FAQ

Larry Gerling Piano Tuning & Repair
431 S. Nevada St.
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 760-224-2178

E-mail: larrythetuner@yahoo.com

Business Hours:
Call for an appointment
Emergency Service Available

What if my piano hasn’t been tuned in a long time?
It is possible, but not always the case, that the pitch will be below “concert pitch” (A-440) due to the relaxing of the strings. If that is the case, there are two basic options:
1. Tune the whole piano below concert pitch. This does not hurt the piano, and very few people will know the difference. The downside is that other instruments may not be able to tune with the piano.
2. Raise the pitch, stretching out the strings by pulling them a little sharp, then immediately tune the piano at concert pitch. The danger is that there is a greater chance of strings breaking due to metal fatigue and rust. My procedure in any tuning is to lower the tension on the string first, to break any corrosion along the string, minimizing the chance of breaking the string.

I’m looking to get a cheap piano to start my children in piano lessons. Do you have any advice?
I believe one should buy a piano that will "invite" the child to play. If the piano sounds tinny or doesn’t respond well to the touch, the student will not be enriched and drawn to practice. I strongly urge people to make a decent investment rather than to get something that may be inexpensive but doesn’t play or sound good, thereby squelching the interest and minimizing the success of their child.

What is a good brand of piano to buy?
As with any product, there are some companies that consistently produce quality pianos, but the name alone will not guarantee a fine musical instrument. The most important factors in a piano are tone quality and touch.
1. Tone quality includes resonance (richness of tone), evenness of tone from top to bottom, especially where the bass strings meet the tenor strings, and how long a tone will sustain, especially in the area one to two octaves above middle C, where most melodies are written. The longer the tone “sings” before it dies away, the better the piano.
2. The touch would include how hard or easy it is to play, the consistency of control one has, and the ability to play louds and softs.

How can I find the age of my piano?
There is a website which will allow you to research this: http://www.pianoatlas.com. Each piano has a serial number, usually found on the harp or plate of a grand and on the inside of the vertical piano, but occasionally on the back. It usually is 5-7 digits long, and on newer pianos sometimes has a letter in front, not to be confused with a model number, which only has a couple numbers and/or letters. Once you find this information, you will be able to research the age of the piano and other information about the company on the Internet. The company name is usually embedded on the plate of the piano, which may not be the same as the decal above the keys, which can be changed by a refinisher.