How do u know the piano technician is good

[kghayesh]

I have just bought a used 25 year-old Yamaha U3. Based on what i heard and read, i think it is a piano for the professional pianist that requires extra control on the keys. I felt the difference when i bought it coz i had before it an old 19th century German piano  with a brand called Carl Ecke.

Anyways, i've just had the new U3 tuned and i think it is wonderful now. But i wanna know how to make sure that the technician who came is good and that he is not just messing with the keys and the hammers?

[jr11]

Is there something that makes you suspicious of the tech?

Check references. You could ask if s/he is a member of the Piano Tuners Guild. Ask the tech specifically if they found any problems.... communicate with them. If you have doubts, get a second opinion. You do tend to get what you pay for in their hourly rate as well... better techs charge more. Otherwise, be pleased that the piano is working well!

[c18cont]

I always had real success with the U series in public school...and love playing a good one myself....I think it is ALWAYS a good choice...

Hope your tech works out well...

John

[pianonut]

who do they tune for?  if they tune for teachers and concert artists, they're probably good.   also, you can ask them favors and see if they get really irritated.  the best tech's i've met have always been excited to do anything extra (of course to get paid for it) and are not put off by 'can you also fix the pedal.'  there's a lot of mechanical stuff that goes into tuner's bags of tricks.  they shouldn't just tune, but be capable of telling you stuff along the way that will keep your piano in good order (before it breaks down) much like a good mechanic who can tell when you get to a certain amount of miles on a car that it needs repair before something breaks. 

my favorite tuner until  steve prentice    was borge christiansen in southern california.  steve prentice is here in philly, west chester, and (i live in collegeville).   he's excellent.  i came home to a piano that sounded heavenly.  it was the best tuning i've had since borge.  i think they both tune by ear!  using fork and other inst. but also ear.

[jeremyjchilds]

I would definitely agree that tunung by ear is important, There are just some things that your ear can pick up that a machine cannot. Having said that, there are some things that a machine can pick up that the ear cannot, and thus I use the tuning machine to set the strings, then fine tune by ear after performing aural checks. What I am trying to say, is that an ability with both is very important.

I would also agree...A low rate has been known to be a sure sign of a beginner.

For me, my ability to do extras has a lot to do with my schedule of that day...of course I am always happy to come back  later on.

Your tech should be able to do all kinds of repairs. A certification with a guild or a registration is good, but I have also seen some good tuners that have spent years apprenticing under a master. Remember that some tuners just take a correspandance course, then an exam to become registered...not ideal....

You need to tell us more about what made you nervous...did the tuning sound bad? you mentioned that he was messing around...what does that mean? In his defense, he could have been making some minor adjustments to the hammers to optimize the striking point. Any more info could help us spot what may be abnormal in his tuning.

Good luck