Serving Northern Oregon and Southwest Washington including the extended Portland metropolitan area from Salem to Kelso, Corbett to Hillsboro. I have serviced hundreds of pianos in the area. I have extensive experience in all aspects of rebuilding, regulation and repair.
As an Associate member of the Piano Technicians Guild, I continue to train in these aspects of piano technology. PTG link
The following are some general guidelines to help you plan your next service call.
Tuning - adjusting the approximately 230 tuning pins and strings to vibrate at certain frequencies determined by musical and acoustical rules.
It is best for a piano to be tuned at least once a year, more often if it is played frequently.
How often should a piano be tuned?
A piano that has not been tuned for several years or has been moved has
often gone far enough out of tune to need a pre-tuning in order for it to be
stable at the correct pitch. A Pitch Raise is the process of 'pre-tuning'
so a piano will be closer to correct pitch. This is a rough tune, and takes
about half the time of a fine-tune. More about Pitch Raise
I charge $95 for a standard tuning service call. A pitch raise is an extra
$30.
Regulation - adjusting the action, keyboard, and pedals to work correctly.
Each of the 35-plus parts per key needs to be even and smooth so that the piano will sound and feel its best.
Due to normal wear and climatic fluctuations, the average piano will need a regulation every 5 to 10 years. A full regulation cost ranges around $250 to $500, but parts can be done incrementally according to need.
I adjust or do small repairs as time permits during my regular, annual service calls (when the piano's tuning is stable), which can increase the time between full regulations.
Repair - to return to proper working condition
A piano repair can include anything from fixing a 'stuck key' to rebuilding an old gem.
I have rebuilt pianos as old as 120 years. A simple repair can be done during a tuning service call, depending upon the nature of the problem. More complex problems require bringing the action or parts to the shop. The repair's cost is determined following a proper evaluation.
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