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Wes Flinn RPT - Registered Piano Technician

 
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    The Reviews below are classified into Piano Service issues all Piano Owners have to deal with at some time.    
         
    Various different service issues are given a symbol — click the numbers by symbols below to read details.    
         
    Maintenance Service Reviews  are indicated by this symbol – § click a number below to read.    
         
      Piano Maintenance Levels are explained in section "Piano Definitions", and by clicking here.    
         
  ± = Humidity Control problem - Serious or fatal piano problem corrected by installation of a    
    a household humidity control concept, or a Climate Control System inside a piano    
  § = Maintenance Services - Regulation, Lubrication, Voicing, Tuning, Hammer / Key service, Cleaning    
  = Calendar based service with a Piano Maintenance Program developed for specific piano    
  Pb = Pinblock Failure - Original Pinblock in piano refurbished or repaired - Pinblock    
  TA = Methods Used to make older pianos playable again - Advanced Technical Assistance    
  IS = Pre-Sale Inspection - Piano Inspected for Sale, and serviced for selling by owner on open market    
  IP = Pre-Purchase Inspection - Piano Inspected for Purchase, before purchase by a prospective buyer    
  L = Piano Located for a Buyer - meeting cost and technical requirements, usually at far lower costs    
  = Professional or Technical commentary by a recognized Piano Technology authority, or by an owner    
  Ref Refurbish Piano to simulate piano's original appearance and upgrade to its original playing ability    
         
 
   
  # Service   # Service     # Service      
                         
  1 ±§ Piano TLC 14 TA- Our New piano 27   Ref§Pb TA-Refurbish to simulate new  
  2 IPTA Grand Old Upright 15 IS Pre-sale Inspection 28 § Piano brought to life again  
  3 § Church Workhorse 16 TA- Family heirloom 29 ±§ Yamaha came alive  
  4 § Piano Lovers 17 TA- Childhood piano 30 § Young Chang grand revived  
  5 § Demanding Teacher 18 IP, Artistic tuning 31 § Another Yamaha came alive  
  6 TA§ Family Heirloom 19 § Reliable rules 32 ±§ Grateful piano recovery  
  7 Tuner Emeritus 20 TA- Informed service 33 § Level 2 Maintenance Service  
  8 § Valued Petrof 21 IP,L Not repairable 34 § Level 3 Maintenance Service  
  9 § Delightful Upright 22   ±Pb Pinblock failure 35 §±L Located, Level 3 Maint Service  
  10 Pb±§ Complete Rehab 23   ±§ My Concert Grand 36 §± Level 4 Maintenance Service  
  11 L Located, Piano Search 24   § Piano Made New 37 § Level 7 Maintenance Service  
  12 IP,L Demanding Buyer 25   Pb§ Level 3 Maint Service 38 § Level 2 Maintenance Service  
  13 IS Pre-sale Inspection 26   §TA Level 3 Maint Service        
                       
                     
 

Note:  To go to the actual Search Engine Reviews shown below, click an author's nickname below title of that Review

 
       

   
  1

*****  *****  *****  ***** ±§
Wes Flinn Piano Tuning Enthusiast
‎ - Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by   pasiedon     [Piano:  2001 Weinbach - 5'8" Small Concert Grand]
±§

   

Wes has been tuning my baby grand piano for over five years. The experience with his service has always been top notch. He has always arrived on time for appointments and completed the tuning with great efficiency. He has been straight forward with the requirements to keep my piano in the best shape possible. Wes makes quality recommendations without a sales pitch which is something I truly appreciate.

Wes brings an excitement and knowledge of pianos that is truly electric. He has a great appreciation of pianos and the great sound they can achieve. Wes wants to bring the greatness out of each and every piano he touches. Wes's favorite quote is "pianos are living and breathing beings that have to be cared for to achieve their best potential." I would recommend his services to anyone that was looking for a tuner. 
 

   
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  2

***** *****  TA
Great experience - Wes is a true pro‎ - Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by steve l      [Piano:  1906 Weber 48" Professional Studio Upright] 
IP,TA

   

I found Wes Flinn (technician) very experienced and trustworthy. He tunes some of the most valuable concert grands, and did a great tuning job at a reasonable price on my old upright, as well as giving me recommendations on restoring it and answering tons of questions. I also learned he was trained by the founder of the Phx chapter of the Piano Technician's Guild. His website for Phoenix Piano Biz has a lot of useful info.
 
   
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  3

*****  *****  *****  *****  §
Wes Flinn services Christ Church Lutheran...‎ - Reviews on Google, Yahoo!, Bing, or superpages
    by Ronald Harman      [Piano:  2001 Petrof IV - 5'8" Small Concert Grand]  
§

   

A number of years ago our Church, Christ Church Lutheran here in Phoenix, purchased a very expensive Petrof IV Grand Piano for the Congregational Chapel. We were able to purchase this rather expensive instrument because of many memorial gifts which had been given for the specific purpose. Wes Flinn was the Piano Technician recommended by the piano dealer, and we began using his services from the outset. I have been the agent of the congregation to see to it that the pianos and the large pipe organ are given the kind of regular care that is necessary for their proper maintenance and continued service for worship services. My credentials for this are simply that I have been one of the Organists and that I have been around for many years, having served as the Parochial School principal for 32 years before my retirement.

I have been entirely satisfied with the services of Mr. Flinn. He does good work. He is present when needed, but also present on a regular basis, scheduling his work at regular times without having to be asked. He is also one to suggest that there are repairs to be made on the Grand Piano over and above the regular tuning, such as regulation, repairs that neither I nor anyone else in the congregation would have deemed necessary unless having them pointed out. Since Mr. Flinn is one to be trusted because of his honesty and expertise, such suggestions for repairs are important to us and readily received.

RONALD V. HARMAN

Christ Church Lutheran, Phoenix, Arizona
 

   
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  4

*****  §
One of the best -- period‎
- Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by William     [Piano:  2001 Petrof IV - 5'8" Small Concert Grand]
§

   

Wes has been tuning our Grand Piano since we purchased it new. An expensive piano deserves the best care, and Wes certainly delivers. He takes the time to do the job perfectly, every time. When he's at our home, it's like this is the only piano he will be working on that day. Taking the Time to do it right is never an issue with Wes. When he leaves, our piano is in perfect tune. A true craftsman that takes pride in his work. Highly recommended. 
 
   
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  5 *****  *****  §
Wes has tuned my piano for six years.‎
-
Reviews on  Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by   sara    [Piano:  2002 Petrof 125 - 50" Concert Upright]  
§
   

He truly cares about my instrument and it's best interests. He is extremely knowledgeable and will tell you what is best for your instrument without being pushy. He is professional in every sense of the word, and, most importantly, my piano sounds fantastic every time he leaves. It sounds so good, that even students and their parents have noticed and commented at recitals about it's beautiful sound. His rates are very reasonable, and I recommend him to everyone.
 
   
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  6 *****  TA§
Wes is a true professional
‎ -
Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by armb20      [Piano:  1937 Kimball 48" Studio Upright]  
TA§
   

Wes Flinn is a dynamic and personal piano tuner. He shares all of his knowledge of your instrument with you, in addition to answering any and all questions you may have. Wes beautifully tuned the piano that has been in my family for decades. He researched the genesis and history of this particular piano and gave me honest recommendations as to how to maximize its performance. Wes Flinn has integrity, is a joy to work with, and is a skilled technician. I highly recommend his services.
 
