When starting to venture into tuning your own piano, your main and first concern will be choosing the right tools.
DISCLOSURE
On this page, you will have the opportunity to thank me for my efforts to educate you on the best of what the Internet has to offer in piano tuning.By clicking on the images, you will be redirected to a site like Amazon or eBay and if you make any purchase on these sites in less than 24 hours, I will receive a commission as an affiliate.You will not pay more and I will receive a small commission on the sale (less than 2%) This goes too when you purchase any products, not just piano tuning tools.
The piano tuning tools technology is in constant evolution and it is difficult to evaluate the best options in a short period of time.
PianoTuningHowTo have done extensive research on that manner and we are confident that the piano tuning tools that we have chosen for you will be your best choice.
You need to be incredibly careful when choosing your tools because if you chose the wrong ones, they could lead you to failure.
If you fail, you will never know if it was because of the bad tools you have chosen or your lack of ability to learn the trade.
I have find a lot of misinformation on the web as to what tools you should begin with.
So, I took on me to choose the right tools for you so that we both move at the same speed.
The student quality piano tuning lever with its one piece tip-head USED TO BE a good option for a limited budget but now with the very good quality tuning levers produced in China, you are better off getting one of those tools on eBay or Amazon .
The next tuning lever is your minimum.It is made in China but is of good quality.A good starting point.
HERE ARE OTHER CHOICES OF QUALITY TUNING HAMMERS
For example, this next tuning hammer is equipped with a tip from the famous Japanese brand WATANABE but in one whole piece. Very good value for money.
If you follow PianoTuningHowTo's teachings, your ideal tuning lever is the ball handle.There are a few available for less than $ 100 on eBay.
HERE IS THE ULTIMATE TUNING LEVER
You've certainly heard of the carbon fiber tuning levers? Those are very expensive but you can get a Chinese made that works like this one for much cheaper than the USA made carbon fiber tuning levers.
AMAZON
YOU CAN ALSO GET IT FROM AMAZON
For those who are passionate about maintaining the perfect sound of their pianos, having the right tools is essential. The Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool is designed to deliver professional-level precision and comfort.
Crafted from high-quality materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel, this piano tuning wrench ensures durability and ease of use. Whether you own a vertical or grand piano, this tool promises reliable performance.
For many piano tuners, the Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool has significantly improved their workflow. Its lightweight design means they can work for extended periods without experiencing hand fatigue.
The octagonal inner tip is particularly noteworthy for its robustness and compatibility with various piano tuning pegs. This tool has quickly become a staple in my tuning kit, delivering consistent and precise adjustments every time.
Material Composition
The Piano Tuning Tool by Gaderth is meticulously crafted from a combination of carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel. This blend of materials ensures that the tool is both lightweight and durable, making it ideal for extended use without causing hand fatigue. The carbon fiber component, in particular, provides exceptional strength while keeping the tool's weight to a minimum.
One of the standout features of this piano tuning tool is its robust octagonal inner tip. This tip is heat-treated to achieve high hardness and durability, ensuring it can withstand the rigors of frequent use. The octagonal design also enhances its compatibility with piano tuning pegs, allowing for more efficient and precise tuning adjustments.
The tool's ergonomic design is another key aspect worth highlighting. Measuring 11.4 inches in length and featuring a 1.2-inch diameter black carbon fiber tube, the tool is designed for comfortable handling. The 2.75-inch long front end ensures that users can reach tuning pegs with ease, while the peach wood tail ball is perfect for the the impact tuning lever manipulation that this site encourage.
Weighing just 0.53 pounds, this piano tuning tool is remarkably lightweight, which is a significant advantage for professional tuners and enthusiasts alike. The lightweight construction minimizes hand fatigue, allowing for longer tuning sessions without discomfort. This makes the tool not only efficient but also user-friendly for both beginners and seasoned professionals.
Precision Engineering
Precision engineering is at the core of the Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool. Each component is meticulously crafted to ensure optimal performance and reliability. This level of precision is critical for achieving consistent tuning results, making the tool an essential asset for anyone serious about piano maintenance and repair.
Durability
Durability is a key consideration for any tool, and the Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool excels in this regard. The combination of carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel ensures that the tool can withstand the demands of regular use. The heat-treated octagonal inner tip further enhances its durability, making it a long-lasting addition to any piano tuning toolkit.
User-Friendly Features
The Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool is designed with user-friendliness in mind. The ergonomic handle, lightweight construction, and precise engineering all contribute to a tool that is easy to use, even for extended periods. These features make it accessible to both novice and experienced tuners, ensuring that anyone can achieve professional-quality tuning results.
