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Services

Three tiers
of care.

Every visit is done on the bench, not by sending your piano away.

Tier 1

Essential Care

Tuning & light cleaning

  • Tuning
  • Pedal Adjustment
  • Key Cleaning
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Tier 2

Standard Maintenance

The Tune Up

  • Tuning & Pitch Raise
  • Interior Cleaning
  • Minor Voicing and Adjustments
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Tier 3

Comprehensive

Fixer Upper

  • Half Day Service
  • Tuning and pitch raise
  • Repairs and Adjustments
  • Thorough Cleaning
Request Comprehensive →
What each visit can include

The work itself.

Piano tuning

Tuning brings every string back to the pitch it was designed for and sets the octaves and intervals so the whole instrument agrees with itself. A piano drifts whether or not it is played, because the spruce soundboard swells and shrinks with humidity. Most Bay Area homes do well on a recurring schedule of two tunings a year. Tuning is included in every tier.

Pitch raise

A piano that has gone years without service usually sits well below pitch. Pulling it straight to a fine tuning does not hold, because the added string tension compresses the soundboard as the work proceeds. A pitch raise is a quick first pass to get the tension close, followed by a fine tuning once the instrument settles. It is part of Standard Maintenance and Comprehensive visits.

Voicing and regulation

Voicing shapes the tone: how bright or mellow each hammer sounds when it meets the string. Regulation adjusts the action so every key responds evenly under your fingers. Minor voicing and adjustments are part of Standard Maintenance; deeper work is scoped during a Comprehensive visit.

Repairs and adjustments

Sticking keys, squeaking pedals, broken strings, loose hammers and rattles are diagnosed and, wherever possible, fixed on the spot. Larger repairs are estimated plainly before any work begins. Pedal adjustment is included from Essential Care upward; repairs are part of Comprehensive.

Cleaning

Dust, pet hair and small objects collect under the strings and inside the action, where they dull the tone and wear the parts. Key cleaning is part of every visit; interior cleaning comes with Standard Maintenance and a thorough cleaning with Comprehensive.

How it goes

When your technician arrives.

A first appointment is as much diagnosis as it is tuning. Here's what to expect when a technician arrives.

Step 01

Listen

We play and measure the instrument as it stands, checking pitch, stability, touch and tone, before touching a thing.

Step 02

Advise

You get a plain account of what it needs now, what can wait, and what it would cost. No upsell.

Step 03

Work

Tuning and minor adjustments are performed on the spot. Additional work may be scheduled if needed.

Step 04

Return

Your technician keeps your instrument's history and comes back on a recurring schedule. Same person, every visit.

Questions

Before you book.

How often does my piano need tuning?
Most home pianos settle nicely on two tunings a year: after the heating season and after the damp. New pianos and hard-working instruments want more; we'll tell you honestly which yours is.
My piano hasn't been touched in years. Can you still help?
Almost always. A piano that has dropped well below pitch usually needs a pitch-raise first, then a fine tuning to settle it. We'll set that expectation before any work begins.
Do you service digital and player systems?
Rob Vela services Kawai digital pianos and the NV series. Click here for Yamaha AvantGrand and Yamaha/Bösendorfer Silent, TransAcoustic and Disklavier systems.
Is it worth restoring an old family piano?
The truth is that sometimes the sentiment outvalues the spreadsheet, and that's fine. Ultimately the decision is yours, but we do our best to guide you. We'll give you our honest opinion, an estimate for reasonable repairs, and let you know how far you should or shouldn't go with your piano.
How do I choose a technician?
SF Piano Works is a collective of technicians throughout the Bay Area who primarily work in their own region. However, if you would like a specific technician to come to your region, just ask if they can accommodate you.

Not sure which tier you need?

Tell us about your piano and we'll point you to the right service and the right technician before you commit to anything.

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