How often should I have my piano tuned?
- For a new piano, recommended that the piano is tuned four times the first year.
- For a home piano that is played less than two hours a day, tuning twice a year is a good idea.
- For pianos that are played more than 10 hours a week more frequent tuning is necessary.
What factors contribute to having a piano tuned more frequently?
- Changes or fluxuation in temperature or humidity.
- Pianos placed under direct sunlight or above or below air vents.
- Use.
What can I do to reduce the effects of seasonal changes?
- Install a whole-house humidifier to keep humidity stable.
- Install a piano humidity control system, such as the Piano Life Saver system by Dampp-Chaser Corporation.
When should I consider having my piano restored or rebuilt?
Just like appliances in your home, pianos have components that wear out from both use and age. For a piano that is well maintained (at least yearly cleaning and tuning) with an average amount of playing time you can typically expect:
- Action (including hammers)- regulation every 5 years; parts replacement after major wear or when touch or tone changes.
- Strings – replacement every 15-30 years. Colorado’s low humidity allows this time to be longer than in other areas.
- Pin block – replacement every 15-30 years.
- Sound board – Colorado’s dry environment leads to more cracking than other locations. For small cracks, the sound board can be shimmed and refinished. For excessive cracking or poor sound, a sound board replacement is recommended.
- Plate – never needs replacement.
- Case, pedals, desk – cosmetic changes on individual bases.
How can I clean or sanitize my piano?
- The two places that are most often touched on your piano are the case (wood body) and the keys. Since the type of finish on the case and the key material are different from piano to piano, if you want to know the strongest disinfectant chemicals you can use, check with your piano dealer or piano technician (someone who has seen your piano).
- Generally, we recommend the following:
- Wipe down the case of the piano with a damp cloth of water and dish soap.
- Wipe down the keys of the piano with a damp cloth of a 50%/50% solution of isopropyl alcohol and water.