Piano sales and repair in Devon, including piano hire, piano tuning, and piano restoration
ABOUT
WILLIAM YOUNG PIANOS
A family-run business with a passion for pianos
From my workshop in rural Devon, I produce restored vintage and period pianos, both upright and grand, which can be found for sale in a select number of showrooms nationwide.
I specialise in top names such as Bechstein, Blüthner, Bösendorfer and Steinway, but am equally comfortable working on other fine quality but less well known makes, including the British names of Broadwood, Chappell, Hopkinson and Rogers, as well as the German Schiedmayer and Ibach.
My fascination continued and my father later bought me an ancient piano which had been earmarked for scrap, which I spent many hours taking apart! Years later, I found myself running the piano department in a Winchester music shop and subsequently set up and ran Winchester Pianos for several years.
Meet the team!
Our team has expanded in 2018-19 and now comprises, L to R:
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Tom Read, Henry Perry, Sarah Young, Edward Jacobs, and William Young.
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This photograph was taken at the Honiton Show 2019 on our stand in the Blackdown Hills Business Association marquee.
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BILL YOUNG
Tuner & Technician
These days I tend to play more boogie than Beethoven! I recently spent three years touring the country with The Atlantics rock 'n' roll band, playing gigs all over the UK but am now enjoying spending more time at home. However, I enjoy playing in several bands if I have any spare time, including the Pianoraks duo with Ian Richardson. I am frequently booked to play the piano for weddings and other occasions either alone or with Ian as the Pianoraks, and am always to be found at the piano at parties!
EDWARD JACOBS
Technician
Our longtime client and friend Edward Jacobs is also joining our part time team this year. A professional pianist, teacher and choral director, Edward is using his extensive experience in a sales role to help us to match clients with their perfect piano, and we are delighted to have him on board.
TOM READ
Tuner & Technician
We were delighted to be joined part-time last year by Tom Read, a Taunton-based self-employed tuner and technician. Tom grew up in this area and qualified this year from the prestigious Newark Piano School. He is now undertaking most of our tunings, but can also advise on repairs/restoration work. When he's not working on pianos, Tom fronts The Beach Boyz tribute band www.beachboyztributeband.co.uk, the UK's premier tribute to the music of the Beach Boys.
HENRY PERRY
Technician
Another very welcome part-time addition to the team in late 2018 was Henry Perry. Henry grew up in Axminster and after studying in London is once again living locally. He has no fewer than two degrees: music management and piano performance; plus an engineering background. Henry is very much enjoying broadening his knowledge of pianos in the workshop. On days when he's not working with Bill, Henry is a highly sought-after recitalist and teacher of piano, performance and music theory.
FUN WITH
PIANOS
These days I tend to play more boogie than Beethoven! I recently spent three years touring the country with The Atlantics rock 'n' roll band, playing gigs all over the UK but am now enjoying spending more time at home. However, I enjoy playing in several bands if I have any spare time, including the Pianoraks duo with Ian Richardson. I am frequently booked to play the piano for weddings and other occasions either alone or with Ian as the Pianoraks, and am always to be found at the piano at parties!
I live on a smallholding in Devon with my wife and two daughters along with a few sheep, a Vietnamese pot bellied pig (who wanders to the workshop each morning to be fed) and two dogs. Pixie, our terrier cross, is much loved on our social media feeds as the company mascot; she rarely leaves her post in the workshop unless she spots a squirrel intruder. Pixie loves to join me on the road when she's allowed to. She recently accompanied me to the Midlands to choose some Japanese pianos for the showroom and represented W Young Pianos beautifully! Monty, an elderly Golden Retriever, is less involved with pianos. He's semi-retired these days and when he's not wandering around the fields or playing with visitors in the holiday let next door, he's normally having a nap!
AT
HOME
When I'm not in my vegetable garden I'm usually found in the workshop. Although I enjoy meeting my contacts all over the UK on occasion, I'm very happy to spend most of my week (and often weekends!) in the workshop restoring the latest instrument. I now have over 25 years' experience in working with pianos and have been lucky enough to work on some priceless antiques as well as family heirlooms and concert instruments.
My wife Sarah does most of the admin work in the office and is often the first point of contact for clients as she answers emails and telephone calls. A writer and editor by trade, she teaches piano part time and does freelance writing work when time allows. After many years' involvement in piano businesses with me, Sarah has developed a lot of knowledge and is a great support to the rest of the team.
I'm very proud of how much the business has grown over recent years and was delighted to welcome Tom and Henry to the team last year. Our longtime client and friend Edward Jacobs is also joining our part time team this year. A professional pianist, teacher and choral director, Edward is using his extensive experience in a sales role to help us to match clients with their perfect piano, and we are delighted to have him on board.
"We have provided and /or tuned pianos for numerous famous faces at festivals, public concerts and private events, including Benjamin Clementine, Jack Johnson, the Ronnie Scott Jazz 5, Will Dutta, Alexander Armstrong and Des O'Connor."
The Sharptones, a 1950s rock 'n' roll band with whom Bill played many times all around the UK