Materials

Golden Age Steinways took advantage of old growth forest.  Ask any skilled carpenter with old home remodeling experience, about how an early 1900s 2×4 compares with a modern one and you will be shocked by their response. I certainly was.

The carpenter I spoke with, said a nail can barely penetrate the surface of an old growth 2×4. I tried cutting into it with a saw and sparks flew, he said.

Workmanship

Turn of the century America saw the most talented and skilled craftsmen.  Steinway builders fra this era produced pianos at the highest standard ever seen.  The 1900s – 1950s American worker was far superior to the modern American day worker.  This is self-evident in today’s society.  A tradesman or hourly employee who is principled and takes pride in their work is rare these days, but was standard during this period in history. 

Ownership and Design

Steinway & Sons has changed hands many, many times.  Steinway sold to CBS IN 1972, then to Rogers Organs in 1985, again to Selmer in 1995 and then to Paulson & Co. in 2013.  Where to next?  

If this pattern continues Steinway is about due to be sold. Who will be the next to own Steinway?  Will it be to a Chinese company next? 

Your guess is good as mine. 

In the 1962 Steinway released Teflon bushings in their pianos. This practice ended two decades later, in 1982. I will not go into detail here, but I would recommend typing in “Teflon bushings Steinway”into a search engine and reading up on it.  To this day, it is considered by many to be the worst stain on Steinway’s reputation.  

It is easy to see why Golden Age Steinways are so sought after by master piano rebuilders. They are marvelous platforms with which to work.  This LX from 1907 was an absolute labor of love!  My team spent countless hours over nearly 12 months. 

All of the major components i.e. the rim, cast iron plate, soundboard and bridge have been fully restored and maintained!  The action is all new and upgraded to what Steinway uses in their most expensive models built in Hamburg, Germany.  This Renner action is considered to be the best available in the world today and is ultra responsive, with an incredible depth of travel. 

If this piano was sold new today, it would sell for upwards of $200,000. At just $68,000 this is not only a remarkable piano, but a remarkable offering. Call, email, or text to schedule your visit to view this and hundreds more quality new, preowned and fully restored pianos.

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Before Yamaha went to Indonesia to build there more affordable models, they made pianos in the USA! These pianos are very desirable and rare. This is because the highest caliber pianos made in the world are made in the US. Skilled American labor, tooling, and competent management staff allowed Yamaha to produce some of their finest pianos ever in the US for a short period of time.

This American-made Yamaha upright is similar in height to the B1 and features a European, continental, modern cabinet design. If you are looking for a quality, affordable Yamaha piano but do not want a cheap Indonesian, Chinese or Taiwanese-made piano, then this American-made Yamaha may be just the piano for you!

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Japanese workmanship is synonymous with precise execution and attention to the most minute detail.  While Boston pianos are naturally equivalent to their Kawai counterparts, Boston pianos tend to be more expensive than Kawai.  This is due to the fact that there is an additional layer of markup, as Kawai does not build the Boston pianos out of the kindness of their heart. Kawai charges Steinway a sizable premium to construct the Boston. This additional layer of markup must then be passed on to the consumer.

A new Boston studio piano of this size retails for just under $10,000. At just $5,990 this is an incredible opportunity for someone to own a fine Japanese instrument for a small fraction of the new cost. If you are searching for a Yamaha U1, Yamaha U3, Kawai K300, Steinway upright piano, in the greater Tampa Bay area, you should certainly put this piano on your must-see list!

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Cristofori worked for the Florentine court of Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici during 1688. His task was to look after harpsichords and other instruments. In 1700 as mentioned by Medici instruments, Cristofori invented an Arpicimbalo i.e. an instrument that resembled the harpsichord. It had a brand-new hammer and damper mechanism with two keyboards and a range of four octaves (49 keys).

Later in 1711 Scipione, a journalist and poet described this invention as “Gravicembalo col piano, e forte’” or Harpsichord with loud and quiet sound. It is here when pianoforte found its name.

Composers Felt The Need to Expand Their Range of Music

Just after people came across Cristofori’s amazing musical invention, composers started working on more and more music for the piano. However, the four-octave range of the instrument was limited which made piano manufacturers design new pianos having more keys to let composers like Mozart and Haydn write challenging materials for a fuller keyboard.

Later when Romantic composers such as Liszt and Chopin started writing music in the mid-1800s, pianos started to have seven octaves that allowed them to compose pieces having more ambitious range such as bafflingly virtuosic ‘La Campanella’.

The Invention of the 88-Key Piano by Steinway

By the late 1880s, Steinway a piano manufacturing company created an 88-key piano and since then this model has been the standard and still in use. This model had seven octaves and three additional lower notes (B, B flat, and A) below the bottom C. It comes with 52 white keys and 36 black keys (sharps and flats), with each octave made of seven white keys and five black keys.

Why Didn’t The Piano Manufacturers Go Beyond 88-Keys?

Most composers today write piano music fitting within the range of the 88-key model. The manufacturers also accept it as the limit because anything beyond it is considered too low or high for the human ear. However, there are exceptions. In 2018, Stuart and Sons came up with their 9-octave piano having 108 keys.

