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Tuning
Tuning

When a piano is tuned to A440, each string has an individual tension of around 150-200 pounds.  With over 200 strings, the total tension on the frame and steel plate of the instrument is well over 20,000 pounds.  This constant force, combined with seasonal temperature and humidity changes, cause the strings to deviate from their optimal pitch and go out of tune.  When a piano has not been tuned for a year or more, the overall pitch of the instrument can change drastically enough to require multiple tunings to return each string to the proper tension.  Maintaining a consistent level of string tension is crucial both to the longevity of your instrument and the stability of its tunings. 

 

Having your piano tuned twice a year is the most important step toward keeping it sounding great and in good working condition!

Standard Tuning = $200

(2 hour appointment)

  • Tuning to A440

  • For pianos that have been tuned at least once a year, are maintained regularly, and have been kept in a climate controlled environment. 

Pitch Correction = $265

(2-2.5 hour appointment)

  • 2 tunings in one visit to first bring piano to correct pitch, then fine tune.

  • Aka: double tuning

  • Often necessary for pianos that have gone more than 1 year without being tuned, and sometimes necessary after a piano has been moved, or has been exposed to extreme temperature and/or humidity fluctuations. 

Seasonal Service = $285

(3 hour appointment)

  • Tuning to A440, including any necessary adjustments in pitch

  • Minor adjustments to action regulation and/or voicing

  • Light cleaning

*Tuning prices only apply to the process described and do not include the cost of string replacement from breakage occurring prior to, during, or after the tuning process.  Prices do not include Texas state and local 8.25% sales tax. 

Regulation

The keys on a piano transfer energy through multiple action parts made of wood, leather, and felt, in order to strike the strings and create sound.  In response to the demands of constant motion and seasonal weather changes, these parts move out of proper adjustment, and experience wear and tear over time, hindering their ability to function optimally.  Signs of poor regulation include uneven response and feel, double striking hammers, and sluggish repetition. 

 

A full regulation is recommended every five years, but for the in-home piano, time spent on these necessary adjustments during regular tuning visits can bring noticeable improvement to playability.

Repairs

Sluggish keys, pedals that don't work, or broken strings, keys tops, or action parts?  Repairs that can be completed in 15 minutes are often included in the price of a tuning visit.  All other repairs will be assessed separately for the cost of labor and parts. 

Treble string replacement:

 

      Individual string = $45

     Multiple strings = $25/each

Bass string replacement:

     Universal bass string = $55

     Custom bass string = $75

*Prices reflect additional cost of string replacement, when completed during a tuning visit. 

Reconditioning

Much like the tires on a car, the moving parts of a piano's action can become old and worn, beyond the point of responding to fine regulation.  Hammers become grooved and hard, leather and felt become compressed, and wood becomes brittle.  Eventually, this will compromise the functionality of these parts, with some mechanisms ceasing to function entirely. 

 

Taking into account budget for the project, along with the age and value of the instrument, a plan can be devised to recondition or replace various action parts, in order to restore your piano to as optimal a working condition as possible.

Repairs
Regulation
Reconditioning

© 2020 by Caparis Piano Service

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