Fifth Octave LLC

10/14/2026

Fall piano tuning appointments are now available. Availability is limited due to travel

Otherwise, to schedule an appointment please email us at [email protected] or call us at (920) 212-4444 and we will be happy to assist.

10/10/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeR0O0DtHoT/?vrfl=MWtqemZsbzZxYTZh

10/08/2026

Fifth Octave® is a registered trademark of Fifth Octave LLC, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

All rights reserved.

09/14/2026

09/02/2026

Cutting board prep before : after.

Removal of the raised grain fibers produces a far better result.

08/21/2026

Classic-Flashback! This was a white-oak veneer on a chair arm for a client. In essence, new veneer was wrapped and integrated into the existing without a ton of filler.

In some of these restorations, they can be 100% flawless; I try to match wood to wood when possible. Epoxy, wax, markers, all allow for faking it and frankly, you can blend is so perfectly, nobody could ever tell.

Long-term robustness, glue, wood, and color with a hint of toning (using color shading) produces a good result also.

08/20/2026

**Mason & Hamlin BB getting new hammers and shanks.**

As a piano restoration technician, a lot of my focus is on preservation of older instruments. Many of them require a certain standard of care versus simply finding “a technician who says he can.”

I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a lot of pianos belonging to museums, schools, public institutions, YMCAs, churches, etc. Basically, “institutional” pianos. And plenty of privately owned instruments as well.

As technology continues to make “everyone” a piano tuner or technician, I’d recommend a little diligence when selecting someone to work on an instrument.

For me, I wake up and play a concert grand.

It’s not a brag. It’s just something I have experience with. Longer keys, different geometry, different expectations, and working on instruments that may have significant value if something goes rogue.

I’ve also worked on numerous “old” pianos.

They’re interesting. In a way, they’re delicate. They’re also incredibly strong. Knowing the difference, and when something needs to be left alone, matters.

Now for the funny story...

I remember being 12 once.

I was volunteering at a local nursing home and saw a small piano with keys that were going all over the place. Naturally, I sought out approval for the parts and resolved the issue.

Now, the funny part?

I used the experience I had gained PRIOR to that.

A few of my Saturday mornings earlier in life, do I sound old yet?, were spent going to the local music store and working on pianos.

Apparently, I’ve been doing this for a while.

**Opportunities come with responsibility.**

That’s really the takeaway.

I’ll also be redoing the Fifth Octave tuning schedule over the next month.

As Wisconsin starts going from “warm” to “winter,” the best time to start thinking about your tuning is later September into October. We can take advantage of more of that environmental change and generally get better stability out of the tuning.

So, if your piano is reasonably happy right now, you don’t necessarily need to rush to have it tuned in August. It’s okay to hold off a little bit.

Meanwhile, this Mason & Hamlin BB has some new hammers and shanks in its future.

06/17/2026

Windows shutting down? No, just a 55 cent pitch raise with tuning.

06/10/2026

Yamaha C5 piano. A little big of polish on the balance rail pins made a large difference. Do you see it?

05/23/2026

Attended a PTG chapter meeting as a guest yesterday. One room over - this would be 25 years since I sat in that very spot for my early morning music theory class. Same curtains! At least the old wooden chairs are gone haha!

While I was there, I had to take a walk around. Roughly 10 years ago, Fifth Octave, LLC started. The purpose: to give a facility make-over in the music department. We donated the acoustical fabric covering many of the bulletin boards. (Yes, they are also flame retardant.) We also created a rehearsal space with sound absorption.

Time flies but music always lives on. Decades, or even a score and 5!

Personal note: I think it's pretty cool that these boards still look decent after 10+ years of students, hallway traffic, and postings.