New piano - tuning recommendation

[bartgovaert]

So I finally got my act together and traded up the Kawai K2 with a brand new Kawai K500. And it is indeed a great instrument.

Just a quick question - the instrument was tuned before delivery and it sound more or less OK to me, though not perfect.

When do you think would be the best time for a first proper tuning? I believe I have read that we should let the instrument stand a few weeks. I also believe that new instruments need to be tuned a bit more frequently the first few years, is that true.

Thanks

Bart

[vernon]

congratulations on your K500.
Clearly Kawais are well tuned before leaving the factory as they reach us in very good tune.
Certainly leave the piano a few weeks to adapt to it's new settled environment.
After that, you will have to judge when your ear tells you attention is needed.
With Kawais specifically, I find they embarrassingly don't need much extra tuning when new.

[Colin Nicholson]

There may be small discrepancies in the tuning/unisons/ octaves within the first (wait for it....) TWO YEARS. I didn't believe it at first, and when I bought my new K5 in August 2013, I thought I could just sit back. The first year is usually up & down, depends on the climate and any contrasts. After year 1, I fitted the hydroceel humidifier tube (about half full of water).... and it needed less tweaking. Year 2: I fully tuned it in April 2015, and still to this day, it is spot on....

I think it doesn't matter how many times you have it tuned in year 1, the piano's soundboard/ bridges/ wrest plank will settle properly when it is ready to do so. It's like feeding a dog, whether it is hungry or not, we still keep feeding it.

Colin