Would not tuning a piano cause it damage?
 

We have a baby grand that we bought for our first born about 15 years ago. He hasn't played it since he left for college 4 years ago. My wife insists on having it tuned every year even though no one is playing it. Piano tuning is $150 a pop. I say we stop that practice. She says it's bad for the piano to let it go untuned. Google agrees with her but everything I have read so far on that subject were written by piano tuners. If you are in the know, please comment. I don't mind it if you call me a cheapskate.

She is right. What's the matter with you?

Seriously Chris, I know absolutely nothing about pianos, but I would be easily convinced that they must suffer from disuse. Once tuned, they are taut, and closely tensioned. Time must allow them to relax, and settle, taking them out of tune. It makes perfect sense to me, plus, it's only $150, be glad she doesn't need a new piano each year. :)

edit: maybe ask a piano expert if it makes any sense to loosen all the strings to allow it to sit for long periods of time.

They are designed to take a certain amount of stress but the strings relax and typically a piano will go flat. This doesn't put stress on it but it does make it sound bad. It won't ruin it if its not tuned. If no one plays it why not sell it to someone who does?

Remember, you can tune a piano but you can't tuna fish...

Sell it. eBay it. Put it on craigslist. Donate it to a school and write it off. Why on earth would you want to own an instrument like a baby grand piano that isn't tuned. Get rid of it.

Five minutes on Google has convinced me that temp and humidity are critical, but tuning doesn't seem to be an issue.

If tuning were critical to storage I would think it would be mentioned here: Piano Storage

I should point I that I don't own a piano, don't play piano, and don't know a damn thing about pianos.

Oh, but yes, you're cheap. Just get it tuned. It would be great for your son or some other pianist to give you an impromptu concert and have it actually sound good.

I have a piano. I have taken it apart several times for repainting. I change the color of it every now and then. Basically it is a harp, with padded hammers to strike the strings.
I could see how keeping the strings taught would help keep it in tune.
But, on the other hand I could see how not keeping the strings taught could cause no harm.
But on the third hand I could see how not keeping the strings taught could soften/unwind them and make future hold of a tune difficult.

It's you're call. I would get it tuned every 4 or 5 years, just to keep things straight.
Tune it up, it's no different than anything else. A tune up is always good. Plus at your next drunken dinner party when someone plays chopsticks, it sounds better in tune.

If we had room I'd swap you for a beautiful 'primary blue' upright. ;)

It won't get "damaged", per se, but if you wait lets say 5 years or so and then want to tune it it might take two tries or so to get it to stay in tune for more than a few days. I'd equate it to keeping your fuel system up to snuff on an old car. You can let it go, but down the road (if indeed you actually care) you'll have do
A little extra to get it back in shape.

I do my own, and I'm glad i know how, but i dread doing it.

Replace the keys with an electronic Yamaha , cut the strings and use the space as a mini bar.

On second thought, Chris, your post indicates you bought the piano for your oldest, therefore, it's his decision. Bill him for the upkeep, and ship it to him when he gets settled after college.

From first engineering principle, I cannot see how it "hurts" the piano. The force reduction on the string mounts and the support structure of the piano by sitting un-tuned for a few years cannot be significant. But Gogar has the explanation that makes the most sense. If it is sitting for several years, you will have to re-tune possibly more than once, because it will stretch out a little after that first tune.

Personally, I would compromise here and just have it tuned every 2 years. I would keep it in my home at that cost - like others mentioned, a piano ready to play may give you a nice moment with either your son playing it when coming for a visit or anyone else that has the ability when they are at your house.

G

[QUOTE=Gogar;7380132

I do my own, and I'm glad i know how, but i dread doing it.[/QUOTE]

How often do you need to tuna piano? How long does it take?

(My mom's piano tuner was blind (totally) and it was fascinating to watch him - but I can't remember how long it took, or maybe he shooed me away. I was a little kid....)

I've had 2 baby grands. Not tuning them for a long time results in a couple of things: as said, hard to bring it up to tune and keep it there and the likelihood of not being able to tighten it up to pitch w/o breaking a wire.

I'd go with the 2 year plan and keep the thing in a table environment, preferably not next to a window.

Thanks for reminding me that I need the tuner out to do the upright. No one plays, but it's here.

Darn it! I was gonna be all clever but you were cleverer first!

The confusion might be between what you call damage. The harp of a piano is pretty good solid metal. Less tension on it won't do anything to it. There is usually a thick piece of wood that the harp attaches to...if that splits (like mine), you may never be able to bring it back up to it's true tune. But that damage was cause by the prior owners not taking care of humidity and such, not whether or not they tuned it. But here's the real deal...if you haven't tuned the piano in a while, the chance that they may break increases. Adding strings to a piano isn't necessarily cheap, and usually requires a series of frequent tunings once the new strings are added.

What's better than roses on a piano ?...........Tulips on an organ !

Why are pianos like women? Cuz when they're not upright they're grand!

What's involved in self-tuning? Isn't this dead simple with a tuning device nowadays, if you have the right wrench?

G

I imagine it's time consuming, but that is a good idea. Why not just buy the tools and tuning stuff and do it yourself.
It sounds like fun.

my mom used to get my sister's piano tuned annually. the man came and did it and i loved every minute of it. i would sit next to him and watch..i was about 8 years old. my sister would beat my ass if i touched her precious instrument. i think i found solace (or protection) sitting next to the old man. he would do it old school. he had an old leather bag full of tuning forks. he would hit one, and ask my advice.."am i there yet?".. i remember his old tools for turning the knobs. it was fascinating...my sis quit playing moved out, and i think the old G passed away. i recently helped my sister move that beast to denver..she got it tuned and the new guy never said anything about.."oh lord! it's been how long?!! i dont know if i can do this"...he just tuned it and left.

i miss the old man. he would rattle off a quick tune right before he left every time. i seem to remember him wearing suspenders.

i would call a shop and ask. i bet nothing happens if a piano sits.