Some of the questions I get asked by clients...

Can a 50, 60, 70 year old piano be tuned?
Yes a piano of any age can be tuned. However, you need to consider older pianos and the use they have had. If you find a second hand piano that's 100, 120 or even 150 years old you could be the 5th or 20th owner. You don't know the life the piano has had or where the piano has spent its life. I have seen some pianos that would have been beautiful pianos in their day but sadly have been stored in sheds, garages or outside on a deck and have gone through years of environmental seasons and have been ruined by weather conditions such as rain and sun. Older pianos are prone to having lose tuning pins, old strings that can break very easily, actions that have been ruined by rain or damaged due to the piano being dropped at some point. Due to the age of the wood, strings, action components, felts, etc. older pianos usually require a "mini-restoration" to get them singing again. The oldest piano I have worked on was made in the late 1700's and looks and sounds beautiful. On occasion there are some older pianos, and this is due to how they have been looked after, some may not be able to be saved and restored back to a playable standard. Its sad but these pianos usually end up at the local dump or tip shop, or end up being given away on Gumtree or Marketplace.

* Always get a second hand piano inspected by a piano tuner before purchasing. 

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How often should a piano be tuned?
A piano should be tuned at least once a year to keep it sounding and performing at its best. I have some clients who like their piano tuned twice a year at opposite seasons - Summer/Winter - Autumn/Spring. 

I tune my concert grand piano 5, 6, 7+ times a year which keeps it sitting at concert pitch of A440. I use my piano a lot for teaching and also for composing and recording of my music albums, music projects, etc. (www.PaulKenny.com) 

​Regular tuning should be part of owning a piano. If a piano is regularly tuned and serviced it will provide many years of enjoyment. A new piano will require several tunings to "stablise" the pins, strings, etc. It may need 4-6 tunings in the first year and then regular tuning once or twice a year. Different brands and also the quality of the brand/piano will determine the amount and frequency of tuning it needs to have. Generally quality brands such as Kawai, Yamaha, Alex Steinbach (Samick) would require 3-4 tunings when brand new in the first year then moving to once or twice a year depending on their use. If a student is learning on a piano then the piano needs to be maintained and in tune so the student can enjoy the beautiful sound and tone of the piano while practicing. A beautiful sounding piano that is in tune will encourage a student to practice. 

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My piano sounds bright, sharp and loud. Can anything be done to fix this?
The answer to this is YES. I can adjust the piano and work on the hammer heads to soften and mellow the tone. Depending on where the piano is made some manufactures use different felts which harder quickly over time with use. Older pianos that have had years of use the felts on the hammers become hard. What was once a rich mellow tone piano can become a bright, sharp sounding instrument. I have had many clients who have said to me while I was at their home tuning their piano for the first time, how they would like to sell their piano and purchase another one that has a more mellow rich European type of sound. After explaining how I can work on the hammers and make adjustments these clients have been extremely happy with the end results and the beautiful rich sound their piano now has. 

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How much does it cost for piano tuning?
The standard fee for a piano that is tuned every year or every second year is $240.00 (there may also be an added fee for travel depending on location). The cost for pianos that have not been tuned in over 10, 20, 30+ years maybe higher. A piano I worked on recently as a mini-restoration written inside the piano was the date 1947 and from what the owner told me that could have been the last time that piano was tuned!!  Most pianos can be tuned successfully and sound great again. Please contact me for more details and quotes for piano tuning, servicing, repairs and mini-restorations. ​Phone: 0413 488 004  

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What are your service areas?
I actually service all of Tasmania (statewide service). I enjoy driving and seeing different areas, regions and town across our wonderful state of Tasmania.  It is not uncommon for me to be on the West Coast one day and then the East Coast the next, or in the South of the state and then a day or two later back in the North. It's only a few hours drive from one end of the state to the other. Plus I do a lot of music thinking about new albums, new music books and compositions and also a musical I am writing while I am driving so it is good "think" time. 

​Please contact me for more details and quotes for piano tuning, servicing, repairs and mini-restorations. ​Phone: 0413 488 004  

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If you have any other questions please do not hesitate to contact me. If possible also send me a photo of your piano. You can contact me via email paul@pauljkenny.com or phone/text 0413 488 004

More details can be found on my main Piano Tuning web page. Click HERE
Contact Paul Kenny for booking information.
​Phone: 0413 488 004   Email: paul@pauljkenny.com
​WhatsApp: +61 413 488 004

Service areas include... Burnie, Penguin, Ulverstone, Forth, Riana, Turners Beach, Devonport, LaTrobe, Don, Port Sorell, Sheffield, Cambridge, Deloraine, Westbury, Somerset, Wynyard, Table Cape, Stanley, Smithton, Queenstown, Strahan, Zeehan, Scottsdale, Beaconsfield, Longford,  George Town, Exeter, Beauty Point, Bridport, Launceston, Ross, Campbell Town, Oatlands, Kempton, St Helens, St Marys, Swansea, Scamander, Bicheno, Saint Helens, Kingston, Dodges Ferry, Primrose Sands, Hobart, South Arm, Blackmans Bay, Margate, Huon, New Norfolk, Bridgewater, Pontville, Brighton, Huonville, Bellerive, Claremont, Austins Ferry, Sandy Bay. 

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The Music of Paul Kenny can be found on Apple Music, Spotify and all other music apps and platforms. 

​Digital Downloads, Streaming and CDs available.
​
www.PaulKenny.com

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Paul Kenny (Official) Facebook Music page

 

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