Piano Tuning Services in Naples
Naples Premier Piano is a full-service concierge for all your piano needs in Naples, Bonita Springs, and the Lee County area. We provide general upkeep and maintenance tuning, regulation, voicing, special event tunings, performance, and recording on-site services. We will assess the condition of your instrument and make recommendations as to what services would be recommended for the optimal conditioning of your piano. We also provide restoration services for older pianos that require complete rebuilding.
Our Services
Piano tuning
Piano tuning should be performed regularly, at least twice per year to ensure your piano maintains pitch properly. The current standard for all musical instruments is 440Hz (‘a’ above middle ‘c’). The piano’s pitch slides down as the piano goes out of tune, lowering this number, which, in turn, creates disharmony with any other instrument. Furthermore, not all strings loosen up equally so the 88 notes of the piano keyboard exit the standard frequency differently – losing uniformity and creating an unattractive ‘out-of-tune’ sound of the piano. During the tuning piano tuner performs pitch raise to exact 440, making sure your piano has a sweet, uniform sound. Regular tunings prevent your piano from sliding off the 440 standard and are good for the overall health of your piano.
Regulation
As piano actions consist of thousands of moving parts – held together by tiny screws, felt, buckskin, and wooden pegs. Everything affects it: weather, wear-and-tear, age, and space in which the piano is situated. During the regulation service piano tuner goes over the entire mechanical part of the piano action, making sure everything functions properly. At times, some details need to be replaced, repaired, or fine-tuned. Pedals need to be regulated as well – the depth of the depression and the functions of soft, sostenuto and sustain pedals may be out of alignment and no longer functioning correctly. Stability of the pedal lyre and smoothness of the pedal work in an integral part of the good condition of your piano.
New pianos are traditionally regulated by their manufacturer, while some less expensive instruments may require regulations upon installation. Regulation should be performed consistently over the lifespan of the piano (at least once a year, based on the usage) to ensure the longevity of the action and its optimal function. If the action deteriorates past a certain point, a total rebuilding of the action will be required, which elevates the cost of the service significantly.
Voicing
Voicing is a process by which a piano tuner needles the felt of the hammers that come into contact with the string to create a sound. This process is extremely intricate and requires a great experience and know-how from the piano tuner, to gauge exactly the depth and number of the punctures to the felt. Over needling can ruin the hammers, in which case a total replacement will be required. Poor voicing can lead to muffled, dull sounds, or glassy, shrill sounds on the other end of the spectrum. Proper voicing is a key to the beautiful voice of your piano.
Rebuilding
Rebuilding service is when the mechanical action of the piano has been worn down so much that many details need replacement. It frequently requires more time and is a costly undertaking. Sometimes the body of the piano needs rebuilding as well – cracks in the soundboard, cosmetic blemishes, etc. More often than note piano is moved to technician’s premises for such in-depth work, and can remain there for months at a time.
Appraisals
An appraisal is often required when your piano is covered by the insurance. A competent professional opinion is of paramount importance, as it will determine the replacement value of your piano, should circumstances arise. A piano’s value can be on the spectrum, depending on the condition, both mechanical and cosmetic, age, and the serial number of a particular manufacturer’s rating. Only highly skilled professionals can provide a fair appraisal service which will be honored by the insurance company in case of replacement.
Likewise, if you are curious to determine the value of your piano, especially if you have inherited it, purchased it on a secondary market. The brand of the piano itself is not enough to determine its value – and the professional opinion of a reputable piano technician is what you can rely on for your peace of mind.
Areas of Service
Naples Premier Piano provides piano services in Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Estero, Lee County, and SW Florida.
You can always contact us via our website to schedule a service or inquire whether your location would be within our service area.
