Looking for an excellent piano tuner AND technician in New York City

February 11, 2025 9:19 PM

I really need to have my 1908 Steinway upright piano tuned -- it's been about 5 years. But there are some notes that have become "wonky" as well : strange sound quality, and a couple that don't really sound unless you pound very hard. So I don't want just a tuner, but somebody who can deal with this situation in a very old piano. Do you know anyone who can do this job? I am in Manhattan.
posted by DMelanogaster to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

Searching the Piano Technicians Guild is a good place to start. Anyone who has earned the "RPT" designation should be able to handle the issues you mention with ease.
posted by flug at 9:46 PM on February 11 [1 favorite]

I would contact a local piano teacher and ask for recommendations. They see a lot of pianos in different conditions and know who does a good job servicing.

Just be prepared that it may need a revoicing or a full restoration that will cost more than a new piano. There are a lotta Steinways (and early 20th century pianos in general) going to landfills for that reason.
posted by wnissen at 10:14 AM on February 12 [1 favorite]

Check your memail for a personal recommendation with contact number.
posted by slkinsey at 4:36 AM on February 13

Also: if the issues are more than what a tuner can handle, Steinway has a whole shop for fixing up their pianos in Astoria. Memail me and I can give you the phone number of the guy who runs the shop. It’s not unusual for a 100 year old piano to need, e.g., a new pegboard, new strings, new action and refelted hammers, etc. I inherited a 100+ year old Steinway grand that had literally been through the wars and had traveled with a USN officer to live in Portsmouth NH, Honolulu, Rome, Washington DC, Boston, Houston and any number of other places. It needed quite some reconditioning by the time it came to me and I had it shipped directly to Steinway.
posted by slkinsey at 4:43 AM on February 13

Response by poster: I found somebody through that organization mentioned above. He sounds excellent and he's coming on Saturday! thanks.
posted by DMelanogaster at 9:24 AM on February 13 [1 favorite]