   
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  7 *****  *****  
Who is Wes Flinn?‎
-
Reviews on Google, Yahoo! by "Jim Coleman Sr"  
    by Jim Coleman Sr
   

I have known Wes Flinn for 7 years. He has been doing exceptionally fine tunings from the beginning of our acquaintance. I have been especially impressed by the stability of his work. He is an excellent communicator and one would be pleased to see his knowledge of the field of piano technology. He is very forthright is recommending the service which a particular piano may need and is a perfect gentleman in his presentation. He even tunes the piano for my piano teacher neighbor. 
Jim Coleman, Sr.
 
 
   
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  8 *****  *****  *****  §
Wes: the perfectionist!
- Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by   W. Drew     [Piano:  2001 Petrof IV - 5'8" Small Concert Grand] 
§
   

Google version:

We have a high-end Petrof grand piano, and 3 pianists in the family. As such, it is imperative that the piano stay in tune. Wes is the only one we have used for many years, and his care, professionalism and expertise are valued by us. Wes treats our piano as if it were his own and is a perfectionist when it comes to the care and tuning of your instrument. I highly recommend Wes.

Yahoo version: 

Wes Flinn has been tuning our Petrof high-end grand piano for over 5 years now. With three pianists in the family the instrument gets lots of use. It's imperative that the piano is tuned and adjusted to maximize the playing and listening experience. Wes is a perfectionist and we wouldn't trust our piano to anyone else. He stays as long as it takes to bring everything in to perfect sync. A true master craftsman. We highly recommend Wes.   W. Drew, Tempe
 
   
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  9

*****  *****   *****  *****  ±§
Wes the piano tuner
‎ - Reviews on Google, Yahoo!, Bing or superpages
    by   rr1342   [Piano:  2001 Petrof 46" Professional Upright]  
±§

   

Wes Flinn has been tuning our Petrof upright piano for the last seven years. He is very knowledgeable and friendly. He's very good at explaining what options you have for keeping your piano tuned and sounding wonderful. Wes also does a wonderful job at keeping track of your tunings and calling you in advance for scheduling. I highly recommend Wes Flinn for your piano tuning. 
 
   
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  10 *****  Pb±§
Piano tuner par excellence
- Review on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by Catherine Freiderich Murray      [Piano:  1960 Kawai 7'0" Concert Grand]
 
Pb±§
   

I have owned my piano for 22 years, have moved it with me to three different cities, and have hired "professional" tuners to care for this instrument. Never, in all of these years, have I encountered a true professional like Wes Flinn. He has discovered idiosyncrasies in this piano and has truly brought my piano to life. I am thrilled with the service that Mr. Flinn has provided. If my piano could speak, I am certain that it would offer its thanks as well.  

Catherine Freiderich Murray

Scottsdale, Arizona
 

   
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  11 *****  *****  L
Searching for a Piano?...Call Wes Flinn
- Review on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by   Piano 09   [Piano:  Professional Petrof Period Walnut Upright] 
L
   

When I went in search of a piano, I knew I wanted a quality piano. I looked at many of the local piano stores, but didn't know what to believe. Every place I went, "their" highest priced piano was the "best". I met Wes Flinn at my last stop and purchased a Petrof. His knowledge of pianos convinced me that this was the right piano for me....and it was. I've had it for 5 years now and continue to enjoy it. Wes is still tuning my piano and continues to offer advise on how best to maintain it so it can be enjoyed for years. For anyone who owns a piano, I highly recommend Wes for his expertise and professionalism
 
   
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  12 *****   IP,L
Looking for expert advise on your piano......
- Review on Google originally, lost by Google
    by dhg      [Piano:  2001 46" Petrof Studio Upright]  
IP,L
   

 


Well, then Wes Flinn is who you should call. I went in search of a piano 5 years ago. I looked at both new and used pianos and just didn't feel I was getting good advice. I thought I would try just one more place, before I made my decision. The rest is history. I met Wes Flinn and knew immediately that he knew what he was talking about. He was both professional and knowledgeable. Since that time, Wes continues to tune my piano and offer advice on how to maintain this beautiful instrument. He is truly a pro! 
 
   
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  13 *****  IS
Wes Flinn shares his expertise
- Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by Karen      [Piano:  1998 Young Chang 5'0" Parlor Grand] 
IS
   

 


We called Wes to tune and inspect our [Young Chang baby grand] piano. Wes was professional and extremely knowledgeable not only about the piano, but helped us understand its value and the intricacies of the current market. Wes spent a lot of time with us and we came out of this process with a much clearer understanding of what our was worth and what we would need to do to properly bring it to market. In addition he provided us advice on movers and information that would be helpful to a prospective buyer. It sounded great when he was done it and the experience was definitely worthwhile and very reasonable.
 
   
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  14 *****   IP,TA
Satisfied Customer
- Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by Melissa      [Piano:  Studio Professional Weber Upright]  
IP,TA-
   

 


Wes Flinn tuned the piano my husband and I just bought, and he did an excellent job. I could tell he really cares about his work and is very knowledgeable. Our piano sounds great, and he was very willing to explain the process to us and answer all our questions.
 
   
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  15 *****  IS
Need Piano Value?...
- Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by Louise      [Piano:  Koehler & Campbell 45" Upright] 
IS
   

 


After many years of owning our piano, and the children are now out the door we were considering selling and have no idea what to do. After a recommendation to contact Mr. Flinn we were glad we did! He was able to give us an idea of fair market value, took the history information of the piano as well as a great tuning all for one nominal fee.
 
   
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  16 *****  *****   TA
Wes Flinn is the Industry's Best!
- Review on Google originally, link lost by Google
    by dlf      [Piano:  1962 Koehler & Campbell Period Console]  
TA-
   

 


Wes Flinn has been caring for my piano since 2000. He understands the importance of my family heirloom piano which is very near and dear to my heart. Mr. Flinn has done maintenance and tuning and adjustments to make my 40 year old piano sing like an angel. I can not tell you how much I appreciate his care for this very irreplaceable instrument. Wes understands the care, tuning and upkeep that keeps my treasured piano where it stays perfectly at pitch since the last tuning and needed only a touch up tuning. 10+ is my real rating! 
 
   
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  17
*****  *****  TA
Great Service; Very Knowledgable - Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    by WiscAriz 
and "thedeavilas"     [Piano:  1925 Beckwith Concert 57" Upright]  
TA-
   

 


We had my childhood piano, an antique, shipped from Wisconsin to Arizona and it needed some tuning and adjustments. Wes not only tuned the piano, but was able to give me a little bit of history on our piano. He fixed only the things that needed fixing and then gave us some great options for maintaining our antique piano. We will call him again for any tuning needs in the future.
 
