Tuning

To request a piano tuning please contact us.

Piano tuning is a major facet of our business covering an area from Lancaster up to Whitehaven including the South Lakes and across to Sedburgh, Kirkby Lonsdale and Dentdale.

We maintain numerous pianos based in the regular concert venues within the South Lakes and West Cumbria but are equally happy to look after instruments of any age or condition.

Fees range from £45 - £55  (incl. V.A.T.) dependent upon travelling time although an additional charge up to £10 may be requested if extra time is required to raise the pitch an excessive amount. This extra work however, ought only to be necessary once.

It is our policy to recommend that all pianos should be tuned to concert pitch (A440) as it is at concert pitch when they produce their optimum tone . The policy of pulling pianos up a little each time they are tuned is pointless, this is really an excuse to make the tuners life easier!

There are of course the exceptions i.e when the tuning pins are a little loose or if strings appear to be breaking.

Thinking of buying or have you been offered an old piano?
Be very wary!

There are many pit falls you can fall into----- Sticking parts, Broken strings, Loose Bridges Loose tuning pins and cracked soundboards to name but a few.

Firstly and importantly is the piano you are considering straight strung or over strung?  With a rare exception of quality manufacturers simililar to Bluthner and Bechstein straightstrung pianos are almost universally not worth purchasing.

Please see photographs below, illustrating the difference between a straightstrung piano and overstrung.

Straightstrung Piano	Overstrung Piano

Due the massive influx of new,cheaper,Chinese pianos creating a glut in the market, there has never has been a better time to buy a good quality overstrung older piano but please ring up for advice . This is freely given and not a ploy to sell our own pianos.  We would much rather help you buy a decent instrument than be asked to repair something which ought not to have been purchased in the first place.

If you live in the South Lakes we can help remove some of the risk .If you request us to move the piano for you, we are happy at no extra cost to appraise the piano prior to loading. We will telephone you to give you our verdict and you can decide whether or not to continue with the purchase .If you are happy, we will buy the piano on your behalf, to be reimbursed upon delivery.
We emphasise that this would not be a contractual survey as it would be entirely free of charge.

Should you decide not to go ahead with the purchase you would pay only a percentage of the delivery costs.