Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum What Do You Charge to Replace a Tuning Pin?

For those of you not shy about discussing prices here,
I'd like estimates for:

1) Replacing a tuning pin as part of a standard tuning job.

2) Replacing a tuning pin as a stand-alone job.

This is your typical #2 to #4 replacement for a loose pin.

Thanks in advance....

Something you might consider, instead of replacing a pin, is using CA glue. I've been using it for many years now and have had astounding results. If you'd like to know more I'd be happy to give you more info.

Not too long ago I purchased the "Repair Labor Guide by Joseph A. Garrett". It lists a pin replacement as .30 hours. So, take that number times your hourly rate and there ya go.

Yes, I use CA glue too, and it does work amazingly well.

Roughly $50/hour times 0.3 gives me $15, which sounds very reasonable. 0.3 hours is 18 minutes, or about 20 minutes, so that sounds about right too.

However, in the rare case it was a stand-alone job, i would probably charge $50, just for my drive time and gas, but that sounds like a rare occurrence, since the whole piano is usually out of tune anyways.

Thanks for the feedback, I do appreciate it!

I too have had great success with CA treatment. One particular example springs to mind as a good example. An old upright piano had three tuning pins with the horrible metal sleeves, which someone had fitted some time ago. I always found them to be absolutely useless and stopped ever attempting to use them many years ago. The three pins were very loose. I took them out, extracted also the three metal sleeves, and carefully coated the surfaces of the holes with CA glue. After a short while I put the pins in, put the coils on, and tuned up, and the result was extremely satisfactory. I only took those pins right out because of the metal sleeves. Ordinarily I find that CA applied carefully so as not to run down the plate (or the pinblock, if an older piano with open-face pinblock) works well.

Scott, David, Musicdude, can you briefly describe how you would apply CA to treat loose tuning pins; ie. is the piano (upright pianos) laid on it's back? or Is the CA applied with piano standing in normal vertical position? I have a customer in a few days who says there are some pins on her piano that are seated in holes lined with sandpaper to assist with holding the tension - but unsuccessfully.

Jamie

You can apply the CA with the piano standing up. You need low-viscosity CA ("water thin") and a very fine applicator of some kind. Some blister packs of small bottles come with ideal little nozzles, in "Pound Shops" (Dollar Stores) in the UK.

Apply carefully, not too fast, so that the CA doesn't run down the plate. Watch it wick in, until no more will go.

That method is fine for a few loose pins. If you are doing the whole piano, best to put it on its back.

I'm not sure about the sandpaper thing - whether it would be better to take those pins out and coat the holes with CA. Does anyone have success just putting in CA when there is already a sandpaper or card shim in place? Does it work OK? Worth a try, I think.

I'm know as it's work. If the cardboard didn't help, it is possible to reason bundle veneer of a pinblock about
Cardboard 3mm can make tightening if that no bundle veneer of a pinblock
Here video: https://youtu.be/pOBwn2odX-g?list=PLDD6668CC75A16250

Thanks David, I will try that if need be. Maximillyan that is a very interesting and helpful video.

It would be glad if it's information will help you in solving the problem of loose tuning pins of your upright piano
Regards,Max

I wonder if using a separate container and thinning CA with acetone could give desired consistency if there is no store bought CA thin enough?