   
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  18 *****  *****  *****   IP,
WES FLINN, RPT – Registered Piano Technician  - Reviews on Google, Yahoo!
and Bing
   

 

by PeterHorwath     [Piano:  2002 Weber 157 - 5'7" Parlor Concert Grand, Empire Case]   IP,
There are plenty of piano tuners, albeit only a few of them see in this magnificent instrument a “living” organism. “C’est le ton qui fait la musique”, say the French, and if the piano tuner, not unlike a lover, approaches the instrument with care and consummate skill, it will sing and produce heavenly melodies and clear rhythms. If, however, the piano tuner approaches the instrument like a routine and unfeeling mechanic, the produced sounds will make the listener’s ears bleed and heart ache. A fine piano tuner will even succeed in having a maltreated piano produce gratifying sounds that lead to beautiful chords and enchanting melodies.

And yet, piano tuning is only the crowning of hierarchically ordered endeavors: Like a keyboard virtuoso, a master piano tuner has not, so-to-speak, “descended ready-made from Heaven”, nor is piano tuning his only skill. Such a person knows how to protect a piano from dangerous climatic conditions, how to move the instrument great distances, how to rebuild a damaged piano, how to store it, and how to sell it; also, how to evaluate a new or used piano for a prospective buyer, and, last but not least, how to determine a fair price for an instrument. In short, not everything that shines is gold, and not every piano that looks good, is worth the posted price.

And, if the piano tuner is to be also a pianist and not just an arranger of pleasant chords, and knows how to play a piece by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with all its shades, nuances, and subtle tempi, then...then the interested party should contact WES FLINN, RPT. Next to him, all other piano technicians I have known in the course of four decades, are merely pale orphans. Mr. Flinn has been there when I looked for a piano, he has been there when I bought a piano, and he is always there when my piano needs to be tuned. Believe me, not only I but also the Muses Euterpe, Terpsichore, and Polyhymnia are greatly indebted to him.

Peter Horwath,
Professor of German Studies,
School of International Letters and Cultures,
Arizona State University,
Tempe, Arizona
   
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  19
*****  *****  *****  §
Website PIANO TUNING PHOENIX: - Reviews on Google --
see 15 Jan 2009
    by Bill    
   

 


If you want to learn how to take care of your piano, go to Website “Piano Tuning Phoenix”. I grew up around pianos, as my mother was a professional pianist and teacher. I play guitar, and spent several years in the entertainment business, and I know how important it is to have a piano that stays up to pitch and works properly. Wes Flinn started servicing our piano in 2000, and it has been up to pitch and played well ever since. Go to his Website, and get the right technical way to take care of pianos, written in everyday language in a “how to” theme. All the basics are there, just follow the rules, and your piano will sound better, play better and last longer.
 
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  20
*****  *****  TA
Quality Piano Tuner - Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages
    by Steve     [Piano:  1981 Sherman Clay 43" Studio Upright]  
TA-
   

 


I did a great deal of research on the internet to find a quality Piano Tuner in Phoenix, AZ. I found Wes Flinn, an extremely experienced tuner that really cares about his vocation and all types of music in general. His vast knowledge of pianos and music history greatly impressed me. He cares about his field so much that he studied/apprenticed directly at some of the famous piano factories in Europe (Boesendorfer, Schimmel, Petrov, etc.) a couple years ago,at his own expense! Wes tuned my 20+ yr old upright piano that hadn't been tuned since I moved to AZ about 10 yrs ago and made it sound like a fine instrument again. I would highly recommend Wes Flinn to anyone
 
 
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  21
*****   IP,L
Professional Service - Review on Google,  Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages
    by Frederick H      [new Piano:  2008 Carl Ebel 48" Studio Upright]  
IP,L
   

 


A big thanks to Wes for his professionalism and wisdom. He was very sensitive to the demise and ultimate loss of our long time family piano due to an inability to repair, even to the extent of no charge for his efforts. I am looking forward to next month when he comes to tune our newly purchased piano after acclimation. I truly appreciate Wes for his great knowledge, timely service and straight talk.
 
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  22 *****  *****   ±Pb
Humidifier helped piano a lot! - Reviews on Google,  Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages  

    by Edward  - 
사용할 수 없는 닉네임입니다  -   [Piano: 2004 Young Chang 48" Studio Upr]
±Pb
   

 


I moved from Korea to US (Phoenix) about six months ago; about three months after I arrived, I have a chance to check up my piano from Korea. According to the tuner's (Wes Flinn) speaking, my piano looked like [it was] having a problem on the pins inside the piano. In the beginning, since Phoenix has a desert weather (it means huge humidity change from normal in Korea) to very dry (in Phoenix)), he worried that dry humidity may cause this problem, so that he recommended to put a humidifier in my house and to check [conditions] about 40 days later. I just followed what he said, and [after] about one and a half months, when he checked again my piano, he said the proper humidity level worked well so that my piano tuned OK. It tuned so well by just putting the humidifier! [putting in a household area humidifier, Kenmore 15420] -- if anybody has a problem of piano in dry weather, I recommend try to put in a humidifier and check again. It may be a simple solution for it.

 

 
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  23 *****   ±§
MY CONCERT GRAND  -  Review on
Google,  Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by MDZ    
[Piano:  1987 Baldwin SD-10 9 foot Concert Grand]   ±§
   

I moved to Phoenix in February of 2006 lugging a great deal of personal belongings including a fretted clavichord, a double-manual Flemish-style harpsichord, and a concert grand piano. More specifically, the piano is a Baldwin SD-10 which I purchased directly from the factory in 1987 and which I have carried with me from Orlando to Tampa to St. Petersburg in Florida, and now to Phoenix. It has lived very successfully with me in very humid climes and now in an excessively dry one. I rarely let a day go by without playing it and it has rewarded me with virtually thousands of hours of music expressed in its beautiful voice. I have a love of music and a great appreciation and respect for fine instruments and the specialized and professional training and dedication that is required to maintain fine instruments in a state of dependable readiness to reproduce the music we sing in our hearts and minds.

Throughout my life with my piano, I’ve been very diligent in keeping it well maintained. This I did by consulting the foremost piano dealers and members of the Piano Technicians Guild. My piano and I benefitted enormously from their sage advice and regular ministrations. All this set the stage for my successful experiences in Phoenix with its totally foreign climate. Within six weeks of my arrival in Phoenix, I inquired after a piano technician who would be capable and willing to undertake the tuning and maintenance of a concert grand piano. I was immediately referred to Wes Flinn. Wes has impressed me as the most careful and meticulous technician who has ever cared for my piano. Sometimes I think he has formed his own personal relationship with my piano for which I can harbor no jealousy, only gratitude. Wes advised me to obtain a humidifier and a hygrometer as soon as possible and begin maintaining humidity in the house near 42%. This I did and thanks to Wes’ advice, my piano made a successful transition from a humid climate to a dry climate without the soundboard cracking or going severely out of tune. Wes checked the action, particularly the hammer felts, for integrity and need of adjustment. The action is a Renner action which I had had rebuilt once after I had the piano ten years. It was now going on another ten years of continuous use, so I guess it was time for another overhaul. Wes arranged for this and the piano was returned to me in a rejuvenated state of responsiveness. My piano is now more mellow, powerful, expressive, and balanced than I have ever known it before. It has grown from a slightly strident and difficult to control youth fresh from the factory to a seasoned, worldly adult with so many of its best years still ahead of it that it will surely outlive me. It’s wonderful to have a friend that one can grow old with. It’s even more so to have someone who can insure that that will be the case. Thank you, Wes. You’re the best, and I heartily recommend you to anyone who has a profound love of music and a real appreciation for skill, dedication, commitment, and sacrifice it takes to be the best in your field.
 
