Q & A

Piano History- This link has got loads of interesting historical facts  in a time line.

https://www.piano-tuners.org/history/history_1.html

Q-How often should a piano be tuned  ?

A- At least once or twice per year  to keep a piano stable on the  correct concert pitch of A-440 hz .

Tuning stability depends on a few things -Piano quality, piano placement and climatic factors

Newer pianos after an initial settling in period require less tuning than older pianos.They are mostly made from stronger materials , have stronger frames and healthy soundboards.

Older pianos vary a lot by their quality of manufacture and their condition.In many cases  they have not been maintained well over the years ,and their strings are too old to maintain the correct pitch, so the tuning requirements on these pianos vary a lot .Often   they have loose tuning pins and  cracked soundboards which doesn’t help either.

Pianos in large rooms eg in  auditoriums, halls and churches, often need tuning more than twice a year due to the temperature and humidity fluctuations in these environments.

Q-  Tuning by  ear or  electronic tuner?

A- I tune pianos the old fashioned way by ear alone . , The method preferred by musicians and professionals. It took  many hours of applied practice in  fine listening , together with  correct use of a tuning lever, to master this  skill.

Electronic tuning devices have their place  in checking a piano’s pitch  prior to tuning, and for use in pitch raising applications .

Q- Why and how do pianos  go out of tune?

Humidity  and temperature changes the biggest cause.  As these climatic factors fluctuate  with the seasons, string tensions change as the soundboard and bridges swell and contract.They will  drift sharp with high humidity, drift flat with lower humidity.For this reason its recommended to keep your piano in the most stable environment possible.Eventually in time  ALL pianos will lose their tune regardless of whether they are played or not..

DON’T place on an outside wall that gets direct sunlight. DON’T place piano near artificial heating especially  heat pumps ,ducted heating and  under floor heating.DON’T place pianos in excessively damp or drafty conditions.

Pianos are like humans, if you feel comfortable in a certain position , then your piano will feel good too!

Moving a piano  into a different climatic environment, room/building  may cause it to slip  out  of tune,as it adjusts to its new home, therefore retuning is necessary after a couple of weeks of such move.

There is a device called a  Dampp Chaser(  low wattage dehumidifier bar and humidistat) that can be installed that automatically controls the environment around the piano. This is recomended in some situations and obligatory in the tropics!!

 

Q-What is the age of my piano?

Below is a list of  SOME pianos and serial numbers…you may find your piano here.,though its is not  complete  yet. Scroll down and see if yours is  listed.(post your piano brand and serial number to me If you can’t find it on the list below)

 

Ampico
1920-81000

1925- 87800
1930-94000

Apollo
1901-2075
1905-8700
1910-16000

1915-24400
1920-40000

1925-63000
1930-106000

1935-132000
1939-155000

Armstrong Piano Co.
1900-43000
1905-53000

1910-63700
1915-74000

1920-81100
1925-87800

1930-94000
1935-96000

Baldwin Piano & Organ Co.(USA)
1890-1
1895-6000
1900-10400
1905-12300
1910-16400
1915-24000

1920-35800
1925-48000
1930-63000
1935-74600
1940-88700
1943-10200

1950-110243
1955-128167
1960-145002
1965-165701
1970-190028
1975-208742

1980-236654
1985-262256
1990-290656
1995-328780
2000-366583
2002-380584

Beale Piano MFG. Co. (Australia)
1905-16449
1910-24990
1914-28093
1920-39800
1925-52000

1930-63800
1935-64890
1940-69900
1945-71130
1950-74700

1955-80600
1960-86651
1965-91700

1970-93450
1975-94680

Bechstein, C.(Germany)
1859-176
19850-300
1865-1595
1870-4196
1875-8070
1880-11676
1885-16704
1890-24958
1895-37785
1900-54181

1905-78185
1910-94753
1915-110898
1920-155783
1925-126160
1930-137446
1935-1339999
1940-143890
1945-146235
1950-147000

1955-148400
1960-151950
1965-156400
1970-162300
1975-167800
1980-173785
1985-177800
1990-180821
1995-183917
2000-187537

2002-189250

 

