Category: Uncategorized
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In Memorium – Matt Wilkie
It is with sadness that I learned, after nearly a year’s delay, of the passing of one of my greatest business partners in New York – Matt Wilkie, of Huntington, Long Island, whose work you see throughout this website. I used Matt exclusively for my last 5 years in NY, for good reason. He was…
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Acknowledgements
A Huge, Big Hearty Shoutout of Love to my daughter, Beth Young, for all her work on this website – what would I have done without you, darling? Thanks and Love to daughters Shana, Riv, and their families and to my wife, Vicki, for all your love, support, and understanding – Like it or not,…
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What should I do if my piano is “really, most sincerely, dead?”
As First Officer Spock might say, “It’s [piano] Life, Jim, but not as we know it…” If your piano technician has made the final determination to cut off life support for your piano, your beloved instrument may still find use through up-cycling, going “where no other piano has gone before,” as shown in this delightful…
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Why should I use a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) to service my piano?
Why should I use a Registered Piano Technician (RPT) to service my piano? Let me begin to answer this by saying that there are many good and excellent technicians out there who aren’t affiliated with the Piano Technicians Guild (where RPT’s reside), though why they aren’t often puzzles me. I’ve heard and read many…
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I’m looking to buy a new or used piano – Do you have any advice?
I’m looking to buy a new or used piano – Do you have any advice? Yes – When you find an instrument that appeals to you, whether it be new or used, PLEASE do yourself the biggest favor and have it professionally evaluated by a qualified technician. Your purchase could be a major investment,…
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I’ve been told my piano won’t hold a tuning – Is it dead yet?
I’ve been told my piano won’t hold a tuning – Is it dead yet? This is usually a far worse issue than a crack in a soundboard, but the piano may still be salvageable. Pianos that won’t “hold a tuning” usually have loose tuning pins. Tuning pins are bedded in a multi-ply (usually maple or…
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I’ve discovered that my piano has a cracked soundboard – Does this mean I need to throw it out?
I would say, in most cases, the answer is No. In fact, in many cases, a crack or two in a soundboard may have little or no effect on the tone of the instrument. It really depends on the severity of the crack(s), how many there might be, and how much separation may have occurred…
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My tuner says my piano needs one of the following: A Pitch Raise (or Lowering), Regulation, or Voicing – What do these terms mean?
Please see under “Definitions” on the Services page for a discussion of these terms – (click here)…
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How often should I tune my piano?
How often should I tune my piano? The short answer: Twice yearly is generally recommended for most in-home pianos. There are, however, other longer answers: How often a piano gets tuned may depend on the degree of perfection you wish to maintain. How well a piano stays “in tune” may vary greatly from one instrument…
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Why does my piano go out of tune?
Why does your piano go out of tune? The short answer for the main cause in two words: HUMIDITY CHANGE. The longer explanation of why this is so: Even though the heavy cast plate in the piano (usually an iron/steel alloy) is designed to bear the brunt of the thousands of pounds of tension…