Piano, Organ, and Keyboard/Expert Profile


Ask A Question

Expertise

PLEASE NOTE! I do NOT give values of pianos OR dates! The piano service questions I can cover include general information about piano tuning: how often should a piano be tuned, what if a piano has been neglected, what is a pitch raise, how long does it take, how much should I expect to pay for service, and so forth. I can also provide information about common repairs and adjustments, such as keys that don't work, those that continue to sound after you have let off the key, how important is the regulation, can I change the tone of my piano, how can I get the keytops repaired/replaced, and so on. I DO NOT provide resale values of instruments for two reasons: first, a technician has to physically check out a unit in order to appraise its value accurately, and second, values vary widely from one part of the country to another. I also do not offer advice as to care of the piano case, as that is better left to woodworkers and cabinet makers. I also DO NOT provide information about the age of a piano, that info can be accessed at http://www.pianoatlas.com.

Experience in the area

I have been a piano tuner/technician in the Midwestern USA since 1974, working with customers and music stores to provide service to their pianos. I do tuning and repairs and provide free estimates on my services.

Education/Credentials

Empire School of Piano Technology, 1973, Apprenticeship at Century Keyboards, Joplin, MO. Also I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science at Missouri Southern State University in 1990.

Average Ratings

Recent Reviews from Users

Read More Comments

    K = Knowledgeability    C = Clarity of Response    P = Politeness
UserDateKCPComments
Doreen04/19/12101010Thank you for your prompt response. This .....
danylle04/18/12101010 
Cindy03/30/12101010Thank you so much for your advice .....
Beth02/12/12101010Thank you! You confirmed what I thot .....
Dave02/11/12101010Again,thank you for your quick response .....

Recent Answers from William Rowland

2012-04-19 fixing my upright myself:

Sorry you are having this problem.  There is a special tool we piano technicians use that looks kind of like a plier, but it is used for pressing out the center pin of the flange.  I have had mine for

2012-04-15 very old piano:

Not a lot to go on, for sure.  If the cast iron plate is still attached to the pinblock, there is a faint possibility that the serial number could be extant, usually they are punched into the wood in a

2012-03-27 Yamaha T116PE:

Sounds like a fair price, maybe a bit high. You probably should get the advice of a local piano technician, who can thoroughly check it out mechanically and evaluate the price with what similar units have

2012-03-26 Removing piano keys:

You do definitely have a problem.  Keys are not 'replaceable' as each keyboard is gut out of a single piece of glued-up wood and the tolerances are close enough that a key from a piano coming of the assembly

2012-02-11 M&H thanks!:

Yes, pre-Aeolian MH was better than the other two brands.  Aeolian bought up dozens upon dozens of piano names but as I understand it only had about six grades of pianos, the lowest being very, very cheaply

 

Ask A Question

Piano, Organ, and Keyboard

All Answers


Answers by Expert:


Ask Experts

Volunteer


©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.