 
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  24 *****  *****   §
PIANO NEVER EVER SERVICED MADE NEW AGAIN -  Review on
Google,
Yahoo!  
    
by  chercynic57    
[Piano:  1990 Kohler & Campbell Studio Upright]   §
   

I inherited a piano from my mother when she passes away in 2005.  Sadly, the piano was horribly out of tune due to a series of long distance moves, changes in climate, and just poor maintenance prior to my inheriting the piano.  New to the Phoenix area, I turned to the internet to locate piano tuners, and found Wes Flinn.  Wow!  What a process!  After an initial visit to diagnose the condition of the piano, I decided to go ahead with the regulation and tuning processes.  Wes really knows his stuff!  I was so impressed with his knowledge and skill.  Not only was the piano out of tune, it was way out of pitch as well.   Wes spent hours reconditioning the action, resetting the pitch, balancing and leveling the keys (there were at least two that were extremely sticky) and tuning it.  He patiently explained everything he was doing, and answered any questions I had regarding the value of my piano, the regulating and tuning processes, as well as advising me on the proper maintenance and protection of the instrument.  Because the piano I have was re-fitted at the time it was purchased to be a "player piano", there were some additional difficulties with it, but Wes persisted and overcame all the problems he encountered.  At one point he needed some parts he didn't have, and I learned that Wes has the connections and resources in the community to acquire what he needed within an hour.  I cannot believe how fortunate I was to find such a professional and skilled tuner.  Wes is simply the best.   
 
 
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  25 *****  *****  *****  *****  Pb§
OLD PIANO BECAME NEW PIANO WITH FULL MAINTENANCE SERVICE
Review on
Google --
see 21 May 2009

    
by  Katheryn Wallace    
[Piano:  1940 Winter "Musette" Spinet]   Pb§
   


A few months ago we acquired an old piano from our rental property (renters fled and left the piano).   When this piano became ours for free, I felt very blessed.   Now that we had this piano, I was eager to start my children on lessons....what good is having a piano if no one can play it? :-)  After calling a couple of piano tuners and not receiving a call back, we found Wes Flinn's website (PianoTuningPhoenix.com).  When Mr. Flinn arrived to assess our piano, it was immediately apparent that this man has a great love for pianos as well as great knowledge about how they work.  He explained many things in detail, quoted a price estimate and soon after began working on our piano.  He spent many labor-intensive hours over the course of two weeks.  Mr. Flinn provided Full Maintenance Service on our piano, including restoring the pinblock mechanism, recalibrating the keyboard; regulated and lubricated the action, raised the pitch to standard pitch and tuned it, plus made various repairs -- all for the price he quoted.  I know that he could have charged double what he'd originally quoted, but he didn't.  We also learned about humidity problems in Arizona, and we added an area humidifier to our house to help save our furniture and piano.  I can honestly say that I am very glad we found Mr. Flinn and I will proudly recommend him to anyone needing service.   

Katheryn Wallace 

Avondale, Arizona
 
 
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  26 *****  *****  *****  *****  §TA
I THOUGHT I HAD LOST MY ABILITY TO PLAY – BUT IT WAS THE PIANO, INSTEAD!  

Review on
Google -
- see 07 July 2009

    
by  Alissa Austin    
[Piano:  1971 Kimball Spinet]   §TA
   


I needed to have my Kimball Spinet tuned or repaired.   When I sat down to play, it was frustrating.  The keys would stick, or would not produce a sound.  Most difficult was listening to some notes that would seem to strike two notes together, neither of which was in tune.  I began to think my piano playing ability had dwindled.  It never occurred to me that the piano had problems. 

In the past I utilized a piano tuner with no accreditation.  He would arrive, tune the piano in about thirty minutes, take my payment and leave.  I would explain the problems I was experiencing, and was told that they were unfixable.  After his service, the piano would stay tuned briefly, and then it would sound as bad as before.  I didn’t like paying and paying without results, so I just stopped having the piano tuned and stopped playing entirely.  I couldn’t stand to listen to the piano. 

Yet, I wanted to teach my daughters to play.  I had to find someone qualified to help my piano.  I did some research on Google and came across the Piano Technicians Guild.  From that site I was linked to the RPT (Registered Piano Technician) in my area.  This brought me to Wes Flinn.  Attached to his Guild link were his customer reviews, so I read through them.  Each customer was very praise worthy and satisfied.  I called Wes and scheduled an appointment.

Wes inspected my piano and explained what needed to be repaired.  I was pleased to learn that every complaint I had about the piano could be fixed.  Every question I asked was explained in excellent detail and in understandable terms.  The repairs would include action regulation and lubrication, calibrating and leveling the keyboard, a Pitch Raise tuning plus cleaning inside and out.  He even described how I could refurbish the exterior myself, using easily found and inexpensive supplies.  Wes provided a reasonable quote, so I scheduled the repairs. 

I learned much from Mr. Flinn’s website at www.PianoTuningPhoenix.com.  Contained within were helpful, clickable lists of information, including tuning an acoustic piano, to humidity control, to buying and selling pianos.  There is a wealth of easy to understand information contained in each title.  I truly understood what would be done to my piano.   After reviewing his explanations on “Tuning” I realized that in the past, what I had asked those non-accredited tuners to fix on my piano had never been addressed.  Educating myself on piano terms really helped me understand what Wes would be doing.  This in turn boosted my eagerness to play my “new” piano.

On a Monday Wes cleaned the piano -- this work alone took about two and a half hours -- then removed the action for regulation and lubrication at his shop.  On Friday, Wes returned to begin the real work of calibrating the keyboard, leveling the keys, finishing the regulation and finally setting the Pitch Raise and Fine Tuning.  He allowed me to participate and help clean each of the keys.  He worked quickly and professionally.  An unexpected dry weather crack in an action part was found at the last minute and repaired -- I have high praise for Wes in that he stuck with his original quote of the cost despite the surprise repair.  I admire his integrity. 

I now understand that what Wes gave my piano what is called “Full Maintenance Service” plus a Pitch Raise and a  Fine Tuning -- complete definitions are on his Website. When the piano was complete, I was amazed at the difference.  The keys moved beautifully, the sound was excellent.  I spent several hours that night playing almost every piece of music I own.  I realized then that I hadn’t lost my piano playing talent; I just didn’t have a piano that was cooperating.

 I highly recommend Wes Flinn to anyone who wants their piano to really play well.  Also, he has wonderful rapport with children and pets. 

Alissa Austin

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  27 *****  *****  *****  *****  Pb§RefTA
FROM  BATTERED  FLAPPER  TO  CHARLESTON  KICKING  RADIO CITY  ROCKETT!
Review on
Google Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages

    
by Marilyn S.   
[Piano:  1925 Gulbransen 53" Upright]   Pb§RefTA
   


I own an 85 year old Gulbransen upright piano.  I decided a few months ago that I needed to finally take better care of it and I knew it definitely needed tuning.  So, I got on the Web and looked for piano tuners.  There were a number of them, but one in particular caught my eye.  Wes Flinn had an amazing website with not only contact information, but loads of information about taking care of a piano, tuning, repairs, buying and selling, storing, and lots of other things.  After browsing around his website, I gave Wes a call and ask him to come over and take a look at my piano to see what it might need.  I knew after that first meeting that I had made the perfect choice.  Wes is incredibly knowledgeable about every imaginable aspect of piano .  We talked for quite some time about what my piano needed to get back up and running. I knew I didn’t want to buy a new piano...this one had lots of family history and emotional connections.  I knew I couldn’t afford to completely restore it to exactly what it had been in 1925 when it was built. So, I decided what I wanted to do was refurbish my piano and turn it into a true working antique.  I wanted to keep its antique looks, but have it really play well like it did originally.  Wes gave me a number of options as to what could be done and what absolutely should be done to accomplish that mission.

