Best Piano Tuners Cincinnati

Hi, This is Frank Renfrow your friendly neighborhood piano tuner doing my part to make the world more harmonious. If any of you were wondering, yes indeed, I am still doing piano tunings. I am also still practicing Covid protocols such as using masks and being up to date on all vaccines and boosters. As of the year 2023 I have 49 years of experience in tuning pianos in the Cincinnati region. After starting in 1974 and completing my apprenticeship with a Seinway-Wurlitzer dealer, I worked for the Baldwin Piano Company from 1977 to 1988 doing customer piano tunings. I have been doing it independently ever since. Please feel free to contact me via text at 859-653-1460 or email at

frankrenfrow@aol.com

I have to admit I have gotten sort of out of the habit of checking voicemails or answering the phone so bear with me. The two best ways to reach me is by email at frankrenfrow@aol.com

or texting me on my cell phone at:

859-653-1460

If you call me I may not answer my phone immediately

but will endeavor to answer your voicemail message

as soon as possible.

Here is a very special  piano made in the very early days of Cincinnati Piano History. This piano is actually a type of Viennese Fortepiano, although it was made right here in Cincinnati! It is an incredibly elegant and richly ornamented 1830s American Empire Mahogany and Rosewood square fortepiano, similar in basic design to some of those made by the master builder Andre Stein of Vienna. This piano was made by Andrew (originally Andreas) Reuss, a native of Bad Kissingen, Germany who was a piano maker in Vienna prior to coming to America. His shop was located on Walnut Street in the old Cincinnati, while it was still just a little pioneer town.

The features on this piano are quite extraordinary, including a large ornate pedal lyre with four pedals, one of which operates a drum mechanism set up inside the piano! The piano has the classic Viennese-style action with the pivot point being placed to the rear of the hammer, alowing for a light touch with extremely rapid repititon. Historic pianos with the Viennese action are highly sought out for the performance of period authentic classical music.

The tuning pins are positioned at the front rather than the rear which gives it a considerable advantage in ease of tuning over the typical English and American square pianos. Although the key compass is a full six octaves FF-f4 there are no externally visible metal structural bracings, so the piano appears to be a late example of an all wood frame fortepiano.

The Smithsonian Institution listed a very similar (or possibly the same?) piano in their inventory for 1915 with the following description: 

A. Reuss, Cincinnati, Ohio, square, about 1832 ; one of the most picturesque types of instruments of the larger form. Reuss announced himself as a piano maker from Vienna.

This fine Viennese style fortepiano is no longer available, however:

Besides the Cincinnati Fortepiano by Andre Reuss, there was once a Viennese Fortepiano by Andre Stein of Vienna at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. This fine fortepiano was for a time a part of my collection :

For more information on the History of the Viennese Fortepiano go to:  Fortepiano History

To set up a tuning for your own "Cincinnati Piano" send an email to:frankrenfrow@aol.com