AAA Piano

Russell completely rebuilt and restored my late father’s 1915 Mason & Hamlin after it had mouldered for 15 years unused and unloved. He was referred to me by my piano teacher as the best and only person I should be talking to for this enormous undertaking. First of all, this man is seriously EXCITED about pianos. In fact, he was so EXCITED when the movers delivered dad’s piano to his (eat off the floor immaculate) workshop on a Saturday afternoon, he said, «I’m going to start on this right now!» And he did, calling me within the hour to exuberantly report that he found the serial number after taking the whole thing apart and letting me know that the piano was EXACTLY (to the month) 100 years old. Russell finished the piano in less time than he had predicted, and called me about three times when it was almost finished because he was so (wait for it) EXCITED. He is also very flexible about things like coming to see the project mid-​way and explaining everything he does and why. For instance, he spent about an hour with me on day #1 telling me things about the instrument and even about my dad: how he played, how much he played, and that he liked to write too (finish on the right hand side of the top was worn off, where he must have rested his arm while penciling in his notes.) He looks like someone you’d be drinking margaritas with at a Jimmy Buffet concert, but don’t be fooled; this man is all about pianos. He doesn’t take short cuts and is friendly and knowledgeable. He can play like a fiend, too. After I took delivery, he came by and tuned it, and the piano sounded *absolutely* amazing. Because it required a full rebuild, I will be seeing a lot of him for the next year or two because it will take awhile for the new strings and so forth to settle in. I only wish dad were still here to see his prized possession having a new lease on life. I cannot recommend Russell highly enough.

Russell rebuilt our church’s 1958 Mason & Hamlin BB this Spring. He returned our treasured piece in as-​new condition. His careful attention to detail and precision has granted a new lease on life to this exquisite instrument. Russell’s love for and mastery of his trade made him our first choice for our need. We are very thankful for his skill and dedication. You won’t be disappointed in choosing AAA for your piano needs!

We’ve owned our Weber baby grand piano for almost 20 years and just had Russell upgrade it with a QRS Wi Fi player system. Fantastic service and professionalism. Anything piano he’s the best!
I can’t say enough about how happy we are.
John Hine

I had the opportunity to apprentice and work for Russell for about 4 years.
First things first: he is the San Diego guru of anything and everything to do with those 88 keys.
I witnessed first hand his ability to take any piano and not only beautify it but also make it play and sound like it was just delivered from the showroom floor. His workspace is clean with all the bells and whistles. When customers visit they feel welcomed and relaxed. No pushy selling. He is professional and gives the customer facts about their piano. He can talk the talk with professional piano players just as easily as he can make beginners feel comfortable. He has an unbelievable ear and unlike some piano technicians who don’t necessarily know how to play the piano he can tear up the ivories !
More than a top notch piano technician he is a great mentor and friend who truly enjoys his profession.
Knowledgeable, friendly, technical and passionate… what more could you want from a piano technician !

Russell Berkley made my 20-​year-​out-​of-​tune piano sound great in 30 minutes. Terrific service. Very professional.