Coates Piano Service

From the Bench
The West Nidaros Lutheran Church is quite a historic church in the area of Dell Rapids, SD. I love the alter and the white grand piano on the left presented something I might not see again.

This is the Peterson-Hallady Chapel at Dow Rummel Retirement Village. There is an 1896 Steinway A1 I rebuilt and sold to them in this picture. I installed a new soundboard, bridges, custom designed action, custom designed string scale, and refinished. It is a gorgeous instrument. It is a very nice space for small recitals and is used as such often.

This is the music room of the Hoffmans who live on a farm near Colton, SD. The Mason and Hamlin A has a new soundboard with the Wapin Piano Bridge. Their son played guitar in an old time band and toured the US. His mother is a pianist and church organist and is retired from working in the medical field.

Here I am tuning at The University of Sioux Falls in May 2012 for a duo piano student recital. Carol Flower sent a nice note to me along with the picture.

Dr. J. Earl Lee was one of my favorite Augustana College professors. I took piano proficiency from him and we became friends. We kept in contact after my graduation. Here he is seated in front of his home piano, a Mason & Hamlin grand. I had the privilege of working on this piano: tuning, voicing, and action repair to bring it back to the condition he remembered when it was new. Dr. Lee taught at Augustana College from 1931 until 1991 and was the music department chairman for twenty years. One of my prized possessions is a recommendation he wrote for me one year before he died. He felt so strongly I should have his recommendation Dr. Lee typed it himself.

From Paul Williams
Paul was the Head Piano Technician for the University of Nebraska when he wrote this recommendation. He is now the Head Piano Technician for the University of South Carolina.


Here are two views from the piano bench of the Knabe Concert grand in First Presbyterian Church Sioux City, IA. I rebuilt this piano and installed the Wapin Piano Bridge. The church hosts the Sioux City Chamber Music Society Concert Series, which I tune for. This piano led to rebuilding an identical piano in Appomattox, VA.
“I have to shine a bright light on Tim and a smaller light on me. Together, we just finished a 1924 Steinway L. Tim installed the new soundboard, bridges with Wapin and pinblock. I rebuilt the action including Renner parts and Wally Brooks Abel Natural hammers, back action, and re-strung it. It's really a fabulous instrument now and I'm liking it more and more each day I “play it in” before I have to give it back to a professor's studio. I really wish I could take it home!”
“Tim, thank you so much for doing such a superb job of tuning the two pianos for my students recital! I hope you know how much you are appreciated and how lucky we are to have you as a tuner. Have a great summer!"
I've been privileged to provide piano maintenance at the Washington Pavilion since it opened in 1999. I get to experience a behind the scenes look for many, many shows. Clicking on the picture above will allow you to see a 360 degree picture of the stage crew for the Hegg Brother's Holiday Jam
Click on Picture for 360 Degree View