| Johnston Piano Service Tuning & Repair Tuning and repairing pianos since 1978 |
| Massachusetts service area: Andover, Amesbury, Bedford, Beverly, Billerica, Boxford, Burlington, Byfield, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Essex, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lexington, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Manchester, Marblehead, Melrose, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Reading, Rockport, Rowley, Salisbury, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Tewksbury, Topsfield, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Wenham, West Newbury, Westford, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn |
| New Hampshire piano tuning service area: Atkinson, Brentwood, Chester, Danville, Derry, Epping, Exeter, Fremont, Greenland, Hampstead, Hampton, Hudson, Kensington, Kingston, Londonderry, Newfields, Newmarket, Newton, North Hampton, Pelham, Plaistow, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rye, Salem, Sandown, Seabrook, Stratham, Windham |
Piano Tuner Technician
For over thirty-five years I have made my living as a piano tuner/technician; tuning and
repairing pianos in the Merrimack Valley area, Northeastern Massachusetts and
Southeastern New Hampshire. (See below for a complete list of towns in my service
area). The Internet is a great way to find a piano tuner. However, you may be reluctant
tocall just any piano tuner you find online - that is perfectly understandable. My advise is
to ask someone you trust for a referral. Piano teachers, music stores, piano dealers,
musicians and neighbors with pianos are the best sources for a referral to find a piano
tuner. 'Word of mouth' has always been the way in which most new piano tuning
customers find me.
Piano Tuning
What exactly is piano tuning? The best definition of piano tuning that I have seen comes
from the book Piano Tuning and Allied Arts by Dr. William Braid White. First published in
1917, Piano Tuning and Allied Arts still remains one of the leading reference texts on
the subject of piano tuning and repair. Dr. White defined piano tuning as follows; "Piano
Tuning,or simply "Tuning", is the name commonly given to the process of adjusting the
tension of the strings of a piano, so that these severally, when excited, shall give out the
correct sounds of the musical scale, as required by the art of music. This "Musical
Scale" comprises the totality of these sounds in their proper order, and the object of the
process known as "Tuning" is to cause a piano to emit them in the utmost possible
exactitude". Although the language used in Piano Tuning and Allied Arts may appear to
be somewhat archaic, this fundamental definition of piano tuning still applies today.
Why does a piano go out of tune?
The piano soundboard is arched or “crowned” (very similar to a violin top). The
vibrations from a string are transmitted through the bridge into the soundboard which
responds like a highly elastic spring. This type of construction makes the soundboard
extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. When the soundboard
absorbs humidity it swells, increasing the tension on the strings. As the soundboard
becomes drier it shrinks and the string tension drops. Over time, these fluctuations
result in uneven changes to the string tension and the piano becomes “out of tune".
A piano that has not been tuned in many years may require additional work before it can
be properly tuned - this can only be determined upon evaluation. Even a relatively
small adjustment of the tension can result in a change of several thousand pounds over
the entire piano scale. A procedure often referred to as "pitch raising" may be needed in
order to bring a piano back to proper (standard) pitch. The current cost for a routine
piano tuning is $150. If pitch raising is necessary the cost is more - usually between
$175 to $250.
Piano Repair
There are in excess of ten thousand parts in a piano and it is not possible to list every
possible repair that a piano may need. Nonetheless, it may be helpful to discuss general
types of piano repair.
Action Repair
The most common piano repairs involve the piano action. All of the moving parts from
the key to the hammer are part of the pianos action. Action repairs can include minor
adjustment for a sticking key, replacing broken, worn out parts or major overhaul and
reconditioning.
String Repair
Repairing or replacing of broken strings is another frequent repair. While this is more
common in older pianos it can happen to new pianos as well.
The bass strings of a piano may, occasionally, need to be replaced. These strings are
generally made of a steel core which is wrapped with copper. These 'wound' strings are
more subject to deterioration of sound than the plain steel wire which makes up the bulk
of a piano's strings. Individual broken bass strings are, preferably, repaired using a
splice. Repairing the original string usually results in a more consistent tone than
replacing with a new string which can tend to sound a bit 'brassy' compared to it's
neighbors.
Action Regulation
Action Regulation is not, strictly speaking, a repair. If you look at the piano action
diagram you will notice that it is a complex contraption. In each instance where one
piece of wood contacts another there is a piece of felt and/or buckskin to create a
cushion and prevent excess mechanical noise. In addition to expansion and contraction
of wooden parts, the felt and buckskin wear over time and, at some point, the
relationships between the various parts is compromised. When this happens the action
may become sluggish and unresponsive or the pianist may notice a loss of dynamic
range and control. A series of adjustments known as action regulation can be performed
to bring the piano back to it's maximum performance capabilities.
Voicing
The process known as voicing is closely related to action regulation. As the felt
hammers strike the strings they become more and more compacted. Over many years
this can result in the tone becoming harsh and/or uneven. Hammers can be filed and
voiced to improve the tone. In extreme cases the hammers may need to be replaced.
Even fairly new pianos may occasionally need some voicing. The acoustics of the room
in your home can have a profound effect on the 'voice' of your piano. If you feel that
your piano is too soft or too bright it can usually be changed.
Humidity Control
If a piano is structurally sound, but does not hold a tuning fairly well, or if keys stick or
rattle only during certain seasons there may be a need for humidity control. If you heat
with wood or some other extreme condition exists in your home you should seriously
consider humidity control for your piano. Additional information about humidity control
systems can be found at the Dampp-Chaser Electronics website.
