Maryland Piano Tuning

Did you know that most newer vertical pianos have a device on the right side piano (just under the lid) that props up the lid for greater sound? If you don’t have one you can make one or have it installed.
Did you know that a chipped keys (plastic or ivory) are either caused by a child’s toy (50%) or Carpet Beetles (50%). I wrote a paper on that. Do call me for further illumination.
Do clean your keys (soap and water is just fine). Playing is so much more enjoyable.
If a key (or two or three) is not functioning correctly please don’t be afraid to remove the front panel in a vertical piano. Try to find (with a flashlight) foreign debris that may be causing the problem- or call me for more information over the phone. I had two clients this week with this problem.

I often wish that a person would call me for information concerning the purchase of a used piano. There is no charge  for my vast amount of experience in having seen every type of piano and condition. Most people, however, would rather take the chance because the price seems inexpensive, the furniture is reasonable and some sounds come from the instrument. I really dislike informing the individual when I arrive at the home for a tuning  that he or she must get rid of it. When a description of the piano seems reasonable (but not yet purchased)  I offer, at a reasonable rate, to evaluate the piano. If that proposal is rejected I will do my best to listen to the piano over a “land-phone ” and have the client answer many questions about the piano. The client is sufficiently informed that there exists no guarantee in my casual attempt but that is better than moving an utter disaster.
Just saw a client with a vertical piano that has a “practice pedal” ( a long bar across the strings that mutes the tone when played). Some notes weren’t sounding each time he struck the note. The cause was that the felt strip used to mute the sound was very slightly overlapping the respective hammer. When the device was adjusted upward everything performed perfectly.

A new client called the other day suggesting that suicide was a better alternative to using her not very old vertical these days. The volume was decreased by 90 percent. Please come across town (money is no object) and repair this hideous problem. I had the time to make the trip in short order. However, I pondered the calamity as she spoke and decided to ask her to raise the lid of the piano and look downward. She called me back later that afternoon and told me that a long rail covered the hammers. I told her how to fix it. She later told  me she was successful but called in a few days to tell me that the problem still existed. She also informed me that her grandsons were fooling around with the pedals. I asked her to step on the center pedal and slide it to the right. She did so. The problem was solved. In a few days I received a lovely note and a check for my “professionalism.” My pocket was not quite so full but I slept very well.
I recently visited a gentleman with a Yamaha vertical that was to be tuned. His piano was not out of tune. I told him not to feel so guilty every month that passed beyond his normal time frame for tuning the piano. He complained of other technical problems so I spent the time ( longer than that of a tuning) making repairs instead. He was quite happy.