The journey began.  Wes arranged for the piano, now known as “Ms. G” (short for “Gulbransen”, her manufacturer), to be taken to his shop, as the work needed was extensive and would have been very difficult to undertake at my house. As the work proceeded, Wes was very faithful about sending emails with pictures as well as calling periodically to let us know how the work was proceeding.  “Ms. G” needed many new parts as well as a lot of cleanup. She also needed work done on her outside finish, as she had been a bit battered around through the years.  Wes replaced the bass strings, miscellaneous felts, the hammers, the dampers and various other things.  He also fixed some of the parts that just needed repair rather than replacement.  The action was regulated and lubricated, and the keyboard recalibrated.  In sum, all the working parts were made to function properly like they did originally, and the finish was refurbished to simulate the original look of the piano. 

Finally, after leaving home for a two month stay in Wes Flinn’s piano spa, “Ms. G”. returned home, and wow, did she look and sound terrific.  Her first song was the Star Spangled Banner!  Then on to Chopin and Beethoven!  “Ms G” had gone from a down and battered “flapper” from the 1920’s to a Charleston kicking Radio City Rockett working antique!  She can play anything now from Beethoven to Rag-time! 

Come on Elton John!

I was so glad I chose Wes to help me with this project.  He is the best!!!   We continue to stay in touch, of course, because now that “Ms. G” is in the best shape she has been in for at least 50 years, I want to keep her that way.  Wes will be helping with that, every step of the way. 

Marilyn S.

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  28 *****  *****  *****  *****  §RefTA
Wes Flinn's piano spa

Review on
Google --
see 24 January 2010

    
by Wendy E.  
[Piano:  1970 Cable Console 42"]   §RefTA
   


       The day I discovered Wes Flinn’s web-site, I did something good and right – for myself, my piano, and to rekindle a long-lost friendship I didn’t realize I was missing.  Any pianist who has experienced passion in their fingertips can acknowledge that there is a point where diligent practice moves beyond mechanics to form an unexplainable relationship.  It is the place where music becomes communication.  Between musician and instrument, a friendship is forged and won.  This is the part of acquaintance with Wes Flinn I have enjoyed the most.  His knowledge of the mechanics of a piano enables him to move beyond the basics to breathe life into your piano.

        When I called Mr. Flinn, I sought routine maintenance after a cross-country move.  Our piano-playing Uncle would be visiting soon, and, for him, the piano must be in tune.  My Cable was purchased by supportive parents from my piano teacher in the 1980s.  I took lessons for 13+ years and enjoyed growing and learning as the piano became an extension of me.  Years passed.  My parents gave me the piano when my husband and I bought our first home.  After college, marriage, children, I often sat down to play.  But something left me empty and unsatisfied.  I shrugged it off as distractedness on my part.  “I am a busy mom,” I reasoned.  “Perhaps, I’m a bit rusty,” I thought.  “When I have time, I should take lessons again.”  Unexplainably, the spark just wasn’t there.

        When I called Mr. Flinn, I didn’t expect a revolution.  I wasn’t seeking a miracle.  Like any other household “appliance” on the blink, my piano just needed a little attention.  He explained what my piano needed was a “Full Maintenance Service” (see his website for explanation:  www.PianoTuningPhoenix.com  ).  When Mr. Flinn’s “spa treatment” for our piano was complete, I expected to check that one off the household “to do” list and resume life as usual. 

       The next part of this story calls for a respectful pause, a moment of silence, or more appropriately, a shout in celebration.  When I sat down to that piano to play the first song, unexpectedly, tears flowed.  All these years I had internalized that I had lost my touch.  In a short time, Mr. Flinn re-touched, re-tightened, and renewed what my piano had lost.  My piano and I reconnected in one sitting and a familiar joy returned to me.

        I’ve considered terms and allegories that would most appropriately describe Mr. Flinn’s new role in the life of my piano.  Perhaps, he is a “piano minister.”  Or maybe he’s more like a marriage counselor because he helped find that spark that was lost.  He could be considered a massage therapist for the spa treatment my piano has received.  Better yet, he must be a doctor or surgeon for all of his knowledge of the intricate details inside a piano.

        Truth is, Mr. Flinn inspires me.  He is a master craftsman in a day when, far too often, self-proclaimed experts perform mediocre work.  I am a benefactor proclaiming that I have evidenced Mr. Flinn to be a true expert.  He has a passion for his work that makes the world a better place.  I am thankful musicians can glean from someone who cares so much about quality.  In Wes Flinn, I have found a friend and an inspiration.  My piano is now the apprentice of a finely-tuned master. 

Wendy E.

Ahwatukee, Arizona
 

 
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  29 *****  *****  *****  *****  ±§
Yamaha piano console came alive

Review on
Google --
see 12 May 2010

    
by Bill Carter 
[Piano:  1985 Yamaha Console 44"]   ±§
   


I own a Yamaha console that has experienced only one minor tuning in its 25yr+ lifespan.  It clearly needed attention from someone who understood pianos.  I discovered Wes Flinn's comprehensive website and decided to try him with a Setup Tuning.  As I hovered over Wes during the tuning process, I was impressed with his attention to detail and his considerable knowledge of pianos which he willingly shared with me.  As a result of that first appointment, I scheduled a Full Maintenance Service which included taking the piano action back to his shop for adjustment and lubrication.  During his inspection Wes uncovered a problem with the Hammer Butt Flanges in the action of the piano that required replacement of ribbons, a very time-consuming task, for which Wes did not charge me.  Subsequent to the maintenance service I also had Wes install a Dampp-Chaser Climate Control system to keep the humidity constant inside the piano.  I cannot imagine anyone more capable with pianos than Wes Flinn.

Bill Carter

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  30 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
Young Chang grand piano revived

Review on
Google Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages

    
by Marc de Rosa 
[Piano:  1998 Young Chang Grand 5'-0"]   §
   


Dear Wes, 

I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with the work and timely manner in which it was provided for the Piano at St Daniel the Prophet Catholic Church in Scottsdale, AZ. When I began my ministry there, the piano was barely playable, and the keys were so hard to push down it was impossible to play with any kind of style other than banging to get the sound out. After playing all the Sunday morning Masses my fingers would literally be hurting because of the force needed to get through the masses. After you gave it “Full Maintenance Service” — moved the piano outside, took it apart, cleaned, adjusted, and re-tuned it, it was a real pleasure to play. I couldn't believe the difference. It was like playing something totally new, not the 12 year old baby grand I was used to.  (See “Full Maintenance Service” on website:  www.PianoTuningPhoenix.com)  

I want to give you big kudos for putting the piano and myself in a place where everyone can now enjoy what is being played.