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance is a top priority for Gaderth, and this is evident in the meticulous inspection process each tool undergoes. This rigorous quality control ensures that every piano tuning tool meets the highest standards of reliability and performance. Customers can have confidence in the product, knowing that it has been thoroughly vetted for quality.
Professional and Enthusiast Appeal
Whether you are a professional piano tuner or an enthusiastic hobbyist, the Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool is designed to meet your needs. Its high-quality construction, precision engineering, and user-friendly features make it a versatile and valuable tool for anyone involved in piano maintenance and repair.
Customer Support
Gaderth is committed to providing excellent customer support, ensuring that any concerns or inquiries are promptly addressed. This dedication to customer satisfaction further enhances the value of the Piano Tuning Tool, providing users with peace of mind and confidence in their purchase.
Pros:
Lightweight and easy to handle
High durability with carbon fiber construction
Precision engineering for reliable performance
Cons:
Relatively high price point
Limited availability of reviews
No included case or storage solution
Conclusion
Overall, the Gaderth Piano Tuning Tool stands out as a top choice for both professional tuners and piano enthusiasts. Its blend of durability, comfort, and precision makes it a worthwhile investment.
With strict quality assurance and dedicated customer support, Gaderth ensures that their piano tuning tool meets the highest standards of performance and reliability. For anyone serious about piano tuning, this tool is highly recommended.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Is this tuning tool suitable for both vertical and grand pianos?
Answer: Yes, this piano tuning tool is designed for both vertical and grand pianos.
Question: What materials are used in the construction of this tuning tool?
Answer: The tuning tool is made from carbon fiber, aluminum alloy, and stainless steel.
Question: Does this tool come with a warranty?
Answer: The product details do not specify a warranty, but the tool undergoes meticulous inspection to ensure quality.
If you are serious about tuning your own piano, you deserve it to yourself NOT to get the cheapest piano tuning lever for it will not serve you well.
AVOID THE GOOSENECK TYPE OF TUNING LEVERS AT ALL COST!
This type of tuning levers will damage your piano and your learning will suffer.
The head and tip are of poor quality and this tuning lever wobbles around the tuning pins making it extremely hard to "feel" the pins even for an experience piano tuner like me.
Here is a list of the only tools you will need if you follow the method taught on PianoTuningHowTo.com
Using a temperament felt strip makes tuning your piano much easier than using a whole bunch of wedge mutes to mute strings while establishing the temperament. I will show you how to use it when establishing the temperament tuning with one octave and a half in the middle range of the piano. Notice that this felt is "tapered" to make it easier to insert in the limited space over the hammer heads at the upper region of the temperament.
I will show you how and why it is better to use Papp's treble mute to tune the upper region of the piano. Here is an animation about this that you can also find on the "about" page:
The Bass Muting Wedges
The bass strings are very long and are harder to mute than the shorter treble strings. Therefore you need a wider wedge to mute the bass strings. In the tuning kit you can purchase on this page, you will get the rubber wide tuning wedge for the bass.
The Bass Muting Wedges
The Narrow Muting Wedge
This tool is especially important. You won’t need it often but when you do need it, you'll be glad you have it. It is used to mute two strings that are too close together so a regular bass mute or even a regular treble rubber mute won’t work.
The Tuning Fork
You will need one quality tuning fork pitched at A=440Hz. You will get the John Walker blue steel superior quality tuning fork on Amazon. (click image)
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Here is a list of Electronic piano tuning Devices that are worth considering. I have ordered them by price from the most affordable ones to the more advanced machines.
You can get a very cheap tuning device like the Korg CA-40 Large Display Auto Chromatic Tuner for under $20 to start (and it WILL work) I have tested this machine with my Peterson V-SAM strobe tuner and it was giving me the same reading so both machines came out with the same results.
If you plan on producing videos for your website or recording live music of your band's rehearsal, you might as well go for the fantastic ZOOM H2 audio recorder with built in chromatic tuner and metronome. I consider this tool a better fit than the next one, the more expensive Peterson Virtual Strobe Tuner. If you are into music like a lot of piano tuners are, you will like the added features that the Zoom H2 will give you.
This is a very versatile tool. The Zoom H2 has 4 internal microphones and can capture audio in stereo and 4 channels surround. It can be used as a USB mic for recording your voice in your computer with pristine clarity. It can be used as an MP3 player with the included stereo headphones. Most importantly, it has a built-in chromatic tuner you can use to tune pianos. Double this with an internal metronome, it is the perfect tool to evaluate the beat-rates of intervals when establishing the temperament. For under $400, you cannot go wrong.
Peterson AutoStrobe 490 Strobe Tuner
I've been using the Peterson Virtual Strobo-tuner VS-1 for many years. Unfortunately, it is not available anymore and you are better off with the StroboSoft for your mobile phone.
