I have just bought a new piano, a Kemble, and it is sitting in my dining room, waiting to be tuned. The owner of the shop where I bought it said that they will arrange for their tuner to come in about 2 weeks time. The people who delivered it thought that it should be left for 5 or 6 weeks.

Now, I don't suppose that this is an exact science, and there are too many variables to be able to say for sure when the piano will be 'aclimatised', but does anyone have any thoughts on this? Should I split the difference and get the tuner to come in a month?

Many thanks for any assistance anyone can give.

Kevin

-- Kevin Danks (kevindanks@yahoo.co.uk), September 20, 2002

Answers

Kevin,

I think your timing is about right. I would say 3-4 weeks is a good waiting time. I'm no technician but own two pianos!

-- Teddy (kevindanks@yahoo.co.uk), September 21, 2002.

Thanks Teddy. It seems that the piano is more out of tune than when it first arrived, so obviously something is happening. I will give it 4 weeks.

Regards

Kevin

-- Kevin Danks (kevindanks@yahoo.co.uk), September 23, 2002.

At least 4 weeks and better to wait 6 if you can stand it! Then make sure your technician will set up a tuning schedule to help you know when to have it tuned next....book the next one before he/she leaves...this way you won't have to remember and you can have one less appointment to schedule.

-- Grace Ferguson (w_ferguson@sympatico.ca), September 25, 2002.

Thanks Grace, that is a very good idea. I have read that a tuning every 3 months is best for the first year, then every 6 months, but I suppose that we will have to see how the piano behaves. It is away from central heating radiators, direct sunlight and outside walls, and it is in the dining room, so I hope that the temperature and humidity will be fairly stable. It will be interesting to see how it does.

-- Kevin Danks (kevindanks@yahoo.co.uk), September 27, 2002.