OUR STORY
With over 40 years experience as a piano technician and tuner, Stephen Merriman provides quality craftsmanship to pianos in homes and facilities in South Bend and the Michiana area. Stephen received his education and training in piano restoration, tuning, reconditioning and regulating, in New York and Colorado. Music is a core in Stephen’s life, whether it be performing, or nurturing its existence. It is vital to allow the opportunity for music to be alive in our homes and community. Having a good-sounding and good-feeling piano in your home or facility is a vehicle for creating these experiences. Stephen approaches each piano individually to maximize its quality of sound and longevity.
Stephen and Mary are advocates for bringing jazz to our community. They promote the art and education of jazz in our community by hosting a jazz concert series and a jazz open session at their venue, Merrimans' Playhouse. Through the concert series, they bring in jazz artists from all across the country, and from around the world. More information on the EVENTS page. They are also board members of the non-profit radio station, WETF 105.7 FM, "The Jazz Station", which plays jazz programs 24 hrs a day. They host their program "Merrimans' Playhouse Radio Hour - This Is The Gig" on Tuesdays 5:00 - 6:00 pm. Stephen and Mary also curate the summer jazz concert series for the Thursday concerts at The Snite Museum of Art at Notre Dame.
Music in our lives is invaluable.
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Merrimans' Complete Piano Service
Merrimans' Playhouse
OUR SERVICES AND HOW WE CARE FOR YOUR PIANO
Providing complete care for your piano, Merrimans’ Complete Piano Service is dedicated to preserving the value of your piano, at a fair price. Each piano is approached individually, and made to be the best that particular piano can be. Our services include tuning, repair, moving, evaluation, reconditioning and regulation, digital conversion, online adoption program, and rentals. Historically, we had a "Rescue – Rehab – Re-home" service, but we are only doing our Virtual Gallery now. We also have a Recital Hall venue available for student recitals.
Co-owners of this company are Stephen Merriman (Piano Technician/Tuner) and Mary Merriman (Office Manager). Our staff includes, John (Piano Technician/Mover), and Dave (Piano Technician/Tuner).
Please call 574-329-3430 to set up an appointment if you have a piano in need of a tune, repair, cleaning, regulation, evaluation, or move. We are located in South Bend, but also serve the surrounding Michiana area including, Granger, Mishawaka, Goshen, Warsaw, Plymouth, Culver, Bremen, Michigan City, LaPorte, New Carlisle, New Buffalo, Niles, Dowagiac, Berrien Springs, St. Joseph, Edwardsburg, and Elkhart. Travel fee will apply.
Ahhh, insight from a 4 year old . . .
"Piano is the BEST instrument. You can play it on the left side, you can play it on the right side, and you can play it in the middle!"
THE COMPLETE PIANO MISSION:
RESCUE - REHAB - REHOME
(we no longer take pianos in, but use the Virtual Gallery for re-homing pianos)
The mission of The Complete Piano is to save pianos from the landfill, and re-home it back into the community: Rescue – Rehab – Rehome. The motto is “Keeping pianos out of the landfill and back into the living room.” The purpose is to provide pianos as learning tools, and for creating and supporting live music in our homes and our community.
We no longer offer these pianos from our shop but will offer them through our Virtual Adoption Gallery, connecting people who need to re-home their pianos, with families looking for a piano. We can do the restoration process as it fits your budget.
With having over 40 years of experience as a piano tuner and technician, Stephen Merriman has discovered a needed niche in our society for the restoration of older pianos. The mission will not only be a way to “recycle” pianos that are neglected or no longer wanted, that would otherwise end up in the landfill, but will actually give them a new life. The Complete Piano model also fulfills a niche in our community by making available high-quality instruments at a lower cost. The restoration process brings pianos back to life and function once again as a viable musical instrument.
Pianos made in the pre-war times were made with the best materials and craftsmanship of the times, as in all products made during this time. As with other products, “economical” shortcuts were introduced into our society which also introduced manmade materials that made certain parts of the piano break down as well as affect the sound quality. Currently, many of the new budget pianos are made with inferior materials and craftsmanship of these older pianos. You cannot buy the same quality of instrument unless you are in the higher budget range. Many satisfied people have had their personal piano go through this process, and they have fallen in love with their pianos even more (many of which were headed to the landfill as the other option).
With the experience of working on these older pianos for many years, Stephen has demonstrated that these pianos are beautiful, high quality instruments, that are very playable once they’ve gone through the restoration process. With a little love and attention, they are restored back to life, and sound and feel great. There are variations in quality and sound as the different piano companies changed and our economy changed throughout the post-war times, but each piano still can find a home and a purpose once it has been restored and functioning to the best of its capabilities again.