Bluthner, Julius(Germany)
1853-700
1855-1500
1865-6500
1870-9200
1875-13200
1880-18500
1885-25000
1890-31000
1895-42000

1900-55000
1905-67500
1910-81000
1915-94000
1920-100000
1925-109000
1930-115000
1935-119500

1940-125500
1950-128800
1955-130600
1960-133006
1965-137500
1970-140000
1975-142500

1980-144900
1985-146800
1990-148200
1995-149200
2000-150200
2003-150800

Bosendorfer, L.(Austria)
1828-4
1830-200
1840-490
1850-3000
1860-5000
1870-6400
1875-8000
1880-9300
1885-10800
1890-12200

1895-13870
1900-15640
1905-17620
1910-19640
1915-21370
1920-22530
1925-23880
1930-25350
1935-25700
1940-26290
1944-26290
1944-26730
1950-26960
1955-27490
1960-28017
1965-28434
1970-29109
1975-30622

1980-33444
1985-37445
1990-41062
1995-43374
2000-45150
2003-46690

Broadwood & Sons, LTD. (ENGLAND)

(Cabinets)
1820-1769 1825-3100 1830-4200 1835-5400

Cottages (Con’t)
1822-1 1825-200 1830-1650 1835-3100

Grands (Con’t)
1820-8225 1825-10343 1830-11909 1835-13900

Cable Piano Co.(USA)

1885-3000
1890-11000
1895-23000
1900-30000
1905-65000
1910-140000

1915-188000
1920-224000
1925-258000
1930-293000
1935-304000

1947-308000
1950-318000
1955-336500
1960-350600
1965-379000
1970-402000
1975-425700
1980-448000
1982-455200

Cable & Sons
1893-11000
1895-12000
1900-14500

1905-17600
1910-21000
1915-27000

1920-41000
1930-150000 1935-160000
1936-163000

 

Chickering
1823-100
1825-316
1830-716
1835-1980
1840-4235
1845-6490
1850-10000
1855-15400
1860-22000
1865-28000
1870-25500
1875-46000
1880-55500
1885-70000
1890-78500
1895-85000
1900-93000
1905-105000
1910-115000

1915-124000
1920-132500
1925-139700
1930-148400
1935-155200
1940-167200
1947-187000

1950-195000
1955-204000
1960-212750
1965-221117
1970-230300
1975-237578
1981-247477

 

Eavestaff, W. G.(England)
1950-135000
1955-161000

1960-176130
1965-183805

1970-187905
1975-166801

1980-41001

 

Erard – Gaveau (France)
1800-1640
1805-2900
1810-3805
1815-4500
1820-5200
1825-6000
1830-9000
1835-13000
1840-15000
1845-18000
1850-22000
1855-26500
1860-32000
1865-36000
1870-43000
1875-48000
1880-53000
1885-58000
1890-63000
1895-73500
1900-80000
1905-87900
1910-97500
1915-105500
1920-108000
1925-113800
1930-120000
1935-124000
1940-126200
1945-127000
1950-128300
1955-130000
1960-131815
1965-132479
1970-133129
1975-134600
1980-135600
1985-136170
1988-136260
Estey Piano Corp.
1889-15000
1890-19800
1895-23600
1900-27800
1905-35000
1910-40000
1915-45000

1920-57000
1925-77000
1930-90100
1935-122000
1940-129300
1947-138000

1950-144000
1955-157000
1960-172000

1965-191000
1973-203000
1975-206000

 

Fischer, J. & C.(USA)
1845-2500
1850-3500
1855-4900
1860-7600
1865-9800
1870-12000
1875-16000
1880-62000
1885-71900
1890-83606
1895-99200
1900-115000
1905-126700
1910-134000
1915-139700
1920-145000
1925-151550
1930-159000
1935-167500
1940-178600
1950-187000
1955-191800
1960-198500
1965-207741
1970-215343
1975-219100
1981-219300]
1982-219400

Forster, August(Germany)
1859-1
1873-1700
1880-2800
1900-10000
1904-15000
1910-25000

