FAQ’s

Q: How often should my piano be tuned?
A: Most manufacturers recommend tuning a new piano four times the first year and twice per year thereafter. This would apply to recently restrung pianos as well. Tuning and inspection once per year is regarded as minimum service.

Q: How much does tuning cost?
A: See Pricing page.

Q; How much do repairs cost?
A: This question is difficult to answer precisely without fist evaluating the piano to diagnose exactly what needs to be repaired. See Pricing for more information.

Q; What causes piano keys to stick?
A: A piano’s action contains thousands of parts, almost anyone of which can cause a key to stick. However, there are certain issues that arise more frequently than others. Some of the more common are tight key bushings and/or tight flange bushings. As with all repairs, I need to inspect the piano in order to diagnose accurately.

Q; How old is my piano?
A: The name of a piano usually appears on the fallboard (key cover) just above the center of the keyboard. The serial # is usually found in the tuning pin area. It may be stenciled on the cast iron plate or embossed on the wood. Once you have found this information visit the Piano Bluebook. If you are unable to establish the age on your own I can probably help.

Q: How do I clean the keys and cabinet?
A: Although almost any mild cleaner will do for cleaning keys, my personal favorite is Key-Brite Cleaner by Cory Piano Care Products. The cabinet can be treated like any other piece of furniture. Oil polishes can be used on very old pianos, but are not recommended on newer instruments. For many years pianos have been finished with either lacquer or polyester and manufacturers usually recommend cleaning only with a damp cloth. Consult your owner’s manual if available. For additional information, check out Finish Care Bulletin at Piano Technician’s Guild website.

Q: Can you help me find a good used piano?
A: I do not buy or sell pianos. The best general source of information about buying pianos is “The Piano Book”, by Larry Fine. I highly recommend this book.

If you should have any additional piano related questions, please click on the links below to visit the following websites:

Piano Technicians Guild
General information about piano technicians including lots of piano related
resources.

Piano World
Hosts a number of forums of interest to piano owners.

Piano Buyer
Anyone interested in buying or selling a piano should visit this site and buy Larry
Fine’s book.

Piano Blue Book
Find your piano’s age and other information about buying and selling.

Piano Life Saver Humidity Control
This is the Dampp-Chaser Corp. website which explains in detail how climate
conditions affect the piano.