The Most Important Thing to Know About Tuning Costs
Don't you hate "Resort Fees" on The Strip?
You go to book a room for $60 per night, and then find out that it also has $100 in "Resort Fees".
Personally, I think it's misleading and outrageous.
When comparing prices for piano tuning, the most important thing to know is this: "Does this fee include a Pitch-Raise if necessary?"
Without getting too technical; any piano that hasn't been tuned in a while will require a service called a "Pitch-Raise". Basically, each of the 230-plus strings will need to be roughly adjusted before tuning can begin. It's just the physics of the piano. Without this, it won't be possible to do the fine-tuning that makes a piano sound so beautiful.
The process takes about forty-five minutes, and it is reasonable for a Technician to charge a fair fee for this service. But some Tuners take advantage of the clients by advertising a much lower rate - knowing that this *additional* service will be necessary most of the time - and that fee is not advertised in their tuning prices.
Why? Because it makes their price look lower. It is just like the hotels on The Strip charging a "RESORT FEE" in addition to the room cost. Once they arrive, you are told "Oh, you'll have to have a Pitch-Raise before I can tune." Suddenly that $90 tuning is very expensive. Again; it is misleading and outrageous.
My Full-Service Rate includes a Pitch-Raise (along with several other fixes that are usually necessary).
Of course, if the piano is really extremely out of tune, or requires larger repairs, there can be additional fees. But with my Full-Service Rate, there won't be any resort-fee surprises.