1917-40000
1924-500000
1929-60000
1937-73000
1944-82500

1952-102000
1960-122000
1965-133500
1970-140500

1975-148000
1980-160000
1996-162000
2003-163600

French & Sons, Jesse. (USA)
1896-9000
1900-19000
1905-29400
1910-43750

1915-60200
1920-77000
1925-93500

1930-105000
1935-106750
1940-110060

1946-114000
1950-200000
1953-231000

Gulbransen(USA)

1915-90000
1920-140000
1925-218000
1930-301000

1935-308900
1940-344000
1945-357000

1950-405500
1955-443500
1960-488300

1965-542000
1969-571000

Hardman

1850-2800
1855-5900
1860-9800
1865-13000
1870-17400
1875-21500
1880-26000
1885-31000

1890-37000
1895-42000
1900-48000
1905-58000
1910-68100
1915-77200
1920-86000

1925-91500
1930-94200
1935-95200
1940-97000
1950-105171
1955-109000
1960-121100

1965-132000
1971-141100
1975-147600
1980-151100
1982-152200

Howard Piano Co.
1959-40000
1960-43597
1965-82503
1968-106212

Howard R. S.
1902-10000
1905-16000

1910-26000
1915-36000

1920-47000
1925-59000

1930-76000
1932-80000

Ibach Sohn, Rud.
1820-464
1830-701
1840-1189
1845-1603
1850-1906
1855-2600
1860-2900
1865-3450
1870-3800

1875-5400
1880-7800
1885-12500
1890-20100
1895-28000
1900-38600
1905-50200
1910-63600
1915-76600

1920-82100
1925-90300
1930-96000
1935-97200
1940-98300
1948-98310
1950-98500
1955-99500

1960-103800
1965-110000
1970-117901
1975-126901
1980-136675
1985-143005
1990-147437
1995-149700

Kemble Piano Group(England)
1930-32100
1935-47000
1940-70900
1946-75000

1950-81700
1955-95000
1960-109700
1965-123500

1970-139100
1975-165800
1980-197980
1985-217811

1990-235000
1995-262730
2000-298201
2002-308992

Kimball Piano Co.(USA)
1888-1
1890-3200
1895-35000
1900-69000
1905-140000

1910-211000
1915-279800
1920-322000
1925-360400
1930-383000

1935-406000
1940-438000
1946-480000
1950-517000
1955-562300

1960-604000
1965-661300
1970-764200
1975-951000
1976-1000100

Knabe & Co.
1850-4100
1855-5900
1860-7400
1865-10000
1870-13000
1875-16000
1880-20000

1885-27000
1890-33000
1895-43000
1900-47000
1905-57000
1910-68000
1915-78000

1920-88000
1925-97400
1930-107300
1935-114100
1940-124000
1946-133500
1950-144620

1955-154300
1960-162750
1965-171287
1970-179259
1975-185468
1980-194164
1983-197894

Knight, Alfred(England)
1936-1001
1940-3588
1945-5304
1950-8420
1955-15443

1960-28245
1965-39011
1970-47888
1975-56870

1980-65000
1985-68385
1990-70970

1995-72665
2000-73165
2003-73334

Kohler & Cambell(USA)
1900-10000
1905-460000
1910-116000
1915-165000
1920-206000
1925-237000

1930-266000
1935-247000
1940-288000
1947-401000
1950-408000

1955-503000
1960-535000
1965-579000
1970-631500

1975-695000
1980-754000
1983-795491

 

Mason & Hamlin Piano Co.(USA)
1885-1893
1890-5700
1895-9100
1900-11800
1905-15000
1910-19100
1915-24000

1920-29000
1925-32700
1930-39600
1935-42600
1940-48000
1946-53000
1950-57800

1955-61800
1960-65200
1965-69100
1970-74263
1975-78730
1980-85853
1985-89393

1990-90000
1995-90520
2000-91000
2003-91640

Petrof (Czech republic)

1900-13000
1905-16200
1910-24000
1915-30500
1920-33400
1925-38100
1930-46500

1935-52200
1940-58000
1945-62700
1950-67280
1955-75400
1960-87200
1965-103700

1970-146900
1975-211900
1980-330000
1985-423700
1990-504500
1995-529900
2000-568320

