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Topic: Tipping a piano tuner?  (Read 17765 times)

Offline rain74

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Tipping a piano tuner?
on: September 27, 2003, 04:32:44 AM
Hi.  Just got a baby grand and am trying to teach myself piano (I am a very late learner - soon to be 29 years old).  Was just wondering if its customary to tip the person who tunes your piano.  Just had my piano tuned last week and wasn't sure about tipping - so to be on the safe side, I tipped $10 on a $75 bill.  Would like feedback just for future reference.  Thanks all.

rain

Offline Bosendorfer_214

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #1 on: September 27, 2003, 08:19:36 AM
I don't tip...Although my bill is usually $125.
Pianists are like firecrackers, they blow up sooner or later.

Offline eddie92099

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #2 on: September 27, 2003, 04:39:19 PM
You guys are being ripped off...
Ed

Offline rain74

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #3 on: September 27, 2003, 09:53:42 PM
Okay, Ed.  You can't just tell us we're being ripped off without an explanation.  Could you be a littlem more specific- thanks!

Offline eddie92099

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #4 on: September 27, 2003, 10:45:39 PM
I guess you are right! Well, I have pianos in the UK and the Philippines. I pay about 50 US dollars for a tuning in the UK (even this is seen as expensive), and in the Philippines it can be done for next to nothing,
Ed

Offline rain74

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #5 on: September 28, 2003, 03:29:53 AM
Thanks!  I called two different people and they both quoted me $75, so I figured that was the norm (perhaps it is for my area - Milwaukee).  Guess I should call around a little more.  Thanks again!

Offline rachfan

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #6 on: September 28, 2003, 05:53:06 AM
The rate I pay is $100 per shot, so I'm not too inclinded to tip!  Nor have I ever tipped a piano tuner anyway.  What they are charging is a professional fee for providing a trained and practiced skill.  A tuner is not on the same level as a bellhop or a barber.    
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline Hmoll

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #7 on: September 28, 2003, 02:58:05 PM
The price for piano tunings vary depending on geography. In NY City the price will obviously be higher than in the Philippines.

As far as tipping, I do the same for any trades person coming into my home. If they do a great job, or do a little extra - slight regulating, checking hammers, etc. - I give them a little extra, but it's certainly not mandatory.
"I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it will be behind me!" -- Max Reger

Offline Bosendorfer_214

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #8 on: September 28, 2003, 08:44:06 PM
Ed- I can't help it that the people in the UK don't know how to tune pianos.

My tech tunes and voices everytime that he comes.  He is the best around.  He has an extensive bio.  He is not ONLY a tunner.  He also rebuilds, he just finished a 1945 Steinway L.  He is worth every penny, and besides I would pay any amount to make sure that my Bosendorfer is taken care of.  It is tunned every other month, whether it needs it or not.  
Pianists are like firecrackers, they blow up sooner or later.

Offline rachfan

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #9 on: September 29, 2003, 04:05:39 AM
On minor regulation, I do much of that myself having been informally trained by technicians in the past.  So I can level hammers, tighten the action, clean the soundboard, remove rust from strings, make pedal adjustments, etc.  But there are some operations I won't attempt--filing hammers, voicing, fiddling with back checks, adjusting let-offs,  etc.  Certain subtleties are best left to the pros.

If during tuning the technician does do minor regulation beyond what I have already done myself, I don't tip per se.  Rather, I ask that HE add a charge to the tuning which I readily pay.  He knows his own fee schedule better than I do, and I feel better leaving pricing matters in his hands.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline rain74

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #10 on: September 29, 2003, 06:40:41 AM
Thanks, everyone.  Being that I've never owned or even played before, I had no idea what the piano tuner was doing.  All I know is that the first guy(a couple of months ago) took about 30-40 minutes to tune my piano, and the one that recently came took 2 1/2 hours.  How much time should a thorough tuning take?  There was a big difference in the time each individual took to complete the tuning.  Any thoughts on this would also be greatly appreciated!

rain

Offline rachfan

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #11 on: September 29, 2003, 05:42:06 PM
The experience level of the tuner will have some bearing on the time to tune.  But the more important factor will be the state of the piano itself.  So, for example, if a piano is tuned quarterly, assuming the piano does not have a bad pin block and everything is quite normal, the tuning could be less than an hour.  But there are exceptions to that--a piano teacher's instrument that is frequently in use would likely require more time and attention.  Under more normal use, if one typically goes a year between tunings, then the time could indeed exceed 2 hours.  I should also mention that climate plays a role too, i.e., high humidy in summer, subzero weather in winter, large temperature swings in the spring and fall, etc.  New England, for example, is a challenging place to keep pianos in tune.  So there are several variables that change the "rules".  

Most people gauge their tuning schedule based on use.  When I was practicing a lot, I used to arrange for semi-annual tunings.  Now that I practice very little, I've gone to annual.  My Baldwin grand holds a tuning really well, so the year works out just fine with light use.  Not all pianos do that, however, and so more frequent tunings might be needed.  I keep a tuning hammer on hand to adjust a few notes during those last two or three months approaching the next tuning, which works out fine for me.  I wish I could have given you a cut-and-dried answer to your question, but I doubt there is one.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline rain74

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #12 on: September 30, 2003, 02:41:19 AM
Thank you, Rachfan!

rain

Offline xenon

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #13 on: September 30, 2003, 06:54:47 AM
Tuning costs certainly depends on the piano.  I pay $68 CAD to tune my very small Yamaha Console.  But the tuner does a great job, and he is a friendly guy.  I've known him ever since I was 5 years old.  After every tuning, I give him a mini-recital. :)
You can't spell "Bach" without "ach"
-Xenon

Offline rachfan

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Re: Tipping a piano tuner?
Reply #14 on: October 01, 2003, 04:43:27 AM
Before I moved (us and the piano), my former tuner loved to hear me play afterward.  The current tuner simply wants his check and to move on to the next $100 tuning.  But I don't mind.
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.
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