Getting your piano tuned regularly is important and finding an experienced and qualified piano tuner is just as important. Buying a piano is a significant purchase so you need to look after it well. A good piano tuner is going to make all the difference in keeping your piano in perfect playing condition.
A good piano tuner can not only tune a piano but replace any broken or worn strings and they can do minor repairs. A few years ago when I was getting my own piano tuned (because it was due), the tuner found some damage done by moths. I don’t know how it happened but moths had gotten into my piano and had started eating away at some of the felts on the hammers, so some of them needed replacing. As well as tuning my piano and diagnosing the problem, he suggested that I get some moth balls – the kind you can hang in a wardrobe and hang them in two specific spots, which I now do (and replace them twice a year).
A good piano tuner that has years of experience can spot potential problems before they even become problems, which saves you money in the long term.
So how do you find a good piano tuner? This is one search I would not leave up to Google. If you know someone that has a piano and gets their piano regularly tuned, ask them. You could ask for a recommendation from a piano teacher or ask at a music store that sells pianos. Schools, Universities and other educational institutions where music is taught, would know and use a top quality piano tuner. Performance venues, from the biggest to the smallest would have at least one piano and they would also only use a really good piano tuner.
When it comes to making a time for the piano tuner to come and tune your piano, make sure it is someone that can’t book you in for a few weeks. If they are very busy then this is an indication that they are sought after because they are so good. I personally wouldn’t get a piano tuner that I didn’t have to wait at least a few weeks for. Another way you can make sure you are getting someone that really knows what they are doing is enquiring about what their qualifications are and whether they are a member of an association of piano tuners.
I would also not use a piano tuner if their prices are cheap. A good tuner understands that they are good and will charge accordingly. Here in Adelaide, South Australia, expect to pay at the very least a few hundred dollars for a piano that needs a simple and straightforward tune.
A piano tuner needs to charge this because, just like any other business, they have expenses they need to cover. This would include: their equipment, their travel time and car expenses, insurance and having a home office.
A really good piano tuner is not expensive because they have very specific, and a ‘not so common’ skill set. They are highly, highly trained professionals with many years of experience and they will look after your piano extremely well.
I’ve used two different piano tuners over a few decades and both have been very professional, given my piano an excellent tune , diagnosed and fixed minor problems and have been very pleasant to deal with.