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Hello Techs,

I have a question regarding my rebuilt 1972 STY.

It was rebuilt about three years ago and was tuned a lot after the rebuild. I tuned it every 4 months for a year upon delivery. Then every 6 months the second year. It is now going on over a year since it has last been tuned.

My question is, I have two other grands that I use for teaching, which I play often and have them tuned every 4 months. My STY, is being neglected, because I have been so busy with teaching and remodeling a new house which we will be moving into. Is it okay that the STY is not being tuned? I hate to spend the money, since currently I'm not playing it and we will be moving into our new house in January. Which then I will definately have it tuned and I will be playing it, etc... It does sound like it needs tuning. Should I tune it? Or can it wait till January after the move?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Played or not I would not let it go without tuning for more than one year.
The other reason besides musical for tuning is structural. Pianos are designed to cary a string tension load. As the piano goes out of tune in a un-uniform manner so does the structural loading.

I have customers who have nice Steinways tuned every ten years whether they need it or not. They dust them at least twice that often. The pianos take a tuning just fine. Sure it's neglect, but they've survived.

I wouldn't worry about it.

Wait till after the move and let the piano acclimate to the new house for 2 weeks before tuning.

It's only 2 months away to January before your move. In this case, move it first but, make sure you tune it after it settles in. About 3-4 weeks later but, no longer than that. Thereafter, tune it at least yearly regardless for the piano's sake.

Thanks much everyone for your replies... now rememeber it is a newly rebuilt piano, new strings, pin-block, action.

I will take the same advice then, and nothing to worry about. Unless I hear otherwise.

Thanks again!!

I have seen no evidence of structural problems relating to not tuning a piano. I occasionally hear technicians claim that not tuning a piano will damage it. This seems mostly to be a ploy to get them to spend more money on their piano. Pianos are all over the map with regards to stability.

When clients ask me how often should they tune their piano my stock reply is:

I don't have a recommendation. The manufactures, without exception, recommend at least twice a year. How often you decide to get it tuned depends on the stability of the instrument, the stability of the environment, how hard and often it is played, how sensitive your ear is, and what your budget is.

I have some clients whose pianos I see once ever couple of years and they hardly budge. Others go wacky after a few weeks! There is just no one plan that works for everyone.

I have seen no evidence of structural problems relating to not tuning a piano. I occasionally hear technicians claim that not tuning a piano will damage it. This seems mostly to be a ploy to get them to spend more money on their piano. Pianos are all over the map with regards to stability.

When clients ask me how often should they tune their piano my stock reply is:

I don't have a recommendation. The manufactures, without exception, recommend at least twice a year. How often you decide to get it tuned depends on the stability of the instrument, the stability of the environment, how hard and often it is played, how sensitive your ear is, and what your budget is.

I have some clients whose pianos I see once every couple of years and they hardly budge. Others go wacky after a few weeks! There is just no one plan that works for everyone.

Ryan,
My point was not to suggest that structural damage would happen if the piano was not tuned for years. I have had my share of century old pianos over a semitone flat.
The idea is that pianos are designed to bear a structural load. Why intentionally upset it? A stable piano is a happy piano. Structural stability is just as valid of a reason for tuning as the beautiful musical sounds it will give you.

This is an interesting topic, Gene. I'm going to start it as a new thread.