Thanks so much! 

Marc De Rosa

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  31 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
To All Piano Owners or "Would be" Owners

Review on
Google Yahoo! ,
Bing or superpages

    
by Larry Koehler 
[Piano:  1981 Yamaha Console ]   §
   


I recently bought a small Yamaha upright piano.  It is just a basic piano, but I wanted to find out if it couldn't be worked on and made into a nicer, smoother piano short of investing a lot of money in a more professional piano. 

I used to have my piano tuned by a "piano tuner" who was a very nice guy, moderately competent, and over-booked.  Then I decided to do a little research on the internet last year.  I found Wes Flinn's website, reviewed it, and said to myself, "Gee, I wish I could get someone with this much experience to tune my piano and answer my questions". I figured that anyone with Wes's credentials wouldn't want to waste his time with me and my amateurish piano. 

I couldn't have been more wrong.  Wes has treated me like royalty from the first minute that I talked to him and every minute since.  I decided to have him take my piano through "Full Maintenance Service" (which is explained on his website:  www.PianoTuningPhoenix.com).  This procedure covers all adjustments and lubrication and tuning of the entire piano, and the difference is remarkable.  Everything explained on the website comes true.  The difference in how it plays and sounds now compared to before the service is like night and day. 

I am fully convinced that there is no better technician in the Valley, and strongly suspect that there are few better technicians than Wes anywhere.  Call Wes, ask questions, follow his advice, and be thrilled to have such an extraordinary, skilled resource at your fingertips. 

Larry Koehler

Peoria, Arizona
 

 
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  32 *****  *****  *****  *****  ±§
So Grateful for piano recovery!
Review on Google Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by Mike and Carol Carlon  
[Piano:  2000 Samick 6-foot Grand Piano ]   ±§
   

We are so grateful for Mr. Flinn's help, expertise and obvious caring for our "sick" grand piano! The piano had gone through cooler weather than was normal when we wintered in Phoenix (from Colorado) for five years and then had to face a move to Phoenix and then, hot, summer weather! Mr. Flinn, being very honest with us, explained the piano's problems and then, skillfully, brought it back to "life" for the joy of the whole family!  

Mike & Carol Carlon

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  33 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
What a difference!
Review on Google -- see 12 December 2010 
    
by Mike Zuber   
[Piano:  2004 Kawai GE-30 5-foot 8" Grand Piano ]   §
   

Wes has been tuning my piano for about a year now, and it's been a great experience. He is so willing to share information, and is always honest with you. I recently had Wes perform a level 2 maintenance on my piano.

(see maintenance levels explained at website "www.PianoTuningPhoenix.com":

http://pianotuningphoenix.com/Definitions.htm#m

Before having the service done, I had read through the web site and listened to Wes explain the details. I knew the obvious: my piano was going to be thoroughly cleaned, the action would be lubricated, friction and stiffness would be reduced, and the piano would be tuned. On paper, it seemed pretty straight-forward and a good thing to do, but I can understand why a lot of people struggle with justifying the cost. Having said that, after receiving the maintenance, I am blown away by the difference, and it was worth every penny. Just seeing how much work Wes put into the maintenance (and listening to him explain his actions), watching him clean and lubricate all of the parts, and make adjustments, it makes sense why pianos really need this level of service.

After the maintenance, some of the more difficult pieces I've been working on are starting to get easier because I feel like I'm fighting less with the piano to play how I want. The keys and action are so extremely smooth now that it is actually translating to me feeling like the piano sounds smoother. Now that I've seen the difference, I realize that this is how the piano should have been from the start. Wes has truly helped me get the most out of my piano. This definitely something I think everyone should get done, not only because it will improve the life of the piano, but because it will actually help people play their best.

Mike Zuber

Goodyear, Arizona
 

 
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  34 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
Some Thoughts on the Piano
Review on Google Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by  'Joy '  Chaudhuri   
[Piano:  1970 Baldwin Hamilton - 45" Upright Studio Piano ]   §
   


My late wife played the piano and our house was filled with sheer joy during our 40 years together. Her piano playing often accompanied by song was one of the great pleasures in my life and the life of my children. She played for her church as well. We moved several times and we would leave an upright behind in the towns that we lived in. Then in the early seventies I got her a Baldwin Hamilton, which still sits proudly in my home. Even though my grandchildren are quite young, I enjoy the great sounds of the piano when they play on it and my sister in law still practices on it before helping at her church. After all these years, I got the piano completely serviced, lubricated and tuned by Wes Flinn of Phoenix. Wes is a master craftsman.  Reincarnation?

The Baldwin Hamilton lives even though other makers have emerged and the Baldwin has outlived its makers. Of course others have different choices. 

The evolution of the piano through the last few centuries is a wonder that will continue as long as there is music. With it’s thousands of parts when working in harmony a piano is a very versatile bridge to classical western music, more contemporary expressions of jazz and popular music and can be used for playing some forms of  non western music as well. Rubinstein, Horowitz, the daughter of the great sitarist Ravi Shankar –Norah Jones, the popular Elton John who was classically trained -- their sounds coming from the piano has given me immense pleasure. The versatility of the piano for solo performance, for orchestras, churches and families, for listening or participation is impressive. Even though electronic devices have emerged they can’t really quite replace the central importance and resonance of the piano for musical and cultural enrichment.  

Amidst traditions in India, the divine is represented by some as a beautiful wave of sound and devotion   occurs in listening to that sound -- of the Sabdha Brahman (the divine sound) and ignoring the noise of the world. When a piano is played well and with devotion it can be the instrument of choice for the divine. 

Joyotpaul “Joy” Chaudhuri

Tempe, Arizona
 

 
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  35 *****  *****  *****  *****  §±L
Finally found my Piano
Review on Google Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by  Travis Leech   
[Piano:  1995 Baldwin Hamilton - 45" Upright Studio Piano ]   §±L
   


My name is Travis Leech, and I am a professional musician who owns a small recording
studio. Before opening my studio to customers I decided I wanted to purchase an
acoustic piano and record an album with it.

Although I had been playing piano off and on for most of my life I still knew quite little about
how to purchase the correct one and get it up and running. My first try was an utter failure,
I had a feeling the moment the piano set foot in my home that I was going to need help.

That day I found Wes Flinn's website and I called him. By the end of the week he
was at my house catching me up on all types of piano knowledge that I should have
been taught in school. I learned about the history of the piano, its social
significance, and most importantly I learned about proper piano maintenance
(humidity, regular tuning, etc. ... ).

After it was determined that the piano I purchased would not help me reach my goals,
Wes Flinn helped me find the correct piano. On Craigslist, there was a 1995 Baldwin Hamilton
piano that had been virtually unused. It was in poor shape. It was dry and out of tune, and
the texture of the sound was off in more ways than one.

However, in one day of work using his mobile repair shop Wes Flinn changed that.
Now I have a beautiful sounding piano that I intend to keep in top shape so I can continue
to enjoy it for years to come.

