The Piano Company

The Piano Company Tuning▪︎Repairing▪︎Restoring
ᴾᵃᵍᵉ ʳᵘⁿ ᵇʸ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃᵖᵖʳᵉⁿᵗⁱᶜᵉ That was in January of 1990 and my formal apprenticeship with W. Heuer in Stellenbosch lasted 3 years.

One of the things I remember clearly from my first day of apprenticeship, walking into the workshop (after peering through some dusty window panes) was the smell – to this day I’m not exactly sure what the smell is, but probably a mixture of thinners, warm water bone glue and just the musky smell of old pianos. Seven years later, I started working on my own from the back room of our house in Gordo

n’s Bay. I have a particular soft spot for old pianos. I love to show off the exceptional qualities of good quality old pianos. With the anticipated arrival of our first child, Thomas, it was time to move house. We moved to a house in a prominent place in Gordon’s Bay, which too many people become known as “The Piano House”. Soon we had more workshop space and my wife, Ruth, while at home with young Thomas, helped in the steadily growing business and we were able to cope with bigger repairs and re-builds. Steady growth and more workshop space meant that I could take on bigger repairs and spend spare time preparing pianos for sale. An important part of my life for the last 15 years has been serving the tuning needs of the Southern Cape and Garden Route music societies. Mosselbay, George and Knysna have very well run, lively music societies with monthly concerts – often solo piano recitals. It is still exciting for me to travel to the Southern Cape on a monthly basis and see and experience these products of excellence, and a privilege to care for these beautiful instruments. After our daughter Erin was born, Ruth went back to teaching and I began to realise that with the growth our clientele, I needed to get more help in, so that I could spend more time working and giving my client’s pianos the personal attention that they need. In January 2015 we moved to an exciting old industrial building in Somerset West. I try to spend my time tuning and repairing pianos, and am on hand with deliveries or collections.

Before and after replacing these tapes💫
12/06/2026

Before and after replacing these tapes💫

10/06/2026

Doing whatever it takes to get your piano in tune!
Modern day superheroes? We'll let you decide👀🦸🤭

Matthew Evans fans

Starting off the week with removing and replacing centrepins so this piano can have smooth moving mechanics😎
08/06/2026

Starting off the week with removing and replacing centrepins so this piano can have smooth moving mechanics😎

...And now it's our turn to sit back and cross our legs sommer so😉(For some of us in anyway)Happy Friday 🤗🎹
05/06/2026

...And now it's our turn to sit back and cross our legs sommer so😉
(For some of us in anyway)

Happy Friday 🤗🎹

Still working away at the dampers...Always love seeing the inner works of a piano🎹😌
03/06/2026

Still working away at the dampers...
Always love seeing the inner works of a piano🎹😌

Rare sighting of Matthew in the workshop on a Monday morning!Getting some dampers work done on this Francke piano🙌
01/06/2026

Rare sighting of Matthew in the workshop on a Monday morning!

Getting some dampers work done on this Francke piano🙌

Happy Friday 😊
29/05/2026

Happy Friday 😊

This ⬇️⬇️ is an agraffe (sometimes know as a giraffe**)Usually found on grand pianos and higher-quality uprights, agraff...
28/05/2026

This ⬇️⬇️ is an agraffe (sometimes know as a giraffe**)

Usually found on grand pianos and higher-quality uprights, agraffes are generally used in the bass and mid-range sections. In the extreme upper treble, they are often replaced by a capo d'astro bar (a small metal bar).

One of the primary functions of an agraffe is to hold the strings down near the strike point, preventing the hammer's blow from lifting the string and throwing it out of tune.

Now what might that mean for pianos without agraffes...🤔

Ta ta

Ps ** Nobody really calls it a giraffe. Except Matthew. Matthew thinks he's funny👀

Hello dear friends🙌🎹'Tis Friday once again, and boy am I glad for it. Feels as though we did a little bit of everything ...
22/05/2026

Hello dear friends🙌🎹
'Tis Friday once again, and boy am I glad for it. Feels as though we did a little bit of everything this week; from tuning to dismantling to replacing dampers.

Below you'll find some of the process of replacing damper felt and the finished product... (I should really start remembering to take before pictures😅)

Have a good one✨

Greetings dear friends🎹😊We still have plenty pianos to choose from, in case you were looking...AND if you're not, I sup...
20/05/2026

Greetings dear friends🎹😊
We still have plenty pianos to choose from, in case you were looking...
AND if you're not, I suppose you better start if your home would be considered piano-less. (digital don't count👀)

Below here is an August Förster... ain't it pretty? And sounds just as beautiful as it looks!

Ps: Accoustic or digital? 🤔

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021 851 4794

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