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I was wondering how much do members on forum have to pay for a piano tuning. I got my piano tune
last week and the piano tuner only charged me $50. I was really shock at this. I thought it would be about $120 are more. I have a New Yamaha U3.It is the second time I had it tuned since I bought it.
My first tuning was free. It was included when I bought the piano.

How long did it take for the tuning? Maybe it was really stick?

I pay $150.

But this is also different from one region to another, so where are you located. Another fact maybe would be depending on the tuner’s experience?

Did you ask if that was his/her regular rate?

Tuning costs vary somewhat across the US, depending on cost of living, how much driving must be done between stops, and how "in demand" a given technician is. There are technicians in the US that get $300.00+ for a "technical visit". I use the words "technical visit" because technicians of this level rarely just tune a piano when they visit.

Obviously, somebody out there is charging $50.00, but that is not something one should expect.

My 2 cents,

She has all 5 star ratings on google. We also live in the same city so no travel was involved. I didn't ask what her regular price was. It took about an hour and 10 minutes for her to tune the piano. I live in Arkansas. She has over 30 years of experience.
She also tunes all the new and used pianos at the music story in my area. She is also always book out
a month or two for the last year and a half.

I didn't expect a price of $50 either. I had to ask her a second time for the price because i thought I misunderstood her.

It's been a few years, but last I heard, the local RPT in my area was charging about a $100 for a basic tuning. Several years ago I heard of a tuner in a nearby town charging $75; but, again, that was several years ago.

If the tuner is good at her/his craft and the tuning sounds good and is stable, $50 was a real bargain. And, the fact she spent a little over an hour is an indication she didn't rush through the tuning.

I tune my own pianos and have no desire to tune for others, for any amount. I have tuned a few pianos for friends and relatives for free, but don't do that anymore. It is just too time consuming, and it's not easy, even for those who are highly experienced.

If you are satisfied with the tuning, and it is pretty stable, I'd stick with that tuner as long as possible.

Rick

I can understand why she'd be booked out like that. All dealers like a cheap tuner, and her "business" model obviously thrives on being inexpensive. I'm sure there is a reason(s) behind all of it.

Actually, it a no brainer...if she's reasonably good, and cheap, why not? We had a guy in our area for a number of years who was similar...unfortunately he was not what he pretended to be and did many things that later needed correction (but lots of people used him because he was cheap). He's dead now.

Peter Grey Piano Doctor

I agree that location matters. But the love and care of the technician also matters. My tech -- who works at Steinway here in NY and CT -- comes 4 x year, driving 10 miles each way, and spends more than 2 hours -- sometimes 3 -- carefully and lovingly on my instrument, which has seen better days. Between breaks we talk pianos and pianism. Last time he played a very credible "Reflects dans l'eau" to test his tuning, and later I walked him to his car, thanking him profusely, and looking forward to our next meeting. He charges me $165. I write the check gladly.

In this area (fairly rural, low cost of living), about $120 for a basic tuning.
In the closest metro (large city, moderate cost of living), about $150 for a basic tuning.
Booked through the retail piano stores within 100 miles of me, $140-160.

$50/per wouldn’t be worth my time to tune a piano, even as a part-time tech who’s not nearly as experienced as others who participate here. Particularly when you consider the investment one makes in tools and training to do this even remotely well.

USD 59 to 88 for upright piano.
USD 110 and above for grand.

If you start to use her, you could just arbitrarily pay her more than $50, or give her a nice tip. OTH, this might make her uncomfortable, since you are basically telling her you disagree with how she runs her business.

Jojovan, what is your location? I keep forgetting, because your forum profile is blank.

$150 in my area.

Last time was $140 + tax USD

BTW, autocorrect got me in my post above. I meant “quick” not “stick.”

One other question for the OP, do you have an upright or a grand?

My previous tuner used to have a different rate depending on the piano. (I stopped using him tho bc he wasn’t that good!)

Dear sir, I'm from Singapore.

My tech guy just won the PTG Hall of Fame award for 2021. Every few years I ask him what his latest price is because he'll keep charging me what he did the last time unless I ask. I am very lucky to have him taking care of my Mason & Hamlin BB. When the neighbor started complaining about my practicing, he was able to quiet the piano by installing acoustic foam underneath the soundboard. He also gave me very good advice about negotiating acceptable terms with my neighbor.

Tools for tuners will be the same cost anywhere, but cost of living in Arkansas is not what you'd see on the coasts. That said, if a technician is saving the health of a piano, that has the same value everywhere.

After that, it really comes down to bargaining power-- finding the level between cost and value that keeps the transactions flowing.

i'm near Olympia, WA. Just had my piano tuned (Yamaha P2 upright--her name is Petunia :)) . I paid $175. This has gone up over the years; it started at $125 about 6 years ago.

My tuner is very highly regarded and has been at it for 40 years.

One of the things I always found curious is the notion of different rates to tune an upright/vertical piano versus a grand piano. We see it sometimes (Jojovan mentions it in their post, and I've seen it before, occasionally).

I don't think it's easier to tune an upright than it is to tune a grand. Nor is it faster (for me). Nor do I try to do a better job, just because I am tuning a grand piano. So it always makes me scratch my head to read that as a pricing structure.

If you hired an independent mechanic, they will charge the same rate per hour for an economy car as a luxury car or pickup truck to fix it!