Travis Leech

Tempe, Arizona
 

 
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  36 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
My Piano rescued from me and the manufacturer
Review on Google -- see March 28, 2011
    
by  Jerry Groth   
[Piano:  1987 Sojin 5-foot 8" Grand Piano ]   §
   


About 3 years before moving to Phoenix from the Minneapolis area, I bought a Sojin piano from a co-worker. But I also had another friend who is a Piano Technician who went with me to evaluate the piano and suggested a purchase price, and provided a name for a piano mover. After the move she regularly maintained the piano for me and I also purchased a Dampp-Chaser for it.

After my move to Phoenix 6 years ago, I didn’t have any work done on the piano…I didn’t know anyone and the piano sounded like it was still in tune, even after 6 years. I don’t play much, but I have a friend who is my accompanist for when I sing solos at church, and she even thought it sounded good. Well eventually, one of the keys stopped playing and it was becoming annoying. I finally decided to look on-line for someone, and ran across Wes Flinn’s website. He was exactly what I had been looking for, and he even had links for Dampp Chaser.

Wes came out within a couple of days and looked over the piano and we talked about how I’d neglected the piano for the past six years, and he started telling me all about the piano, the manufacturer, etc. Then he sat down and played the piano a bit and looked it over and then told me what he thought needed to be done to the piano, and that it wouldn’t be a fast fix. Yet, while he was there, he actually did fix my key that wouldn’t play, but he said that it would be only a temporary fix, but that he thought it would get me through until he could actually perform the repair work that we had agreed to do.

Well I am so impressed with the work that he did and the amount of tools he has. I had no idea that there was so much involved in the maintenance of the piano. Parts were breaking because I had let the piano dry out, and apparently the manufacturer had also done a poor job in building it, and just even from my own neglect—-who knew that a piano needed to be lubricated? Or, regulated? Wes took care of it all, even in repairing defects beyond the cost estimate that were made by the manufacturer. I know he spent many more hours repairing it than he had estimated, yet he only charged me the agreed price. But I’m also impressed with how the piano now sounds and works. Plus he even made a visit to house a month later to see how the piano was performing.

I’ll recommend Wes to anyone with a piano. You’ve made the initial investment to own a fine instrument, so now don’t neglect it, keep it in top working order…with all it moving parts, and, it requires more than the occasional tuning. And don’t forget the investment of a humidifier.


Jerry Groth

Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  37 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
I LOVE this piano, it's amazing!
Review on Google Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by  Otto D'Agnolo  
[Piano:  1986 Baldwin L, 6-foot 2" Grand Piano ]   §
   


Chaton Studios
602.256.0056 1818 E. Brill Street, Phoenix, AZ USA 85006

http://www.chatonstudios.com
http://www.facebook.com/chatonstudios 

When Wes Flinn arrived at my recording studio and began inspecting my piano, I was surprised to discover how much I still hadn’t learned about pianos.  After all, by that time I’d been making records for nearly thirty years and had met many piano technicians.  

Hiring Wes is the best decision I’ve ever made for my piano.  His sensitive approach to the instrument, his tremendous attention to detail, his meticulous manner and his professional demeanor place him head and shoulders above his contemporaries. 

Wes found my ailing Baldwin Grand in sad condition and he heard me saying, “I don’t want it anymore”.  With his training and talent, Wes brought my piano back to life so vibrantly that he started hearing me say, “I LOVE this piano, it’s AMAZING!”   So that’s what you get with Wes, a total pro who gets acquainted with your piano, gets to know you, discovers your needs as well as the piano’s personality and ultimately puts all of his years of experience into bringing the two of you closer together.  Maybe he should be called “The Piano Whisperer”.  

Let me put it this way, you know you have something special when top notch recording musicians call your Baldwin a “Baldwindorfer”.  

In short, if I have my way, no technician but Wes will ever touch my piano again.  

Otto D’Agnolo

Multi platinum award winning producer/engineer
Emmy award winning songwriter
Owner of Chaton Studios, Phoenix, AZ
Voting member of The Grammy Academy (NARAS)
Member of AZ Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame Board of Directors


Phoenix, Arizona
 

 
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  38 *****  *****  *****  *****  §
A TRUE JOY to play my piano now
Review on Google Yahoo! , Bing or superpages
    
by  Sally Cable  
[Piano:  1985 Yamaha G2, 5-foot 7" Baby Grand Piano ]   §
   


Wes Flinn left my house an hour ago, and I have been playing a different piano
ever since.

Even though I have played the piano for over 40 years, I am not an
accomplished pianist. I simply play for my own enjoyment because I love the
sound of the instrument.

I have had the same Yamaha baby grand for 25 years.

I have had it tuned a few times over the years, but nothing more. I moved the
piano to the Phoenix area recently, and knew that it needed tuning. I was
lucky enough to find Wes Flinn, and elected to have him do a Level 2
Maintenance Program. I did this primarily for the mechanical health of
the piano. I did not think that, at my level of playing ability, I would
notice a difference in the touch.

I was wrong. The piano virtually sings now.

It is truly easier to play. The keys that are played with the pinky finger
don't get lost--they just ring right out effortlessly. I don't know the
technical words to use to describe the difference.

All I can say is that the piano is a true joy to play now. My playing
seems to be more musical because I can just get lost in the music
and not have to think so much about the keys and making them do
what I want them to do.

Add to this that Mr. Flinn is a delightful person to have in your home,
more than a technician--he is an artist. 5 Stars.

Sally Cable
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Piano Tuning Phoenix  is the Piano Fact Sheet for Piano Owners in the Central Phoenix Cities   — 

Phoenix Ahwatukee Scottsdale Paradise Valley Tempe Chandler Gilbert Mesa

 

Its a Resource for all Piano Owners  —  no matter what kind of Piano, or who their Technician may be.
 

We have taken technical subjects and concepts and words used in Piano Maintenance conversation, and
put these difficult ideas into more every-day kind of language to make better common sense of it all.
     

More on the Meaning of "RPT"  and
"Dampp-Chaser" Climate Control systems ,
plus more about Technology and Technicians

1

Serious Owners and maintenance.

"RPT" :

A fine automobile owner, as in BMW or Cadillac or Lexus, would rarely turn his fine machine over to a unknown mechanic for fear of unknown results.  The same reasoning is true of pianos.  Pianos are machines, and they have specific maintenance needs just like any other machine.

Serious owners should seek out an "RPT", or "Registered Piano Technician" to handle their piano maintenance.  The best reasons can be found in the definition of a on the official website of the Piano Technicians Guild which is the organization that confers this performance rating of "RPT" on qualified practitioners.

The real distinction of an RPT compared with a non RPT qualified technician is the immense amount of study, practice and personal dedication required of an RPT examinee to prepare for the examination requirements of the "RPT" title or designation.  The overall time and personal dedication required to pass the examination requirements of the PTGuild title called "RPT" are about the same as needed to acquire titles to legally practice law or medicine, which require roughly 7 years to complete.

This technology is a vast, complicated, subtle and sophisticated field of knowledge and practice — far beyond what most people would dream is involved.  The service which can be provided by an RPT who has invested all the time and expense to achieve the RPT status will be obvious to a piano owner at their first meeting.  An RPT will be able to assist the owner to solve any maintenance or repair or service problem that might arise on an acoustical-piano.

Special Notes:  (1) many women have become outstanding RPT technicians, and many of those authorities in various specializations of the field; 
(2) Certain disabled individuals have become famous in the field, in particular those with sight impairment or ambulation difficulties;  (3) Race or nationality bias is non-existent in the field.

