Category Archives: Rotherham Piano Tuning

Now taking early morning bookings

Cleaning, Covid-19, Lockdown Rules, North Yorkshire Piano Tuner, Piano Tuning, Piano Tuning Tools, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield, Sheffield Piano Tuning, South Yorkshire Piano Tuner

For home bookings I can now book you in for a piano tuning at 8:30 AM or 9 AM on a week day morning. I have hitherto saved early morning slots for professional venues such as schools, churches, recording studios, but those enquires have sadly declined somewhat over the last sixteen months – particularly schools.

From my experiences piano tuning in Sheffield and beyond, I have found people have wildly different views on booking tradespeople to their homes under current circumstances, but rest assured I am taking the covid-19 precautions very seriously, with frequent testing and following all procedures that keep the customer happy. The customer is always right and your wishes will be respected.

I will rearrange a booking at the slightest sign of any symptoms. I’m vaccinated and very careful to social distance and regularly sanitise work hands, car and piano tuning kit (particularly the piano tuning lever and paps wedges that I regularly handle throughout the day). If you have any concerns, I’d be happy to discuss it with you before you book the piano tuning.

 

The Long and Winding Road

Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield Piano Tuning

First off, let me say that I’m still open for business and taking on new clients if you need me. BUT, with that said:

I’m very sad to say that currently winding down my career as a Sheffield piano tuner with a view to starting a second job. Amongst other reasons, the financial strain caused by the coronavirus has been such a severe set back that it’s no longer tenable to continue the low profit and high investments (weekly order of action parts, hardware, tools, high fuel costs) involved in this job. As much as I’ve enjoyed tuning pianos and particularly giving people a great deal, when factoring in my expenses and time working/travelling, a minimum wage 9 to 5 (or part time) job would giving me a greater income and involve less time spent on the roads. While the coronavirus is one of the larger factors in my decision, the previous six years were still a massive disappointment in terms of what I thought I’d get of it as a career.

I will happily take on new clients for anyone looking for a good piano tuning at a good price. Once I obtain another job (be in part time or full time) I’ll continue to tune pianos for a reasonable price out of office hours. I have worked painstakingly to develop this skill and to build up a clientele over the last seven years and I would never abandon it completely.

What I will no long offer is full action overhauls. This is the most costly, time consuming and non-profitable part of the job and it is no long worth it for me in this climate. There are many other Sheffield piano tuners who can offer that for anyone who desires more extensive work. By and large the types of people who would be willing to spend money on a full overhaul are the sorts who’ve already invested in a more robust piano that needs little in the way of maintenance.

Otherwise, the service I offer and the price remains the same. For £50 you will get a highly accurate piano tuning, plus minor repairs and regulation that will get your piano to a vefry respectable playing standard. Generally I will spend an hour to two hours giving your piano the excellent service it deserves.

Piano Tuner Scarborough?

Piano Tuner Sheffield, Piano Tuning, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield Piano Tuning

I will resume my visits to the North Yorkshire region after the 12th of April. Not only would it have been unsafe to travel there at the height of the pandemic, but the demand for piano tuning in Scarborough just wasn’t there. I’m starting to receive calls and will be happy to resume piano tuning in Scarborough as soon as possible. I started as a Sheffield piano tuner and still live in that city, but earning a living at this trade requires extensive travelling so please don’t think making a journey to your area is a hassle – it’s all part of the job.

– Richard, Piano Tuner Sheffield

A slight change of schedule for the Sheffield piano tuner

Availiability, Health and Fitness, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield, Sheffield Piano Tuning

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the lockdown will be lifted in April. There will be a slight change of schedule for my piano tuning in Sheffield over the coming weeks. I plan to start work later and end later in the evening, my first job being at 2 PM and the last 7:30 PM. I’ll still offer at least one morning booking per work however.

I want to use my mornings to try and regain the high level of physical fitness I attained before the lockdown ruined things. This helps me to get a good nights sleep, go for a run and then spend an hour in the gym which was a regular part of my day before Covid-19. This might seem irrelevant to my piano tuning work, but it helps a lot with focus and motivation, particularly if my daily exercise takes place first thing in the morning rather than in the evening. The lockdown has led to me feeling quite lethargic recently, I’m sure we’ll all feel relieved when we can resume normal life.

– Richard, Piano Tuner Sheffield.

Piano Tuner Sheffield open for business during current lockdown

Availability, Covid-19, Dronfield Piano Tuner, Lockdown Rules, Piano Tuner Doncaster, Piano Tuner Sheffield, Piano Types, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield Piano Tuner, South Yorkshire Piano Tuner

In short, you are legally allowed piano tuners and other tradespeople into your home during tier 4 and tier 5 lockdowns.

In terms of exposure to Covid-19, Piano tuning is a relatively low risk profession. What social interaction I have had since march has been at a safe distance. I have good common sense and have been washing my hands religiously (with alcohol-based sanitizer), both in the car and when I return to my Sheffield home. I will happily wear a face mask on request.

A few links to keep your mind at rest:

UkGov

Daily Express Article

The Times

 

Let’s support local piano tuners and tradespeople. But let’s do it while staying safe and obeying the lockdown rules.

