Piano tuning & maintenance in Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Milton, Burlington, and the entire Greater Toronto Area
Prices for many of the items listed here will vary based on the specifics of your piano. Please contact me to arrange a consultation.
the three T's: tuning, touch & tone
Much like your car, a piano needs regular professional care to function well. Most of the time we fill the car with gas and we're off, but at longer intervals we need to do oil changes, and change brakes, tires and other important components that wear with normal use. Your piano is no different. This page describes many other important maintenance steps that fall under touch and tone.
touch
Action Regulation - price by quotation Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the piano to compensate for the effects of wear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt and buckskin, as well as dimensional changes in wood parts due to changes in humidity. If your instrument displays a lack of sensitivity or a decreased dynamic range, it's a candidate for regulation. If you notice that the keys are not level, the touch is uneven or the keys are sticking, the need for regulation is indicated.
tone
Voicing - $80 per hour Voicing refers to adjusting the tone of the piano and is an often overlooked maintenance component. Your piano may benefit from voicing if
You don't like the sound even after it has been tuned
You piano sounds different than when you purchased it
Tone varies radically from note to note
You cannot achieve a range of tone (mellow to bright) at different volumes
The piano has lost its ability to play softly
protecting your investment - the
next level of care
1 day
in-home service $350 (includes a tuning) (1/2 day $225)
Quality pianos will
show tremendous improvement after a 1 day in-home service to address
action regulation and lubrication, voicing, cleaning, and
adjustments to dampers and pedals.
This visit will bring your
instrument to a higher level of performance that is easy to maintain
with ongoing tuning and voicing.
Specific tasks performed will vary
based on my examination of the piano.
Full Grand System $650, Full Upright System $550 Some pianos will benefit from these systems, which essentially create a micro-climate within the piano, improving tuning stability and extending the piano's like by protecting it from damage due to seasonal humidity fluctuations.
Click here to learn more about humidity
control from the Piano Technician's Guild.
Want
to keep an eye on it for yourself? Visit your local hardware or home
improvement store and ask for a $20-$30 hygrometer to keep near the
piano.
humidity control
Maintaining a stable humidity pays both in the short term for tuning stability and in the long term by reducing stress to the wood components and finish brought on by humidity fluctuations. In Southern Ontario in-home relative humidity ranges from 30% or less in winter months to more than 60% in summer. Solutions to controlling humidity run from a simple dish of water inside upright pianos, to inexpensive room humidifiers, to full blown humidity control systems installed in the piano like the one described at left.
I monitor humidity and temperature on every visit and record it on my invoice.
Repairs $85
first hour, $65 additional hours, parts extra
Squeaks and rattles? Sticking keys?
Ringing dampers? Broken hammers?
I'm fully qualified to
effect all manner of repairs to all makes and models of upright and
grand pianos.
Purchasing assistance $50
Thinking of buying or selling a
used piano but would like an expert opinion on its value? Beware when
buying a piano privately - a few extra dollars spent getting an expert
to look the instrument over can save you dollars and grief in the long
run. If you're new to the world of pianos, The
Piano Book by Larry Fine is an excellent place to begin educating
yourself about pianos and piano ownership. Do you have an insurance
issue with a piano? I'll be pleased to evaluate any instrument you
are considering.
Reconditioning
Pianos
greater in age than 20-30
years, or even older, are often due for a major reconditioning or
replacement of interior parts, which can prolong the instrument's life
for many more years. This can include but is not limited replacing or
reconditioning the strings and tuning pins, hammers, felts throughout
the piano's action, dampers and pinblocks. See the Restorations
page.
Piano cleaning - $100 for interior components, $200
for interior and exterior
Every 5-10 years the piano’s
interior should be cleaned by a technician. Many people are shocked to
see the amount of dust and dirt that collects in a piano over the years.
Aside from being unpleasant this can create a health hazard in your
home.
Reach me by phone at the number below, email or by the Contact page to arrange a piano tuning or other service.