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2

Tuning isn't just tuning.

RPT technology is many sided skill.

Like any other field of endeavor, the technician will usually specialize in some particular area of the field, even though he prepares to do all the different levels of service work that exist on a piano.

The several general areas of service work are:  "tuning" — adjusting the tension of the strings to produce correct pitches and to keep design tension correct for the whole sound producing mechanism; "regulating" the action—the keys and all other parts that actuate the hammers; then the hammers alone need expert care from time to time, and this is called "voicing"; and finally "repairs" — checking and adjusting or replacing the various other supporting parts of the mechanism, such as the pedals, the cabinet parts that open up to the keys or the strings, etc.

These general areas of service work occur on all instruments regardless of where they are located or what kind of use they receive.  Piano-instruments are everywhere, and are used for all kinds of purposes, but they are all much the same.  An instrument  in a famous school of music like ASU is the equivalent of a taxi cab that goes 100,000 miles in one year.  A home unit for a 5-year old student is equivalent to a car used by a retired person never driving beyond the local grocery store and church year after year. 

So there are home, school, professional venue units for concert halls, recording studios, and then there are the millions of instruments that are built new and sold each year which have to be prepared and maintained by the world's RPT technicians.  No two instruments are alike, and no one gets used just like another one.  Every job is a new challenge, even with the those that a technician services regularly.  They are machines, and each individual one has its own peculiarities and needs, and all these have service needs just like any other machine.  RPT Technicians are schooled in all these variables, and are the best equipped specialist mechanics to call upon to meet a piano's needs.


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3

The "unseen" areas of technology.

a)  Rebuilding and Refinishing.

Two other relatively "unseen" areas of technology activity that involve a large segment of technicians include the rebuilding and refinishing side of maintenance.  This is an area where the technician must literally "know it all".  He has to know about the theory of design, and how these theories vary from product to product.  He has to be highly skilled in replacing and sometimes actually manufacturing parts that are no longer in production.  This area of endeavor is truly a labor of love, and one of the most amazing aspects of it is that usually these kinds of skilled craftsmen do their own financing — the costs of the hundreds of different kinds of specialized tools needed for this kind of work is absolutely staggering, and the financial rewards are very modest for their sales and services.  There are many RPTs who have learned and practiced the performance side of piano work who consider this area the ultimate and consummate level of all work in life, such as to work for a year to refinish and rebuild a wonderful machine that could be 50, 100, or even 150 years old.  To see these superb machines return to life is a joy to them that nothing else can replace.

b)  New piano prep.

Another somewhat unnoticed area of technology are the technicians who work to prepare new units for sale, "out of the box" from the factories.  It takes up to a week of expert technical work to finish out all the details needed for a machine that goes to a concert hall.  Then it takes continuing work, often by these same technicians, for a unit to be serviced while it is being played and used or "broken in" when it is in a concert venue.  It may take 2 years of this kind of attention for a fine concert grand to finally get thoroughly broken in and to be able to perform at its best.

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c)  Climate Control Installation.

One more area of specialization in technology is the installation of "climate control systems".  Pianos are machines made of wood, steel, and iron.  All these materials react to temperature and humidity differently, and therefore changes in temperature or humidity affect its condition directly.  Most users and owners  think that their wonderful machine stays in tune based on how much it is used.  This is only partially true, as they can be used very vigorously, yet not influence the tuning much at all.  But let Mother Nature come along and change the humidity on us, and She can put our "machine" out of tune in a matter of hours.  The reason for this is the different kinds of materials making up a piano-object work at great odds with each other when temperature and humidity are not stable, and these variables cause the strings particularly to expand and contract rapidly, although microscopically, thus losing both tuning and pitch level. 

The device known as a "climate control system" includes both a humidifier that adds moisture and a heater that reduces moisture.  These two mechanisms are regulated by a control system known as a "humidistat" with a control that results in a stability of temperature and humidity to a range of a few degrees constantly — usually about 72 degrees Farenheit an''"d a Relative Humidify RHfactor of about 40 to 45 percent.  Extreme situations can result in breakage of soundboards in dry climates to rusting of strings in chronically wet weather conditions.  The best of the climate control systems is the "Dampp-Chaser" product, which has been marketed for about 60 years with the best of success.  Most RTP technicians include the skill of installing these systems.  The systems are expensive, meaning $500 to $700, but often obviously save the lives to pianos, and therefore are no more expensive than any other kind of insurance that we pay much more for relatively.  These systems virtually never wear out.  Once a technician sees a fine piano that has exploded due to over dry weather conditions, he becomes very enthusiastic about encouraging piano climate control system installations.

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4

Few RPTs have time to cheat their clients.

Choosing an RPT Registered Piano Technician, that is, a fully qualified piano technician for your service work is the quick and easy way to avoid rip-offs resulting in both overcharging for services and/or shoddy workmanship.

Yes, sometimes an RPT charges a lot for his services, but usually it is related to the time it may take to complete the work, as well as time and distance costs related to a particular job.  Remember that first and foremost a piano is a machine, and that it is better to not work on it at all than to have some inferior mechanic either ruin it or not improve it, all in the name of better prices.  The cost of an inferior maintenance scenario can run up to 3 or 4 times higher than qualified maintenance, because of the need to replace fatally damaged parts inflicted by shyster entrepreneurs that convinced you to let them touch your machine.

A piano consists of at least 6000 parts, with large concert grand pianos having up to 12,000 or so parts (depending on how the count is done).  I sold a piano once to a jet engine mechanic, and he was astonished to learn that a piano of any type or size involved many more parts than his jet engines, which run in the 4000-5000 parts range.

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One of the biggest challenges a piano technician has is to be able to determine what an individual piano needs when he walks up to it, and to find a way to somehow explain this to the owner without appearing to be an opportunist and doing and saying strange things in the eyes of an owner, claiming it had to be done or the piano would fail, all just to make a little extra money from a client. 

Most of the RPT Registered Piano Technicians I know about are literally out of breath trying to take care of the impossible job of being everywhere at once and never having enough time to get their work done.  Most piano technicians, if not working a scheduled tuning or regulating job, are studying or teaching or traveling to an educational convention or meeting of some kind — that's a description of an every day seven day week for an average full-time career RPT.  It is a career of devotion and activity level that exceeds most others.

 

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Here are some examples of issues that seem strange and vague to many Piano Owners:
"Tuning", "Regulation", "Voicing", "Maintenance", "Repairs", "A-440", "Pitch Raise",
"Piano Maintenance Program",  "Climate Control System", "Dampp-Chaser".
 

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Here are examples of the reactions Owners give Piano Technicians about these issues:
   







"Why does my piano even need  a tuning?  — Give me a break, its brand new !  ...or,
"I never ever heard of a 'regulation'  — What's that all about?  Is my piano is illegal...?...or,
"My piano needs a WHAT? ...a 'pitch raise'  ?  —  is there something wrong with it?" ...or,
"Voicing? -- you have to be kidding me! — Does it have a recorder, too?" ...or,
"Repairs?  How can my piano need fixing? — I didn't do anything to it...." ...and,
Then the names "Climate Control System" and "Dampp-Chaser" are so unheard of that
     owners think a Technician is talking about outer space vehicles or some such thing!