How Much Does It Cost To Tune A Piano

It is true that tuning a piano does not need to be done as frequent as compared to some instrument like guitars. However, most piano owners do not have the skills to tune a piano themselves. It is quite a bit of work, as there are many keys and each key strikes 2 or 3 strings simultaneously. Therefore, from time to time a piano needs professional tuning to maintain the quality of its tone and pitch. Experts suggest that a piano be tuned around two to three times annually. Read on and find out the piano tuning costs.

Typical Cost Of Tuning A Piano

The average cost of tuning a piano is $60 to $150.

Included In The Price Of Tuning A Piano

The price includes the service fee for the technician coming over as well as the tools he use for the tuning.

Consider These Factors

Tuning expert. The cost of tuning a piano is usually determined by the fees asked by the expert. This depends on his reputation, skills, and experience in the line of work. An expert who has a good track record of tuning professional pianos can charge higher than the normal rate.
Condition of the piano. A piano that has not been tuned for years can mean more things to be taken care of. Hence, the piano tuning cost can be higher than normal. This can be explained because of the fact that the tuning professional may require more time to do the tuning as compared to a piano that is in good condition.
Location. An area with a good number of tuning experts may price the tuning lower because of the competition.

Additional Costs

Additional services. If your piano needs more than just tuning, you may need to pay more to the technician. Problems that are usually encountered by tuning experts are sticky keys and squeaky pedals.
Repair and maintenance. The tuning expert may find several issues with your piano that needs repair or replacement. This can add up to the cost of tuning your piano. For instance, if there is a broken string, the replacement cost can start from $20.
DIY tuning. If you decide to tune the piano yourself, take note that some costs are involved with the learning process. Books and courses are available online. Plus, you need to buy your own tools to get this started. Though this involves money, the knowledge and skills you acquire when learning about this task can save you a lot of money in piano tuning costs yearly. Plus, this can be a good source of income, too.

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Tips Before You Decide to Tune A Piano

Know whether your piano is really out of tune or not. eHow.com has this article on how you can tell if your piano is out of tune.

Learn more about piano tuning so you can be guided in terms of getting a tuner and the services your piano may need in the long run. This FAQ page at the PianoFinders.com can be very helpful to answer all your piano tuning questions.

As much as possible, get a registered piano technician to help you with tuning your piano. Find registered piano technicians near you at the Piano Technicians Guild website.

Get referrals from your music teacher or your local piano dealers to find the best tuning expert near you. It always is better to find an expert that other people are satisfied with.

You can also consider tuning your piano yourself. However, take note that this is not an easy job especially if you have not done this before. Check out TuningYourPiano.com for an illustrated piano tuning tutorial that can guide you with this task without the help of a professional by your side.