Steinway rebuilder

 

 
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Our Story

Karl Verhnjak started in the piano business in 1974 with his wife Eileen at his side. Together they ran the family business. Karl started out tuning pianos for many stores and quickly developed a reputation as a quality piano technician. After many years of rebuilding pianos in the back yard shop they decided to open in a commercial location. This allowed them to be properly insured and have  a better working environment.

The first shop was in located in Coquitlam B.C. and K.V. Pianoman LTD. / Verhnjak Pianos was created. After a few years the shop moved to Port Moody to gain more space. In 1984 Karl, Eileen and their two sons Rod & Dave moved to White Rock B.C.  where the current shop is today.

Rod Verhnjak, Karl's son grew up around the piano shop, he was 5 years old when his father started Verhnjak pianos. At age 12  Rod was doing many tasks around the shop,  at 14 under the direction of his father, Rod rebuilt his first piano. Throughout High School Rod worked in the piano shop weekends and summers learning the piano trade. In 1989 Rod Graduated from high school and joined the family business. Rod has been a member of the Piano Technicians Guild since 1991 and has attended over 25 conventions, where he has taught and taken classes. Rod was put in charge of the rebuilding shop in 1995 while Karl was on the road tuning and servicing pianos. Most of Rod's training came from  hands on experience and direction from his father who was a

Registered member of the Piano Technicians Guild Inc. (23 yrs).
 Past exclusive tuner for Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (10 Yrs).
 Past advisor to University of British Columbia (2 Yrs).
 Past Chief Technician for Tom Lee Music (13 Yrs).
 Past Technician for Vancouver Royal Conservatory of Music (8 Yrs).
 Past Technician for Kwantlen University College (11Yrs).
 Past Technician for Langley Community Music School (10 Yrs).

Karl Verhnjak passed away August 9, 2003 leaving Rod and his wife Meranda to continue the family business.

AN UPDATE

The 3rd generation is now on board. Brandon Verhnjak like his father grew up around the shop. At an early age Brandon took to working with his hands and loved to work with wood. After graduating from high school in 2018 Brandon joined the family business and now works full time in the shop. Isaac Verhnjak, Rods youngest son graduated in 2023 and has been learning to tune and service pianos. His plan is to be a piano technician taking care of pianos in homes and venues. He will also be part time in the shop.

Rod is  happy and proud to see the boys join in. Karl would have felt the same.


A few rebuilding jobs we have done for professional use.

Rebuilt a STEINWAY & SONS Model "D" 9' for the Vancouver Civic Theatre (Queen Elizabeth Theatre)

Rebuilt a Hamburg Steinway & Sons  Model "D" 9' for the North Okanagan Community Concert Association. The piano is housed in the Vernon & District Performing Arts Center.

 Rebuilt a STEINWAY & SONS 1917 Model A 6' 41/2" For the Jewish Community Center.  It is in regular use for concerts.

 Rebuilt a STEINWAY & SONS 1958 Model D 9' Concert Grand for the Vancouver Civic Theatre.  (Orpheum Theatre) It is in regular use for concerts.

Pictures bellow illustrate a very difficult move of a newly restored Steinway & Sons concert grand. We restored this pianos for Georgian Club, Vancouver B.C.

We've rebuilt a STEINWAY AND SONS Model D concert grand for Georgian  Club.  (Pictures above) We installed new sound board, bridges and pin block including all new action parts including the keys. It resided in the club for a couple of years. It now resides in Victoria B.C.


Evaluating newly restored Steinway & Sons concert grand for Coast Recital Society

 Rebuilt a STEINWAY AND SONS Model D concert grand. It has new sound board, bridges and pin block including all new action parts including the keys with frame. Completed in may of 1998. This piano is now owned by  Coast Recital Society on the Sunshine Coast in Sechelt B.C. and is used by very prominent  concert pianists.

                                                                                           Raven cry select steinway from Verhnjak              

                                                                                            


Rebuilt a BOSENDORFER IMPERIAL grand for Tom Lee Music, PETROF 9' model III for Slava Senyshin, concert pianist and professor at Simon Fraser University. STEINWAY & SONS concert grand for Helen Silvester a former University of British Columbia professor.

 Serial Numbers of  STEINWAY AND SONS  grand pianos completely rebuilt by  Verhnjak Pianos  in recent history: We have refinished or rebuilt many actions for Steinway's not listed below. If a Steinway is for sale in our area, and has been rebuilt, these numbers will let you know if the instrument went through our shop. That being said we need to update the list below. Last updated in 2017. I'll get to it one day.

MODEL A: 101078,  56861,  82041, 186307, 146992, 101098, 52182,  84343, 384343, 46992, 67664, 148419, 124990,129843, 100742, 72701

MODEL B: 144345, 464259, 298755, 205091, 567648, 98742, 502601, 3399212

MODEL D:  213086, 362111,  156384,  474180,  94090,   95486, W1822-CD15, 375495, 529621, 532283, 207096, 461810

MODEL L:  257076,  269920,  227512,   264794,  268105, 174326,  2466099, 287864, 340820, 507961, 317252

MODEL O: 158401,  260357,  260217,  334174,  140493, 142433,   132236,  170139,  164486,  116622,  174326, 112125, 120215, 123599, 114222

MODEL M:  263153,  163393,  392282,   238490, 157219,  269656, 197571, 25252, 40458, 342485, 343352, 247790

MODEL S: 364417, 364417, 290841

UPRIGHT:   50815, 88880, 93036, 327826, 571955,80156, 397184, 98355, 194072

 

We have rebuilt many other brand name grand pianos and uprights.

We specialize in Steinway & Sons and Heintzman & Co. pianos



Tel: (604) 538-1847

Unit #13 - 15531 - 24th Ave. Surrey B.C. Canada V4A 2J4

We are a rebuilding shop. At times the shop is closed while we do service calls. Please call ahead if you would like to visit us. We can not guarantee our hours of operation. Generally we are open Monday to Friday 9-6 And Saturday by appointment only.