Bellyman I wouldn't necessarily give up on the "shimmery tuner".

Actually, the shimmery tuner is different from the inexperienced tuner. If my current tuner fully retires I would try her (the inexperienced tuner) again.

The shimmery tuner is a long-standing veteran tuner. You might have missed my threads about him, he prefers to do unequal tunings and he didn't stick around to see if I actually liked his tuning. I don't have the impression that he's willing to be flexible, so I did indeed give up on him.

re this:

I've replaced soundboards, built bridges, built and fit pinblocks, restrung, rebuilt actions, regulated, voiced, dabbled a bit in refinishing

You could certainly get back into tuning but say no to the bigger jobs like this.

Re digitals, I am someone who definitely prefers acoustics, but I started on a digital, I went back to owning a digital when I went back to school to get a PhD and was living in an apartment. A digital is a perfectly fine instrument, less expensive to buy and easier to move, so I totally get why their popularity has continued to increase.

      ShiroKuro Actually, the shimmery tuner is different from the inexperienced tuner. If my current tuner fully retires I would try her (the inexperienced tuner) again.

      Aaah, my apologies, I got that confused.

      I actually used to like the "bigger jobs" a lot more than tuning. But that's so long ago and I know I've forgotten so much. I don't have the workshop I once did, either.

      For quite a few years, I worked for a larger dealership. I would spend 3 or sometimes 4 days a week in the rebuilding shop and they'd send me out 1 or 2 days a week tuning since that was a good cash cow for them. And I can see that. Rebuilding was often a long process with significant output ($$) and delayed income ($$$) so I'm sure the tunings helped to pay the bills.

        4 months later

        rogerch
        I live in Carmichael, which is next to Sacramento. I have had a tuner from 2012 to 2021 who is also a well known piano re-builder in the Valley. He has his own shop and was quite busy. He charged only $134 (old school) and spent almost 2 hours doing also some small adjustments etc. His tuning is quite good. He did the tuning every 6 months. He has one time done an excellent full voicing of my piano. Unfortunately he retired. Now I have another tuner and fortunately his is also very good. However he charges $200 per tuning, which is the going rate now here in Sacramento, Rogerch is still lucky to pay only $175.

            My tech was just here yesterday. His usual tuning rate (including minor extras) is $245. Yesterday we also did some extra voicing and the total fee was $300.

            I paid $185 here a few weeks ago, Los Angeles area.

            It's basically $170 for a 1 hour tuning (Asheville, NC area) - if I ask my tech to do some Voicing or Regulation. If it's minor he could be here another 30mins and the charge is around $220. It seems it's all based on time.

            This reminds me,I need to call my tuner! He was here just after Christmas, but the weather was super cold and my house very dry. I have a damp chaser and a humidifier in the room, but he advised we wait on the tuning until the temps are a little more normal and stabilized. It seems like that’s where we’re at, so I’m gonna call. I love a freshly tuned piano….

            Back to the topic at hand, when my tuner came out after Christmas, he literally talked me out of tuning for him that day, and didn’t charge me. He said it was a nice excuse to get out of the house! 😃

            Vuong rogerch
            I live in Carmichael, which is next to Sacramento. I have had a tuner from 2012 to 2021 who is also a well known piano re-builder in the Valley. He has his own shop and was quite busy. He charged only $134 (old school) and spent almost 2 hours doing also some small adjustments etc. His tuning is quite good. He did the tuning every 6 months. He has one time done an excellent full voicing of my piano. Unfortunately he retired. Now I have another tuner and fortunately his is also very good. However he charges $200 per tuning, which is the going rate now here in Sacramento, Rogerch is still lucky to pay only $175.

            I live in Granite Bay, not too far away! I think the tuner you used from 2012 to 2021 did some very nice voicing and regulation work on my piano in 2020. He told me my piano (1951 Steinway M) needed to be restrung so I sent it to New Jersey for a whole lot of expensive work a few months later.

            Since I reported $175 I've had another tuning and it has gone up to $200. To me that seems reasonable. I want my piano tech to make a decent living so he'll keep doing it! I like my tuner and he's young! I hope he stays in the area and keeps my piano sounding nice for years to come!

                I’m down near Santa Barbara. Tunings range around $200 here as well.

                In Northeast Connecticut, the price for tuning plus some minor adjustments is $188 inclusive of taxes. I round it up to $200, as I appreciate the fine, careful work.

                • VVuong

                • Post #37

                rogerch
                Was your piano completely rebuilt?

                    Vuong rogerch
                    Was your piano completely rebuilt?

                    No, not completely rebuilt. Restrung, refinished, new damper felts, hammers, shanks, and wippens. Keys and brass polished. Maybe trapwork? It still has the original sound board, bridges, and pinblock. It turned out great!

                        • VVuong

                        • Post #39

                        rogerch
                        Was your previous tuner, Mr Dale Fox, who has retired?

                            Vuong Dale wasn’t my regular tuner but he did some nice voicing and regulating (along with his partner Brett) work on my piano. I appreciated how resourceful Dale was where other techs seemed almost afraid to do any voicing!

                              16 days later

                              Wow US prices are crazy. In Europe it's between 80-120 euros, depending on the tuner level and instrument (grand, upright).

                                • Kkeff

                                • Post #42
                                • Edited

                                Khuja_Wangtishvili Wow US prices are crazy.

                                Some of the price difference could be due to larger distances that have to be travelled and the time taken in travelling. In the UK I pay £95.

                                  Khuja_Wangtishvili cost of living has gotten quite high and traffic has gotten bad in my city. My former tech said he used to be able to do 5 tunings in a day, but due to traffic he had to reduce it to three. Later he also added a travel fee if he had to drive for over 25 minutes.

                                      twocats
                                      From my experience. visiting Europe on a regular and frequent basis, life is presently much cheaper in Europe than in the US. My local health club has a small bar which charges $18 for a hamburger!. For this money you can by a small meal at lunch in a bistrot in Nice (Viva the Riviera).