Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Do you tip your piano tuner?

If you tip, how much are you supposed to give? What do piano tuners think? Do you expect a tip? Thanks!

IMO if the tuner is in business for himself then he charges what he wants and no tip is necessary. This is not my situation however. I've used this tuner about 25 years now and when he comes it is on a Saturday so that we can also have a social visit and show each other what we have been playing. I always ask what he is getting now and he always says just give me whatever you want. So I give him a C note and I think hes happy with that.

My two previous tuners worked for the piano dealership from which I bought my piano, and the check was always made out to the dealership. Therefore, for an $85.00 tuning, I used to tip my tuners $10.00. I also gave them coffee and cookies and - if it was that time of day - offered them a light lunch.

My new tuner/tech is the owner of a piano store and rebuilding shop and - for reasons I can't really explain - I didn't think it was necessary to tip him. Perhaps this was because I was always told that you tip the hairdresser in a salon, but never the owner, even if the owner is your hairdresser. Don't ask me where I heard that one.

I think, however, that you do whatever you feel comfortable doing.

Regards,

BruceD... I heard and follow the same advice about hairdressers and piano tuners. I also provide snacks or drinks .

I did tip my tech once when we had a key spazz out the day of a performance, and he was able to do some beyond-the-call-of-duty schedule juggling and get out to fix it. He protested but I said just think of it as me buying him a nice dinner that night. That seemed to work.

I've never hired a tech that wasn't self-employed, except for the guy from the dealership who tuned it when it was new. I did tip him, and I always tip piano movers. Don't ask me why, it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

Can I ask how much you tipped the tuner from the dealership?

The tuner I use is also from my dealership.
It might be a bit generous, but I gave him $20.

But, remember... tip if you're pleased with the service he has given you...

otherwise...

I tipped him $15.

I haven't tipped in the past, nor provided snacks or drinks. I'd better start doing something!

I've never tipped my piano turner and don't plan on starting anytime soon.

if he's good.. yep.

I think i found my tuning mate so I am generous with him and he with me...

If the tuner is really good, I lend him my girlfriend for the night.

(She is full of improvement tips).

If the tuner is bad, he gets her for the whole weekend.

A

Hillarious! LMAO! ... Great one Adrian.

I must be really lucky, because my tuner won't accept a tip. In fact, last week he came and tuned and did some voicing, and wouldn't let me pay him a penny. I played two pieces for him, and he said that coming to our house is just enjoyment for him! Does that make me feel good or what!

frida1,

I had a tuner like that many years ago. He came to my house like once a month and tuned my piano for free.

Dear frida1,

I understand that Bill Gates loves the mathematical precision of tuning a piano to an equal temperament and has been known to anonymously tune without charge.

Hmmmmm...

I certainly don't claim to speak for all technicians, but in my experience, we don't expect a tip. However like most craftsmen, we often undervalue our services, and are hesitant to raise prices for regular customers, even once a year.

Imagine what it would cost to have a mechanic come to your house with tools and parts, and tune up your car in your driveway. If you're happy with your tuner, and she or he hasn't raised prices in a year or two, you could do them a great favor by broaching the subject yourself.

--Cy--

I feel a bit uncomfortable taking tips, though I certainly appreciate the sentiment. I often don't know how to refuse them politely...

NO TIP!

A self-employed piano technician is a professional who sets his/her own fees to cover time, mileage, materials, and overhead. No tip should be necessary beyond that.

The way piano techs should handle offered tips, IMHO, is accept them graciously. Perhaps say something to the effect, "thank you, I'll use it to treat my wife to a nice dinner out".

You could refuse a tip completely and say that you have a no-tipping policy, but by accepting it and saying it is not necessary, you're inadvertently making the client feel badly about offering it. Do you want your client to feel bad?

I once made the mistake of giving my mechanic a tip when I was moving out of town. I placed a $100 bill in a nice card. When I saw him later, he said that the money wasn't needed and that the card would have been fine. It made me feel bad about giving him the money and I still feel bad about it to this day.

Personally, I wouldn't feel it necessary to tip a tuner unless they do something above and beyond their normal tuning and they don't increase their fee accordingly. They're offering a service for a set fee. So I don't feel the need to tip them any more than I would tip the plumber or electrician.