Please call or email if you wish to set an appointment or inquire about my piano tuning
and services. If your town is not listed below, but you are near the border of a listed
service area, it may be possible to schedule a service appointment when I am in the
area.
For over thirty-five years I have made my living as a piano tuner/technician; tuning and
repairing pianos in the Merrimack Valley area, Northeastern Massachusetts and
Southeastern New Hampshire. (See below for a complete list of towns in my service
area). The Internet is a great way to find a piano tuner. However, you may be reluctant
tocall just any piano tuner you find online - that is perfectly understandable. My advise is
to ask someone you trust for a referral. Piano teachers, music stores, piano dealers,
musicians and neighbors with pianos are the best sources for a referral to find a piano
tuner. 'Word of mouth' has always been the way in which most new piano tuning
customers find me.
Piano Tuning
What exactly is piano tuning? The best definition of piano tuning that I have seen comes
from the book Piano Tuning and Allied Arts by Dr. William Braid White. First published in
1917, Piano Tuning and Allied Arts still remains one of the leading reference texts on
the subject of piano tuning and repair. Dr. White defined piano tuning as follows; "Piano
Tuning,or simply "Tuning", is the name commonly given to the process of adjusting the
tension of the strings of a piano, so that these severally, when excited, shall give out the
correct sounds of the musical scale, as required by the art of music. This "Musical
Scale" comprises the totality of these sounds in their proper order, and the object of the
process known as "Tuning" is to cause a piano to emit them in the utmost possible
exactitude". Although the language used in Piano Tuning and Allied Arts may appear to
be somewhat archaic, this fundamental definition of piano tuning still applies today.
Why does a piano go out of tune?
The piano soundboard is arched or “crowned” (very similar to a violin top). The
vibrations from a string are transmitted through the bridge into the soundboard which
responds like a highly elastic spring. This type of construction makes the soundboard
extremely sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. When the soundboard
absorbs humidity it swells, increasing the tension on the strings. As the soundboard
becomes drier it shrinks and the string tension drops. Over time, these fluctuations
result in uneven changes to the string tension and the piano becomes “out of tune".
A piano that has not been tuned in many years may require additional work before it can
be properly tuned - this can only be determined upon evaluation. Even a relatively
small adjustment of the tension can result in a change of several thousand pounds over
the entire piano scale. A procedure often referred to as "pitch raising" may be needed in
order to bring a piano back to proper (standard) pitch. The current cost for a routine
piano tuning is $150. If pitch raising is necessary the cost is more - usually between
$175 to $250.
Piano Repair
There are in excess of ten thousand parts in a piano and it is not possible to list every
possible repair that a piano may need. Nonetheless, it may be helpful to discuss general
types of piano repair.
Action Repair
The most common piano repairs involve the piano action. All of the moving parts from
the key to the hammer are part of the pianos action. Action repairs can include minor
adjustment for a sticking key, replacing broken, worn out parts or major overhaul and
reconditioning.
String Repair
Repairing or replacing of broken strings is another frequent repair. While this is more
common in older pianos it can happen to new pianos as well.
The bass strings of a piano may, occasionally, need to be replaced. These strings are
generally made of a steel core which is wrapped with copper. These 'wound' strings are
more subject to deterioration of sound than the plain steel wire which makes up the bulk
of a piano's strings. Individual broken bass strings are, preferably, repaired using a
splice. Repairing the original string usually results in a more consistent tone than
replacing with a new string which can tend to sound a bit 'brassy' compared to it's
neighbors.
Action Regulation
Action Regulation is not, strictly speaking, a repair. If you look at the piano action
diagram you will notice that it is a complex contraption. In each instance where one
piece of wood contacts another there is a piece of felt and/or buckskin to create a
cushion and prevent excess mechanical noise. In addition to expansion and contraction
of wooden parts, the felt and buckskin wear over time and, at some point, the
relationships between the various parts is compromised. When this happens the action
may become sluggish and unresponsive or the pianist may notice a loss of dynamic
range and control. A series of adjustments known as action regulation can be performed
to bring the piano back to it's maximum performance capabilities.
Voicing
The process known as voicing is closely related to action regulation. As the felt
hammers strike the strings they become more and more compacted. Over many years
this can result in the tone becoming harsh and/or uneven. Hammers can be filed and
voiced to improve the tone. In extreme cases the hammers may need to be replaced.
Even fairly new pianos may occasionally need some voicing. The acoustics of the room
in your home can have a profound effect on the 'voice' of your piano. If you feel that
your piano is too soft or too bright it can usually be changed.
Humidity Control
If a piano is structurally sound, but does not hold a tuning fairly well, or if keys stick or
rattle only during certain seasons there may be a need for humidity control. If you heat
with wood or some other extreme condition exists in your home you should seriously
consider humidity control for your piano. Additional information about humidity control
systems can be found at the Dampp-Chaser Electronics website.
Please call or email if you wish to set an appointment or inquire about my piano tuning
and services. If your town is not listed below, but you are near the border of a listed
service area, it may be possible to schedule a service appointment when I am in the
area.
Piano Services: Tuning Repairing Action Regulation Voicing Humidity Control |
Gerald (Gerry) Johnston Haverhill, MA
Piano Tuner/Technician (978) 372-2250
CONTACT
Piano Tuner/Technician (978) 372-2250
CONTACT
