Wells Pianos has new and used grand and upright pianos by Steinway, Bosendorfer, Yamaha, Kawai, Seiler, and more. We have the finest selection of new, used and rebuilt pianos in the Twin Cities area at our location in St. Paul. We opened Wells Pianos in 2009– the first new retail piano store in the area in decades. We specialize in rebuilding Steinway pianos. Our rebuilt pianos are crafted with an unsurpassed commitment to performance optimization and customer satisfaction. We are known for beautiful soundboards and bridges, as well as top-notch action and finishing work. Our rebuilding expertise extends to the preparation of our new pianos. The same care and time that goes into the final preparation of our rebuilt pianos goes into our new pianos as well.
We contribute to the academic and institutional community at large by donating, supporting in-kind and organizing for groups such as the Saint Paul Public Schools, The Landmark Center , Walker West School, Creative Arts Secondary School, The Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Jazz Central, Piano Fun Competition, The Museum of Russian Art, LOFT Concert Series, Park Square Theater, The New Standards, The City Of Saint Paul, The Jungle Theater, Purple Philanthropy, Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project, Saint Paul Civic Symphony, The Czech/Slovak Sokol, Saint Paul Conservatory Fundraiser, Bethel Seminary, Nova Classical Academy, Saint Paul College, Metro State University, Lowertown Roots Music Festival, and many more.
Anne is in charge of actions. When you hear people exclaim that our ‘Steinway pianos play nicer than the new ones’, it’s likely that Anne worked on the action. In addition to being an accomplished technician, Anne has a background in performance and education.
Astrid is the administrative lead here at Wells Pianos. She has a background in music and computer programming. Astrid works closely with suppliers and customers. She plays an important role in core of our operation. Astrid enjoys game night with friends, moderating online forums, and playing the piano.
Joel began as a luthier by trade. I have never seen the quality of his inlay or intarsia exceeded. Joel got going immediately on fitting and making new pin blocks, surgically grafting soundboards, and stringing. His overall shop skills are fantastic, and his pianos can be found in prominent concert venues and professionals’ homes. As our colleague Leonard Shapiro, puts it, “Joel is the real deal”. Joel, having learned from some of the best technicians in the world, is a top soundboard maker.
Kieran is the owner of Wells Pianos. A native of the Twin Cities, he worked in the piano business for 24 years and managed other shops until he opened Wells Pianos in 2009. Kieran chairs the annual Chopin Celebration Concert at the TCPF, sat on the board of the Macalester-Groveland Community Council, and enjoys hosting and sponsoring music events. Kieran lives with his family in Saint Paul and enjoys getting out with them as much as he can.
Jeremy is commissioned as a composer at the Lincoln Center in NY, and The Schubert Club in MN. Jeremy has chaired the “Jazz at Orchestra Hall”
program at the Minnesota Orchestra. Jeremy is also a studio artist, and a collaborator with artists such as jazz legend Wynton Marsalis and classical vocalist Clara Osowski. Jeremy is woven into the fabric of the institutional community and tuned into the needs of those who rely on the performance and quality of their instruments.
Scott has years of experience as a rebuilder and technician. Scott makes pinblocks, strings, rebuilds actions, regulates, and tunes. His breadth of experience and personal commitment to quality is really appreciated in the workshop.
Kevin’s focus is on the detailed and important action work that we do. Kevin also has a degree in computer science from the University of Minnesota. His action work is fantastic.
Sam is a piano technician by trade. He has extensive experience in dealer prep of new pianos, and general rebuilding. Sam has a background in the USAF as an engineer. He lives in Minneapolis, and enjoys time with his daughter, and playing in his band.
Sigurd is an active member of the Piano Technicians Guild, a rebuilder with decades of experience, a teacher, a mentor, and a valued colleague with whom I have worked for 18 years.
June is an accomplished pianist and one of the most helpful people in the industry. June and Astrid work together on ‘front of house’ business.
Rodney Youngquist has taught us all a tremendous amount here at Wells Pianos. He has taught at the National Institute of Wood Finishing, done projects at the Capital, the MN Historical Society, the Smithsonian, and more. Rod is not actively working but he represents such a big part of what we have become that I would be remiss not to mention him in gratitude for his contributions.
Lisa, a consummate perfectionist, is a fantastic finisher. She has also worked on projects at the capital, MHS, and more. Lisa and Rod were the dynamic duo here for years. Lisa is not actively working at Wells as much as she used to, but she contributed so much that we will always be grateful.
As a school teacher and piano instructor of 50 years, Dave is tuned in to the needs of piano teachers and institutional communities in MN. Recently Dave lost some mobility due to cancer. The government will not allow him to work without losing benefits. It meant a lot to Dave to be here and a lot to us to have him; people with his skill set and experience cannot simply be replaced. Please write your senator in support of Mr. Carlson.