Another alternative is TuneLab Piano Tuner for Pocket PCs, Smartphones or your LapTop.
Notable features:
Can be calibrated to an accuracy of 0.02 cents.
Measures and uses inharmonicity of the piano to construct the tuning.
Provides an over-pull mode for pitch-raises.
Can store hundreds of tuning files for individual pianos.
Provides many historical temperaments for period music.
Switches notes automatically when you play the next note.
Provides a strobe-like phase display for fine-tuning.
Provides a versatile spectrum display with a Fourier Transform.
• Pro Tuning Lever
• 4" long head-tip #2 for grand pianos at 5 degree angle
• Muting Felt strip - 7/32" thick x 50" long - Tapered from 3/4" to 1/2" wide
• John Walker Tuning Fork (A-440)
• Papps Treble Mute
• Narrow Mute 6" x 1/2"
• 2 Bass Felt Mutes 3" x 3/4"
• Tip Wrench, the perfect tool for changing tuning tips (and for tightening the tips)
On eBay you will find complete sets of many tools in one single package. Those look like the following picture. You will find piano tuning tools from the tuning lever to regulating and action repair tools. I can confirm those are quality tools (I have tried them myself) A very good buy at around $349.
You will also find more affordable tool kit with 19 pieces at eBay for around $150.
ALSO ON AMAZON :
The CGOLDENWALL NEW 39 PCS Professional Piano Tuning Kit
This Piano Tuning Kit offers a complete solution for piano maintenance and tuning. This kit is designed for both beginners and professional tuners.
With 39 pieces of high-quality tools, this kit promises to meet all your piano tuning needs. Let's dive into its features, usability, and overall value for money.
I recently purchased the CGOLDENWALL 39 PCS Professional Piano Tuning Kit and was impressed with the quality of the tools. Each piece felt sturdy and well-made, which is crucial for precision tuning.
Using this kit, I was able to tune my piano with ease. The variety of tools included meant I had everything I needed at my fingertips. It made the entire process efficient and hassle-free.
Comprehensive Professional Piano Tuning Kit
The CGOLDENWALL NEW 39 PCS Professional Piano Tuning Kit is a comprehensive set designed for both novice and experienced piano tuners. With 39 pieces, this kit includes all the essential tools needed to maintain and tune a piano, ensuring it stays in optimal playing condition. Each tool is crafted with precision, providing users with reliable and durable instruments to achieve professional-level tuning.
The tools in this piano tuning kit are made from high-quality metal, ensuring long-lasting durability and resistance to wear and tear. This is particularly important for tools that require precise handling and frequent use, as inferior materials can quickly degrade, leading to inaccurate tuning and potential damage to the piano. The use of robust materials underscores the kit's value and reliability.
Despite its professional-grade quality, the CGOLDENWALL piano tuning kit is designed to be user-friendly. The tools are ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended tuning sessions. This thoughtful design makes the kit accessible to users of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned professionals, enhancing the overall tuning experience.
This 39-piece kit includes a variety of tools such as tuning hammers, mutes, and various wrenches, covering all aspects of piano maintenance and tuning. Each tool is selected to address specific tuning requirements, ensuring that users have everything they need in one convenient package. This comprehensive selection eliminates the need for additional purchases, making it a cost-effective solution for piano care.
No Batteries Required
One of the practical aspects of the CGOLDENWALL piano tuning kit is that it does not require batteries. All tools are manually operated, which means there are no additional costs for batteries and no risk of tools failing due to battery depletion. This feature ensures that the kit is always ready for use, providing consistent performance and reliability.
Non-Discontinued Product
The CGOLDENWALL piano tuning kit is not discontinued, which means users can rely on continuous availability and support from the manufacturer. This is particularly important for professionals who need consistent access to high-quality tools and may require replacements or additional components over time. The ongoing production of this kit ensures long-term usability and customer satisfaction.
Brand Reputation
CGOLDENWALL is a trusted brand known for producing high-quality tools and equipment. The brand's reputation for excellence is reflected in this piano tuning kit, providing users with confidence in their purchase. The association with a reputable brand also suggests a commitment to quality and customer support, further enhancing the product's appeal.
Compact and Portable
Despite its extensive tool selection, the CGOLDENWALL piano tuning kit is compact and portable. The tools are neatly organized within a durable carrying case, making it easy to transport and store. This portability is particularly beneficial for professional tuners who need to travel to different locations, ensuring they have all their tools readily available.
Designed for Precision
Precision is key in piano tuning, and the CGOLDENWALL kit delivers in this aspect. Each tool is engineered to meet the exacting standards required for accurate tuning. The precision of these tools ensures that users can achieve the optimal sound quality from their pianos, enhancing the overall musical experience.
