Piano Expertise

Written By Ty Uphoff, RPT

Piano technology has a vast array of different disciplines one could dedicate their life to perfecting.

This is why education remains a cornerstone value of our company.  Whether that is annual conventions with the guild, specific brand focused training with manufacturers, and ongoing communication within our team as we sharpen one another’s skills.

Piano’s come in a variety of styles, and every brand has it’s quirks.  This is why we continue to engage with manufacturers to receive the latest information on how to best service their instruments.


Ty Uphoff receiving one on one tuning instruction from “Ace” at Yamaha headquarters.

Visiting the manufacturers also gives us a unique perspective on our strengths and weaknesses.  While visiting Steinway for training we got the chance to tour the factory.  There you see hundreds of technicians all dedicated to one small aspect of piano building.

Ty Uphoff exploring the rim room where Steinway reduces the RH % of the wood in preparation of building new Steinways.

We are humble enough to know that it would be impossible to match this level of dedication by a single person, or single shop.  So we partner with industry experts that specialize in a multitude of very narrow parts of the art of rebuilding, while keeping in house the things our team has dedicated their time to specializing in.  All this to accomplish a better finished product.

Ty Uphoff, RPT

“While a passion for music and for sharing music is arguably not necessary for fine work on a piano, I couldn’t imagine doing this without it.”

— Ty

Experienced Technician

When choosing a technician, experience matters. Ty Uphoff began his technical training at the age of 16. With over two decades of experience in multiple states he has serviced thousands of instruments. It takes years of training to learn the skills necessary to service a piano and more years afterwards to be able to do both quality work and do so in a timely manner. While experience is an important component of choosing your technician, arguably one could have decades of experience without advancing their knowledge.

In addition to over two decades experience as a technician, Ty plays the piano. His expertise in piano care and maintenance comes from a passion for achieving the best playing experience. While being capable at playing the piano may not be required to service one, playing well enough to speak the language of the most discerning players is critical when it comes to bringing the best out of their instruments.

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Continued Education

Beginning with a one on one apprenticeship, Ty continues to further his education through monthly meetings of the local Piano Technicians Guild that include technical drills on many varying aspects of piano technology. He attends week long annual international conventions, continues to train with major manufacturers, and he attends regular webinars with industry leaders in various specific skills of the trade. Through extensive testing, he has passed all the requirements to become a Registered Piano Technician of the Guild, a credential achieved by fewer than a ten active technicians locally and fewer than 2,500 piano technicians worldwide.

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