April 2018

Similar to buying a car or a home, buying a new piano should include research before making the investment. At Chicago Piano Tuners, we believe this is one of the best investments you can make and it’s worth exploring if you need a new piano warranty. Let’s discuss the benefits of a new piano warranty, what is covered, and why you might need one.

What Does a New Piano Warranty Cover?

A new piano warranty most often covers the cost of parts and repair for wear and tear that may occur naturally over time. Warranties differ in specifics depending on the distributor or manufacturer, which is why we recommend reviewing the warranty before purchasing the piano.

When reviewing, note anything that stands out to you as unclear, and ask questions. This is your new piano and you deserve to have all the details to make an informed and confident purchase.

Is the Warranty Backed by the Distributor or the Manufacturer?

This is an important detail to consider when deciding whether to invest in a new piano warranty. It is most desirable that your warranty be backed by the manufacturer. Most manufacturers have substantial history and capital ensuring that they will not come on hard times and have to close their doors in the time your piano is covered, which is typically between five to fifteen years.

If however, your warranty is covered by the distributor, you will want to be more cautious. Consider that this piano distributor is new to the business and may not have an established successful history. It is hard to determine if they will be financially secure or still in business, should the time come you need to cash in on the warranty.

Full versus Limited Piano Warranty

The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act mandates that a new piano warranty be either full or limited. A limited warranty will only cover the original purchaser, as where a full warranty will cover the piano for its entire warranty term, no matter the owner. Should you choose to sell the piano before the warranty has expired, being able to inform potential buyers that the piano is covered by warranty, ideally backed by the manufacturer, this will ultimately increase the value of the piano.

At Chicago Piano Tuners want your piano-buying experience to be as stress free as possible, and hope this information equips you with the knowledge necessary to make a confident new piano purchase! Should you have questions, we are happy to assist the piano loving community in any way we can. Remember when you have brought that magnificent new piano home, we are here for all your piano tuning needs!

Nothing puts a damper on a beautiful piece of music quite like a note out of tune. You would think it would be audibly noticeable when you piano needs tuning, but that’s not always the case. How do you know when your piano is due for maintenance? Here are our tips for understanding if your Chicago piano needs tuning.

How does the piano sound?

If the piano sounds off, it probably is. As a piano player, you more than likely enjoy the instrument because of the clean and pure sounds of the notes. When a piano falls out of tune, the notes will sound, what many piano experts describe as tinny or twangy. If you find yourself playing all the notes right, and your ears aren’t pleased, it’s worth looking into a tuning.

In addition to the quality of the notes themselves, if you hear any out of place sounds such as squeaks, tuning may be in order. In order for us to properly diagnose, it’s a great benefit to be able to play or recreate the sound for us. Use your phone to record a video and make sure the suspicious sound is audible.

Has there been a change in environment?

Changes in environment, whether it be temperature or humidity level, are likely to cause your piano to go out of tune. There are 220 strings in a piano, and when you are moving a piano around a lot, there’s a good chance some of those strings will go slack, which is what leads to an out of tune piano. As with weather, temperature may cause strings to expand and retract leading to loose strings. And of course anytime you move a piano from one location to another, there is risk that the structure has changed and it’s a good idea to call us.

When was the last time the piano was tuned?

When all else fails, even if your piano sounds great, the weather’s been stable, and it hasn’t moved an inch, pianos should be tuned regularly. You will find that the average recommendation is at least once a year, if not twice, depending on the age and use.

While a tuning isn’t cheap, it’s a worthy investment and the cost of regular maintenance will ultimately be less than the cost of tuning a piano that has not been tuned in years.

At Chicago Piano Tuners, we know and appreciate the joy of hearing a beautiful piece played on a newly tuned piano, and we want to share that joy with you. Reach out today and we will help as best we can, to determine if your Chicago piano needs tuning.