tips on tuning a piano

[Gullible]

Has anyone out there tried to tune their own piano?
Any hits or tips? Tool recommendations? Pitfalls to watch out for?

We only paid $50 for the piano so my philosophy is that even if i mess up in a big way it was a low cost experiment.:angel:

[simonmelb]

The professional tuner who did my brothers baby grand used a windows CE device and app- don't know the name of it but he said it's widely used.

There's probably an android equiv now. I think it promted him on the tuning sequence too.

Cheers
Simon

[Sitec]

You need to talk to philandliz on here.. There's two, he's the one with the defender 110 and a 101.. He's a piano tuner by trade and might be able to help you.. If you can't find him, give me a shout! :)

[B92 8NW]

I tuned my 101 year old Gors & Kallmann myself as a stopgap before it fell apart. I bought some rubber mutes and the right size lever/wrench. I already had a handheld chromatic tuner from orchestra days.
Wouldn't recommend if its going to be used for performance or if it's a valuable instrument. I just isolated each key to a single string with the mutes, tuned it by the meter, then removed the mutes one at a time and tuned the other strings on the key by ear.

[Jojo]

We always had a professional tuner doing the job. Worth the expense IMHO. As with so many other tasks, it looks easier than it actually is.
Cheers

[Hoges]

I tuned my 101 year old Gors & Kallmann myself as a stopgap before it fell apart. I bought some rubber mutes and the right size lever/wrench. I already had a handheld chromatic tuner from orchestra days.
Wouldn't recommend if its going to be used for performance or if it's a valuable instrument. I just isolated each key to a single string with the mutes, tuned it by the meter, then removed the mutes one at a time and tuned the other strings on the key by ear.

Wonderful:D I also have a Gors & Kallman ...about the same age. This is the first time in three score years I have ever heard of someone else having this same make! Was originally bought for my grandmother... she was a music teacher in Victoria but died before I was born. It is still in reasonable tune but I'd like to fine tune it. These days I have more time than money, a good ear and handy with tools...you have given me inspiration!

[Homestar]

For the price you've got nothing to lose, but some old pianos are beyond it. If the chassis is bent or cracked you'll never get a decent sound out of it again, but worth a try.:)

[benji]

I tuned mine after re-pinning it a while ago, not difficult, just time consuming.
Just match up the harmonics on the perfect and octaves.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using AULRO mobile app

[Gullible]

Thanks for the support.
The piano passed its first test today. I took the back of and gave it a good clean (some of the dust rolled off like felt), and the sound board is not cracked and not obviously warped.

I'll try to get to the bridge in the next day or two to see if it is cracked. If it looks OK I'll order some piano tuning tools from the USA. Nothing serious just a simple tuning set and a hammer file to re-vioce the piano (three days of internet searching and youtube videos and I sound like an expert).

[Gullible]

Well, well, well.
Plans may have to change.

The bridge is OK all the keys and hammers are in good working order. The hammers need re-profiling and the dampers need replacing which is all well and good.

The problem is that I have just discovered the piano is over 150 yrs old. Made between 1855 and 1860 by Knabe. Now that I know I have an antique and possibly a valuable one I'm less inclined to have a go at refurbishing it myself.

I has also occurred to me that this is not a terrible position to be in. ;)

[digger]

Well, well, well.
Plans may have to change.

The bridge is OK all the keys and hammers are in good working order. The hammers need re-profiling and the dampers need replacing which is all well and good.

The problem is that I have just discovered the piano is over 150 yrs old. Made between 1855 and 1860 by Knabe. Now that I know I have an antique and possibly a valuable one I'm less inclined to have a go at refurbishing it myself.

I has also occurred to me that this is not a terrible position to be in. ;)

Although Piano is not my forte, even I know that to tune a tall piano, you must scale it.

I recall when I played piano in n orchestra, there were a couple of enterprising bass players, unwilling to sit through a long, bass-less stretch of Beethoven's Ninth, sneaked off stage and into the bar next door. Whilst we were all working away the beer flowed; time passed. "Look at the time! We have to get back!" said one. "Relax," said his partner, "I tied the last few pages of the conductor's score together with string. It will take him a few minutes to untangle it."
They staggered back into the hall and took their places. About this time, I noted to another member of the orchestra that the conductor was breaking a sweat. "Of course," replied my companion, "It's the bottom of the Ninth, the score's tied, and the bassists are loaded!"

Sorry, I was going to open with you can tune a guitar, you can tune a piano but you cant tuna fish, but I realised you can if you adjust the scales, and maybe use the tuna fins......

anyway I thought I should contribute this I learned to this thread,
A friend of mine has a piano that she just wasn't happy with until recently. It never sounded right to her.
She went through tech after tech trying to find someone who could bring her piano to life.
After searching on the Piano World forums, and starting many threads, someone sent her a PM. The message said simply "Call John Oppornockity - 555-6789".

Well, she called and he came.
He spent most of a day with her piano. She didn't know everything he did, but she did say he transformed her piano.
Suddenly, it sang like a choir of angels. The sound was clear, yet dark, pure, yet complex, without the slightest blurring in the faster passages. It was breath-taking.

Well, that was about 6 months ago now, and my friend's piano is ready for another tuning.
Sadly, when my friend called John to book an appointment, he said "Sorry, Oppornockity tunes but once."

OK now I am going.....sorry...:angel: I just assume that Im in treble...

[Hoges]

:p:clap2::clap2::clap2:

[Bigbjorn]

Pianos in country halls used to get out of tune from the wood drying out and shrinking. Popular solution used to be to lift the top and pour a jug of beer over the works. Always thought it a terrible waste myself. Bore water would have done the job equally well.