Piano Tech -- Tuning, Regulation, and Repair
Serving Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico since 2010
Call (505) 662-0380 to schedule
(its a landline -- no texting)
Tuning the Steinway at historic Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos NM
Tuning the Steinway at historic Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos NM
My basic tuning rate $175 Sometimes a piano has gone far enough out of tune -- usually 20c flat or more that it needs a Pitch Raise to 442 first followed 2 weeks later by fine tuning at 440Pitch raise -- $175, with the fine tuning at $75.
Regulation -- Tuning is how it sounds, regulation is how it plays. Regulation entails Key work -- entails removing all the keys from the piano 1) blow distance -- the distance of the hammers at rest to the strings 2) key height -- height of the key from the key bed 3) key dip -- how far down the key goes 4) lost motion -- when the key will move a bit before it engages
Action work Let off -- the key pushes a jack which pushes the hammer to strike the string. However the jack has to disengage from the hammer just before the hammer makes contact or the hammer would simply stick to the string. On an upright piano that let off is 1/8" from the string -- on a grand its 1/16".
The above is the process for any vertical (upright) piano and is usually a 5 hour proposition -- in essence all day. Player pianos have the additional process of removing the player unit from the piano in order to get to the action.
Upright piano regulation rate -- $350 for consoles, studios, and full uprights. $375 for spinnets (drop action pianos) $450 for player pianos
Grand piano regulation requires removing the keyboard from the piano and has 2 additional steps in the regulating processGrand piano regulating rate -- $450
Regulation -- Tuning is how it sounds, regulation is how it plays. Regulation entails Key work -- entails removing all the keys from the piano 1) blow distance -- the distance of the hammers at rest to the strings 2) key height -- height of the key from the key bed 3) key dip -- how far down the key goes 4) lost motion -- when the key will move a bit before it engages
Action work Let off -- the key pushes a jack which pushes the hammer to strike the string. However the jack has to disengage from the hammer just before the hammer makes contact or the hammer would simply stick to the string. On an upright piano that let off is 1/8" from the string -- on a grand its 1/16".
The above is the process for any vertical (upright) piano and is usually a 5 hour proposition -- in essence all day. Player pianos have the additional process of removing the player unit from the piano in order to get to the action.
Upright piano regulation rate -- $350 for consoles, studios, and full uprights. $375 for spinnets (drop action pianos) $450 for player pianos
Grand piano regulation requires removing the keyboard from the piano and has 2 additional steps in the regulating processGrand piano regulating rate -- $450
keys and action removed from piano
Graphic of how works the action for an upright piano
Tuning a player piano
Regulating a grand piano
Repairs --
On average repair rates run $50/hr plus parts. Repairs can be a simple as a sticky key or as major as total string replacement (rarely have to do this). Here are some of the usual standard repairs ----- sticky keys - usually fairly simple ----- Broken string -- requires removing the action ----- Broken hammer -- requires removing the action ----- Hammer replacement -- fairly involved, requires removing action, pulling old hammers, sending samples to Schaff piano to have new set duplicated, putting the hammers on and alignment. Takes a couple weeks due to sending for new hammers. ----- Damper replacement -- fairly involved -- remove action, replace each damper, put action back in and align dampers. Some repairs can get very involved particularly if the piano has been badly mistreated or badly stored. Floorboards or other case parts may need to be replace, or the piano may need to be re-finished. Sometimes a broken part may need to be hand made if it is no longer available from piano supply companies.
On average repair rates run $50/hr plus parts. Repairs can be a simple as a sticky key or as major as total string replacement (rarely have to do this). Here are some of the usual standard repairs ----- sticky keys - usually fairly simple ----- Broken string -- requires removing the action ----- Broken hammer -- requires removing the action ----- Hammer replacement -- fairly involved, requires removing action, pulling old hammers, sending samples to Schaff piano to have new set duplicated, putting the hammers on and alignment. Takes a couple weeks due to sending for new hammers. ----- Damper replacement -- fairly involved -- remove action, replace each damper, put action back in and align dampers. Some repairs can get very involved particularly if the piano has been badly mistreated or badly stored. Floorboards or other case parts may need to be replace, or the piano may need to be re-finished. Sometimes a broken part may need to be hand made if it is no longer available from piano supply companies.
Changing a bass string
Removing a damper lever