Investment in Quality
At a price of $599.00, the CGOLDENWALL piano tuning kit represents a significant investment in quality. While the initial cost may be higher than some alternatives, the durability, comprehensive tool selection, and professional-grade performance justify the expense. This kit is designed to last, providing long-term value and reliable service for all piano tuning needs.
Pros:
Comprehensive 39-piece kit for professional use.
Durable metal construction ensures long-lasting use.
No batteries required, making it easy to use anytime.
Cons:
High price point at $599.00.
May be too complex for beginners.
Lacks customer reviews for additional insights.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the CGOLDENWALL 39 PCS Professional Piano Tuning Kit is an excellent choice for anyone looking to maintain their piano. The comprehensive set of tools ensures you are well-equipped for any tuning task.
Although the price is on the higher side at $599.00, the quality and range of tools justify the investment. This kit is a valuable addition to any piano owner's toolkit.
Questions & Answers:
Question: Does this kit include instructions?
Answer: The product details do not specify if instructions are included. It is advisable to contact the manufacturer for more information.
Question: What materials are the tools made of?
Answer: The tools in this kit are made of metal, ensuring durability and longevity.
Question: Is this kit suitable for all types of pianos?
Answer: The kit is designed for professional use and should be suitable for most pianos, but it's best to check specific requirements for your piano model.
Position of the tuning hammer Some piano tuners...
BASIC TOOL KIT FOR LESS THAN $100CAD
INFO
The piano adjustment tools described by Don Affleck
After piano tuning tools, the most used piano repair tools in piano servicing are the Regulating Tools. These tools are used to make fine adjustments to the action of the piano so that all the parts move at the correct time and the correct distance.
This is a very important aspect of piano service so that the piano not only sounds in tune but also responds quickly & easily to the performer's touch.
There are over 60 different piano repair tools for regulating the action of the piano. Here are just a few of the most common piano repair tools.
This is a very handy Combination Handle that fits most of the regulating tools. Tools are secured and released by a slight turn of the compressing nut.
This tool, called a Key Spacer, is used to move the keys from side to side so that they are spaced evenly along the keyboard. Each key is guided by an oval shaped pin that protrudes into the bottom of the key. When this pin is bent sideways it causes the key to move in the same direction. The offset in the tool enables the technician to bypass the front row of pins when adjusting the pins under the sharp keys.
The Damper Regulator pictured above, is used to adjust the damper head so that it is seated properly on the piano string. The damper must be lined up with the string properly so that the string will stop sounding as soon as the key is released, allowing the damper to return to rest on the string. This tool is used to bend the damper wire forward, backward or to the side, as required.
This Action Flange Screwdriver is specially designed for turning those hard to reach action screws. The shank is thinner just behind the blade to allow the screwdriver to bypass the jack in an upright piano action when turning the flange screw behind it.
This Spoon Bender is angled to facilitate getting under and around the whippens without removing the piano action. There is a "spoon" at the back of the whippen (the lower part of the piano action), that moves the damper away from the string when the piano key is depressed allowing the string to vibrate until the key is released and the damper returns to rest on the string, silencing it.
These spoons must be adjusted so that the damper moves away from the string at the right time and the proper distance. This is one of the more difficult parts on a piano action to regulate.
This Regulating Screwdriver has a very unique design in that the 3/8" diameter ball end has crossing, oval openings that allow Regulating Eye Screws to be turned at any 90° angle. This certainly helps to eliminate breaking the Regulating Screws when adjusting them. By the way, this adjustment determines the point at which the hammer is released just before contacting the string.
This Spring Hook tool is useful for positioning hammer and damper springs on upright pianos. These are the springs that return the hammer or damper to its place of rest after a note has been played.
The Capstan Screwdriver is used to adjust the dowels that are at the end of the piano keys. This adjustment must be made to take up any "lost motion" that may be in the action. The hammer should begin to move toward the string at the same time that the key begins to go down. If the hammer does not move until after the key has been part way depressed, then there is lost motion in the action which needs to be corrected.
The Capstan Wrench performs the same regulation as the Capstan Screwdriver, only it is used when the capstans at the ends of the keys are screws rather than dowels.
There are many more piano repair tools for every aspect of piano servicing.
Wow, it’s interesting to know how precise the calibration should be on pianos. I’m interested in looking for a good piano tuner service soon because I want to make my old piano to be more than just decoration. It hasn’t been used in years so a lot of restoration will have to be done to it.
Wow, it’s interesting to know how precise the calibration should be on pianos. I’m interested in looking for a good piano tuner service soon because I want to make my old piano to be more than just decoration. It hasn’t been used in years so a lot of restoration will have to be done to it.