Lots of people decide to delay piano tuning or repairs because they think it is expensive.  Although it is true a full restoration can be a lot of money, regular routine maintenance is usually quite affordable.  Furthermore I am always happy to agree a repayment plan to suit both of our needs, with no extra cost. Money should never be a barrier to having a suitable instrument to play. Prices below are to be used as a guide only as every piano has different needs. BEWARE OF FREE PIANOS! Please look at the Advice page.

During tuning I will inspect the piano, and if there is a quick job which needs doing I usually won’t charge extra to fix it.  Speaking of piano tuning – the difference in the piano’s sound is noticeable even by non-musicians.  The tone generally is purer and more musical.  I can give a thorough inspection of the piano where I will explain the tuning and maintenance needs with no obligation to take the quote. I am often able to provide a couple of options for works undertaken. There is no call out fee for local inspections when I am in your area on other work, but one off, distant inspections may incur travel costs. I am also happy to video chat for an inspection where possible. A full written report may incur a charge as this takes time and becomes an expert opinion. Usually a charge of £40.

Finally, I like to keep things local and support other local businesses and the local economy.  To show my commitment to this I am open to offers and exchanges of other goods and/or services to the value of the work undertaken. In the past I have swapped tunings for a session with a chiropractor, and for a band saw which somebody had for sale. Please call me to discuss this.

Piano Tuning

A piano should be regularly tuned (at best every six months, at least every year). This keeps the tuning stable and prolongs the working life of the piano.  Tuning visits also give me a chance to look at the mechanics of the action and nip any potential faults in the bud.

Tuning prices

The starting price of a regular tuning is £70 for uprights, £80 for grands. However, if the piano hasn’t been tuned for a long time, has been moved, is new and/or if it has dropped in pitch (when the piano has become flat), it may need a pitch raise and fine tune.  This will cost around £100 to £150, depending how far out of tune it is. A pitch raise will require two or more passes over the piano to ensure the tuning is accurate and stable and will take up to 2 hours.  A neglected piano generally needs other adjustments, which may add a little to the cost. A newly delivered paino may need extra adjustment until it settles. If the piano is very flat, it may require two visits about a month apart. This costs in the region of £150 – £200, but could be more. If such a drastic tuning is necessary, I advise that the next tuning is done between 4 and 6 months, then 6 months after that to determine how the stability of the tuning holds. I don’t like to add mileage charges where I can help it, but for large distance for only one piano this may be necessary.

As stated above, I am happy to discuss repayment plans to suit both our needs. I will discuss the price before starting any work. If you decide you don’t want to go ahead after this chat, a callout fee may apply. I do not guarantee any tunings, but will check any issues within a month of the tuning should they arise.

Piano Maintenance

The piano’s maintenance needs will be inspected before and during tuning.  If there is a minor fault which takes a couple of minutes to fix, there may not be an additional charge.  If the problem requires more investigation, replacement parts and more involved work, a price will be given before I start the job.

I offer a day rate of around £300 to £400 depending on what needs to be done. This may include tuning, repairs, voicing and regulation. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Half a day will cost in the region of £200-300. Again, this is a guide price and it depends on the job at hand – some jobs require more skill and training so are priced higher.

A visit for repairs alone will be charged at £40 per hour plus the cost of any parts needed.

Voicing/Toning

This is the process of evening out the tone of the piano to make all notes blend with each other properly. If you have a particularly loud note, soft note or a not not sustaining properly, then voicing can help. This is part of a full maintenance operation, including regulation, tuning and voicing. It should not be attempted by somebody untrained. A piano’s overall brightness/mellowness can be altered. It may take a day or two, depending on your needs. The fee starts at £350 per day.

Replacement Piano Strings

Single strings

There are two types of string in a piano, the steel strings of the tenor and treble and the copper wound strings of the bass.  Steel strings are held in stock and cost £20 each to replace.  Copper wound bass strings are a little more complicated and there are a couple of options for replacement.  Please call for advice and a quote.

Full piano restring

A pino needs to be restrung if there are a lot of broken strings, or if the tone is dull. If the tone is dull it may also be that the hammers need attention, this is something I can investigate at the piano. Piano strings have a working life of around 50 years, but I have tuned pianos with strings older than 80 years which still sound good. For a full restring the price will start around £2000.  This includes taking the piano away, restringing, any soundboard repair and cleaning/refinishing as required, and returning the piano.  Again, it depends on the size of the piano, what needs doing and the price of metal and other materials at the time.  It may be that just the bass strings need replacing – if this is the case it may be possible to do it in situ. However, it is always advisable to replace all the strings in one go.

Action Overhaul

The action is the mechanical part of a piano. A full overhaul is hard to quote as there are many factors involved: the type of action, the state of the action and benefits of overhaul. A ballpark figure for a minor overhaul is £600-£900, but some more comprehensive, complex or unusual jobs might cost more like £1500 – £2000. Again, there are many factors to consider and this can only be determined by an inspection. Overhaul is a time consuming operation. It may be the case that not everything needs doing on an action so please have a free inspection to gain an accurate quote. A fully restored action will give you that new-piano-feel. Remember, all my prices can be paid in instalments.

Case Restoration

I can also undertake restoration and repair of traditional casework, such as french polish.  This may be a full refinish or a minor repair.  My preferred finish is a traditional shellac finish but other options are available.  Again, it depends on the size and style of the piano.  A ballpark figure is for a baby grand piano is £4000. The piano will be removed from your house as there are a lot of strong odours in the process. It may be that the piano will look just as good with a reviver solution or a light polish rather than a full refinish.  If this is the case it will be cheaper and may be possible to do it in situ.  Again, it is difficult to quote a catch-all price for full restoration as there are a lot of variables.  Please get in touch for a free inspection.

I also have some experience with polyester repairs and rebuffing scratche pianos.

Full Piano Restoration

I can undertake full restoration with full casework repair/refinish, action overhaul and restring and soundboard repair.  This may cost a lot of money but will be like having your old piano back to its full glory and make it play and sound like new.  Furthermore, restoring your current piano may work out cheaper or comparable in price to getting a new or quality second hand piano. It is certainly the best option if you are considering the environmental impact of having a like-new piano. Please get in touch for a quote.

Harmonium and Pipe Organ Tuning and Repair

I have experience restoring harmoniums including bellows and wind system, key regulation and reed replacement.

Pipe organ tuning and repair is offered throughout Stirling, Glasgow, Edinburgh and the rest of the central belt.  This service is charged at £70 per hour.  For a 2 manual organ the average time is 3 hours.  However a larger organ may take longer, and a smaller one a shorter time.  This hourly rate will include any small maintenance needed.  I am familiar with tracker, pneumatic (exhaust and charge) and electro pneumatic actions.  I may be able to offer a discounted rate on the work if you have a piano and an organ which needs tuning and it can be done in the same visit.  Please get in touch for further information and offers.