Tuning & repairs

optimash · Post by **optimash** » 01 Dec 2007, 22:43

I should be buying an Upright Piano tommorow, for 100 pounds. It's a very old upright piano, London something or other, has candle holders on it, etc.. I was just wondering how much does it usually cost to tune in an upright since it needs tuning. Also 1 of the Hammers has come clean of and is probably somewhere at the bottom of it, and another has come out of its position. Can you buy piano hammers separately, and if so how much do they cost? Will be a great help, thanks.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 01 Dec 2007, 23:10

You're quite right, the hammers are probably somewhere on the floor of the piano or fallen behind the action; to reattach those I'd charge about 5 to ten quid, depending on how many and on how they're broken (sometimes you can do a cheap repair by binding an obliquely broken shank (stick) with thread and glue rather than by drilling out and replacing the broken shank, which is the longer - and better - method of repair) . If the hammers are missing completely then you have the option of cannibalisation (pinching hammers from the extreme treble/bass) or asking your tuner to supply one. Without wishing to be cruel, it doesn't sound as though the piano is top-flight, so the cheaper repairs would probably be the best option. Tuning is fifty quid here near London, but the further you get away from London (or other major cities) the cheaper it gets.

optimash · Post by **optimash** » 01 Dec 2007, 23:17

Thanks for the info, yeh the make of the upright i've never heard of before and isn't going to be as good as the better more known uprights, but you can't argue at 100 pounds. Tuning prices are pretty good, i was hoping they'd be around 50 pounds so i'm happy about that. The only thing that did put me abit of with the upright is the 2 broken hammers, but i shall call a tech/tuner tommorow and see what there prices are and what they can do. And thanks for the info, was a great help and I can't wait to start playing the piano: thanks again.

Post by **Bill Kibby** » 02 Dec 2007, 01:22

To say the piano needs tuning does make an assumption that it can be tuned, many old pianos cannot, and before worrying about cost of hammers, you need to know whether it is worth spending on.