which can cause significant damage (so be careful if you have any potted plants on the top lid!). The presence of water close to copper and steel can also produce rust, particularly in the strings and tuning pins.
This depends on a number of factors: relative humidity, piano age, condition and placement, quality of manufacturing and materials, time of year, how often (or how aggressively) the instrument is played, and so on. It's impossible to predict with certainty how long a piano will stay in tune after a service; the most effective way to find out is to have the piano tuned several times at different seasons over a long period of time and see how it holds up.
1. How often: Ideally every 6 months, but most typically once a year. Think of a piano like a car: consistent servicing ensures that it performs at its best.
2. When: Usually as needed. Pianos are often tuned at the start of the school year and prior to concerts, recitals, and exams, but it is entirely a matter of preference.
Think of regulation like a tune-up for your car: it involves making fine adjustments to the internal mechanics to ensure they are functioning properly. It affects factors such as the touch or "feel" of the keys, the speed of repetition, and the control of expression, all of which are essential for the development of correct playing technique.
1. Value: Performing a web search for pianos of similar vintage and style will give you a rough idea of a piano's relative value. The older the piano, the more its value depreciates due to wear and tear. Much like a car's engine, a piano will eventually require major servicing or rebuilding once its components degrade beyond their ability to function properly.
2. Age: The manufacturing date can sometimes be found online using the piano's serial number, which is often stamped or written on the plate near the manufacturer's name. Piano dealers and technicians also have access to resources to help determine a piano's age.
The cost of a complete rebuild of a piano's interior can run into five-figures and take weeks of work, which in most cases far outweighs an older piano's monetary value. The cost of installing new tuning pins, strings and hammers alone would pay for a decent used or new entry-level piano. In most cases, rebuilding is often only worth the investment of time and money if the piano has significant sentimental value.
The most critical elements when selecting any piano are the appeal of its sound and the touch or "feel" of its keys to the player. Here are some specific things that you can check if you're concerned about a used piano's condition:
1. Look for deep rust on the strings and around the tuning pins. Also note if there are many missing or "spliced" strings, which can indicate metal fatigue and likely the need for string replacement.
2. Look for broken or missing parts, such as hammerheads or other internal parts. Several different-colored parts may indicate that part breakage could be an issue.
3. Examine the bridges - the wooden "rails" that all strings in a piano lay across - for cracks. Strings will not stay well in tune on a cracked bridge, and this can often indicate the compromise of other interior wooden components as well.
4. If possible, play up and down the keyboard and listen to how individual notes and scales sound. If you have individual notes that sound like two or three notes being played at the same time, the tuning pins may be loose and the piano may not hold its pitch well.
Mouse traps and rodenticide tablets can be placed on a piano's interior, as long as they don't interfere with any of the piano's moving parts. Be sure that any interventions aimed at eliminating mice are not a danger to children who may be using the piano. If mice have taken up residence and built nests or food stores inside the piano, it will need to be disassembled for cleaning and possible repair work.
