TUNING

To a piano technician "tuning" means a very specific operation in which the tension of each string is adjusted to a particular pitch. Since 1972, I've performed approximately 24,000 tunings. 
   For the first 20 years of my career, I tuned solely by ear using a tuning fork to set the first string. I now have incorporated state-of-the art electronics as an adjunct to my ears. I feel that the combination of well-trained ears and sophisticated electronics results in the best tuning possible.
   In the mild climate of the Pacific Northwest, most home pianos need tuning once or twice a year, depending on how hard and how much they are played.



FULL SERVICE

Rather than just performing a simple tuning at each home visit, I plan extra time for looking after the piano's other needs, including minor repairs, such as fixing a broken string or hammer, cleaning the soundboard, refining the action regulation (touch), or voicing (tone quality), if these things can be done in a reasonable period of time. I plan roughly an hour for the tuning itself, and a half hour or so for these other services. My fee for a typical hour and a half full-service call, including travel time, is $185 in Seattle and $195 on the Eastside, in Snohomish County, or other near outlying areas.