Happy New Year! (and why I’ve been late with reminders recently)

Availiability, Chesterfield Piano Tuner, Piano Tuner Sheffield, Piano Tuning, Piano Tuning Availability, Piano Types, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield, Sheffield Piano Tuning

A happy new year to you all! I’m not a fan of the icy Sheffield weather in January, but 2021 already looks a promising year for piano tuning! I’m excited about the list of goals I have set myself for what I want to achieve this year. Many of them are modest goals related to the organisation of my business, but with 2020 being such a slow and disappointing year for piano tuners I’m excited to turn over a new leaf. This will be the year I get it all together and my business will be run as smoothly as it was from 2017 to 2019 (the golden years).

I’ve seen some beautiful pianos being sold over eBay recently, so I hope that’s a sign that more people are paying attention to the piano (and more people need their piano tuning!). Sales of classical music are on the rise and I see many younger people turning to the timeless masterpieces rather than repetitive modern music. Maybe the slower pace of life has improved their taste? Who knows?

One of the most pressing goals I have is the need to revamp this website. It has the same layout it had in 2014 and looks horribly dated. More care and attention needs to be paid to it, but I’d like a talented web designer to give it an overhaul and that’ll be expensive. Once I have the funds, I assure you it will be done.

My final belated apology is to anyone who booked me in 2019 and had to wait a while for their yearly reminder. During lockdowns I was hesitant to contact anyone as there was a high chance they’d postpone the booking. After the present disorder and tumult, I will be more prompt and punctual in my reminders – most people need them or they forget. Six months is preferable, but at least once a year is the minimum required for most pianists.

How is the Sheffield piano tuner dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic?

Availiability, Chesterfield Piano Tuner, East Yorkshire Piano Tuner, Leeds Piano Tuning, Piano Removals, Piano repairs, Piano Tuner Chesterfield, Piano Tuner Doncaster, Piano Tuner Sheffield, Piano Tuning, Piano Tuning Availability, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Scarborough Piano Tuning, Sheffield Piano Tuner, Sheffield Piano Tuning, Update, Urgent Message, Whitby Piano Tuning

Many people are asking how the Sheffield piano tuner is coping with the pandemic and what his available hours are for piano tuning.

Business hours are back to how they were during the lockdown, but he is taking more precautions to avoid catching the virus and potentially spreading it to others (being particularly mindful of the elderly occupants at his  Sheffield residence). Here are a few steps he is undertaking to ensure everyone stays safe:

  1. Before the piano tuning , he will politely ask the customer to clean the keys (rub in vertical motions to prevent dirt getting down the sides) with an antibacterial wipe.
  2. He will take care to maintain social distancing during every visit.
  3. Bookings are arranged geographically, so that one day will be for Sheffield piano tuning, one for Leeds, one for Hull, etc (piano tuning in 2020 requires wide travel)
  4. For customers who are particularly anxious, masks are kept in the car to be worn on request.

These steps will be rigorously followed for the foreseeable future. He is very appreciative of anyone who books a piano tuning during this difficult and uncertain time. If anything changes this website and blog will be updated immediately.

A new post from my sister page Piano Tuner Leeds

Availability, Band, Piano Tuner Chesterfield, Piano Tuner Doncaster, Piano Tuner Sheffield, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Scarborough Piano Tuning, Sheffield Piano Tuner, Sheffield Piano Tuning

Please view my other blog for a post advertising a new song we’ve just recorded:

Apostle – Reaper

Yes, I have a Piano Tuner Sheffield website and a Piano Tuner Leeds website. It’s difficult to keep on top of both websites sometimes, but as far as booking customers in both areas? So far, so good. There seems to be more work in West Yorkshire, particularly in Leeds and Harrogate where a lack of piano tuners (mainly due to older piano tuners retiring from the trade) has increased demand – so much so that I can group together Leeds piano tuning jobs with Sheffield piano tuning jobs. That’s always nice. Honestly, I quite enjoy the long drives between cities as well as seeing new localities after the piano tuning work. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like work.

The problem with Sheffield is that there are already several Sheffield Piano Tuners currently active so for a city of its size I have fewer clients than you’d expect. Down south there doesn’t seem to be many Chesterfield Piano Tuners, so I get several jobs a week in that area. Rotherham is also a popular area – perhaps I should call myself the Rotherham Piano Tuner instead!

More and more piano tuning work in Hull and Humberside recently, so a third piano tuning website might be on my list shortly!

New prices for the Sheffield Piano Tuner

Piano Regulation, Rotherham Piano Tuning, Sheffield, Sheffield Piano Tuning, South Yorkshire Piano Tuner, Update

Due to an influx of new inqueries and a costly new marketing campaign, the Sheffield piano tuner has raised his prices £5. £45 for a piano tuning is still very modest compared to similar services in the UK. Don’t forget that this also includes many repair and regulation jobs that other piano tuner’s will charge extra for. I generally do as much as I can within two hours to make sure your piano sounds and plays the best it can. If the work needed takes more than two hours I charge £25 per hour plus the price of any replacement parts (worn felts and bushings are sometimes replaced during the regulation process). Keeping the customer satisfied is in both our interests – my working hours are flexible and I can always work around your busy schedule.

– Richard, Piano Tuner Sheffield.