2003-593140

Pleyel(France)

1805-1
1810-760
1815-1420
1820-2100
1825-3106
1836-5010
1840-8000
1848-15000
1854-20000
1861-30000

1864-35000
1870-47500
1875-60000
1880-77500
1885-85000
1890-100000
1895-112500
1900-122500
1905-133000
1910-149000

1915-163100
1920-168850
1925-177250
1930-188000
1935-194566
1940-197314
1945-199636
1950-202000
1955-204801
1960-206545

1965-208209
1970-210700
1975-215800
1980-227800
1985-237300
1988-239800

Samick ( Indonesia)
1996-IJF
2000-IJJ
2004-IJN

Samick ( Korea)
1960-140
1965-1050
1970-3500
1975-11300

1980-295300
1985-538400
1990-IJ

1995-IO
2000-JJ
2004-JN

Schimmel Piano Co.(Germany)
1894-1000
1900-3300
1906-6300
1910-8300
1916-11400
1920-13700
1926-17300
1930-19600

1936-21400
1940-22100
1948-22300
1950-22900
1956-35600
1960-50000
1966-87200
1970-115700

1975-154200
1980-199000
1985-247500
1990-286000

1995-318500
2000-338500
2002-346000

1979-79000

1980-80000
1985-8500000
1989-HI

 

Steck & Co.(USA)
1860-1000
1865-3000
1870-5923
1875-7500
1880-10000
1885-12000
1890-15000

1895-18200
1900-22400
1905-32400
1910-43000
1915-53500
1920-63300
1925-73000

1930-85000
1935-130700
1940-142800
1946-149900
1950-153900
1955-160600
1960-169700
1965-180876
1970-189389
1975-192500
1980-193400
1981-193600

Steinway & Sons(Germany)
1856-1000
1860-3000
1865-11000
1870-21000
1875-31000
1881-45000
1886-55000
1891-70000
1896-85000

1900-95000
1905-115000
1910-140000
1915-170000
1920-200000
1925-230000
1930-270000
1935-279000
1940-300000

1945-317000
1950-331000
1955-346500
1960-366000
1965-390000
1970-418000
1975-439000
1980-468500
1985-493000

1990-516700
1995-533500
2000-554000
2003-568000

Toyo (Japan)
1949-001 to 8590
1955-10701 to
11054
1960-15015 to
16695
1965-23041
1970-33934 to
37872
1975-66200 to
76727
1980-125998 to
141310
1987-181440 to
185413
1990-192638 to
195242

1995-202561 to
203847
1997-205146
Toyo Grand
Pianos
1950-1501 to
1521
1955-1677 to
1710
1959-1838

Victor Piano & Organ
1895-10000
1900-16000

1905-23000
1910-30000

1915-37500
1920-46000

1925-57000
1930-63000

Wurlitzer Co.(USA)
1903-1910
1905-4500
1910-11600
1915-22000
1920-40000
1925-63000
1930-112000

1935-136000
1940-195000
1946-330000
1950-400000
1955-537000
1960-657000
1965-905000

1970-1105000
1976-1385000
1980-1595000
1985-1825000
1990-2080001
1995-2825969
2000-2840520

2001-2842220

Yamaha (Japan)
1917-1700
1920-2100
1925-4950
1930-10163
1935-19985
1940-31900

1945-38550
1950-44200
1955-63300
1960-122000
1965-368000
1970-978000

1975-1943000
1980-3001000
1985-3988000
1990-4811000
1995-5375000
2000-5868000

2002-5978000

Young Chang, YCA, INC. (S. Korea)
1978-7800000
1980-8000000
1985-0147000

1990-1537386
1995-2113092

2000-2429876
2003-2559247

Young Chang Grand Pianos, with G before there serial number.
1978-7800000
1980-8000000
1985-016000

1990-0053945
1995-0093299

2000-0130384
2003-0140310

Zimmermann(Germany)
1885-1
1901-60001
1915-92001
1919-108001
1930-165001

1940-174001
1950-180001
1960-195001
1965-215001
1970-246001

1975-280501
1980-322671
1985-357000
1990-415600
1995-425660

2000-431753
2002-434053

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