Paul Rayner: piano tuner to the stars? It sounds a bit grand but it happened when Coldplay’s Chris Martin did a pop up surprise performance at the Puzzle Hall Inn in Sowerby Bridge. Paul, who was asked to tune the piano beforehand, says: 'It was a really exciting opportunity and a great performance from Chris. Thanks to this marvellous real ale pub for calling me in.' Chris performed an hour-long set before chatting and taking pictures with fans. One man said he woke his two

This picture shows me replacing old hammers with new ones on one of my piano restoration projects. Replacing hammers is a significant part of a tuner's maintenance procedures as it restores an instrument's sound, touch and overall value. Over time, the felt on piano hammers becomes compacted, grooved and hardened from the thousands of impacts. This results in a dull or harsh tone and reduces control for the player. New hammers restore the instrument's original, rich tone by e

I thoroughly enjoyed bringing this customer’s sweet little Chappell piano back to life with a tuning this morning. This is how your piano could sound after some work by me, so get in touch today. The music, incidentally, is a Song without Words by Felix Mendelssohn. Chappell & Co, founded in 1811, was a premier British piano manufacturer known for high-quality, durable instruments, often considered among Britain's finest. Later models, particularly uprights, were produced un

Here is Paul at work regulating a piano in his studio in Huddersfield. This skilled task involves adjusting all of of the mechanical...

I have for sale this handsome upright Bentley piano which has a lovely rich tone and comes with a two year guarantee. Bentley was a...

Tip of the Day: Now that's a very handsome conservatory - but in general it's not a good idea to put a piano inside one. Temperature...

Strange things can happen to a tuner. I'd finished tuning a piano and needed to get to the next job, but the owner wanted to keep me...