There is another piano with 97-keys sold by Bösendorfer having nine extra black colored keys helping to distinguish this model from the standard 88-keys. However, the additional keys are rarely used but their extra bass strings do add harmonic resonance contributing to the rich, overall sound of the instrument.

If you are looking to buy a new or a used piano in Tampa Bay, FL, contact Dave’s Piano Showroom. They have a wide variety of pianos for sale suiting almost any budget and requirements.

Picture Credit: Freepik

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However, the industry in the last 10 years has evolved quite a bit. Yamaha has been and continues to be more focused on their digital and player piano lines and has done nothing to perfect the art of piano making. In fact, I would argue that it has gone backward. Readers need to understand that 85% of what Yamaha sells today is not built in Japan. Globalization has shifted production to countries such as China and Indonesia, where labor rates are favorable.

Leaving Japan and going to China is not at the heart of the problem.  Yamaha or any other piano manufacturer is fully capable of producing a quality piano anywhere in the world. The issue is for some peculiar reason Yamaha strips out all of the refinements they are known for, from their Chinese, Indonesian and Taiwanese made pianos. Why this is done is not clearly understood. One piano craftsman in Japan costs $75,000 per year. In China, it is less than 20% of this amount. This means there is a significant amount of monies left over to refine the piano. It is widely believed Yamaha does not produce a Japanese caliber piano in China, because if they did, not a single tremendously more expensive Japanese made piano would ever sell again.

With the Japanese resting on their laurels and the Internet age coming alive; the European hybrid formula was born. The definition of a European hybrid piano is the fusion of European componentry assembled where labor rates are favorable. In these pianos, the absolute best materials are used. Every tangible component that can be measured or observed, in each step of the building process, is incrementally or substantially better in a piano such as a Ritmüller, than that of a similarly priced Yamaha.

Ritmüller pianos date back to the late 18th century. Recently they were completely redesigned by Lothar Thomma, with the goal being to fuse the best components the world has to offer, chiefly from Europe, with the most accurate forms of modern construction, such as the use of more precise CNC machinery.

The importance of Lothar Thomma’s involvement can not be overstated. For decades Lothar sat at the helm of the engineering department at the world’s highest rated piano maker, Bechstein; a handmade piano built exclusively in Germany. Thomma was hired by the world’s largest piano manufacturer, a brand which also is the official builder for Steinway’s Essex line of pianos, to breathe new life into an old standard. Thomma has achieved world wide success and notoriety with his new Ritmüller designs.

This is illustrated perfectly in the Piano Book by Larry Fine and is likely the single most powerful point that can be made with regard to the quality of a Ritmuller piano. You will notice in the following chart that there are three areas of concern.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Articles/Detail/ArticleId/243/The-New-Piano-Market-Today-Staff-Picks

Classical / Perennial Favorites – This is essentially what is popular.

Musical Standouts – Amongst
connoisseurs and aficionados what is considered musically sublime.

Good Value – Best bang per buck

Most people respond that musical standout status of these three categories is the most important and this is precisely what I would like to bring your attention to. But before I point this out, it is important to know that size matters in pianos. The longer a grand piano is the larger the soundboard is, which is the speaker in the piano, and the longer the strings become. String length and soundboard size determine decibel production or overall volume. Therefore, smaller pianos are more difficult to make musical. While larger pianos are easier to make musical.

Scroll down and look at baby grand pianos between 4’10” – 5’4”. Is Yamaha or even Steinway present as a “musical standout”? They are not! Ritmüller is! Fine writes, “Amazingly good performance from such a small piano”. He also naturally checks the boxed under “good value” for this piano.

If one wants a “musical standout” from Yamaha one would have to spend $57,000 for a 6’7″ semi concert grand.

At least this is less than the nearly $90,000 Steinway O, which measures5’10.5”

Ritmuller somehow finds a way to make an inherently nonmusical size piano a “musical standout.”

This NEW Ritmüller baby grand in Winter White has a list price of $19,195.  It is being offered for sale at just $16,900 only at Dave’s Piano Showroom of Tampa Bay!

The sale includes:

* Tuning

* Prep work

* One tuning

* 10 year Ritmüller warranty

* Matching bench

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1. Vinyl records collection: The serious record collectors are aiding this renewed drive for the vinyl records. There is a thrill in finding a rare LP in a cardboard box inside a small record store and being able to make a valuable addition to your collection of records at home. Around 40% of the vinyl record buyers are of the age of close to 40 years. This means collecting records is an established pastime for many people that grew up with vinyl records to re-connect with their youth.

2. Quality listening experience: The way people listen to music has changed significantly thanks mainly to the massive popularity of streaming music. The computer speakers and earbuds have come to dominate but it is heartening to see the vinyl record lovers still spending time and money despite the high-tech set-ups in the home. Although the traditional experience consists of having a good turntable, stereo receiver, and a set of nice speakers, it is also about sitting down and listening carefully. It is in contrast to playing streaming music in the background while at work.

3. Better sound quality: A lot of experts feel that the old school vinyl records with analog audio provide a better sound than the digital audio. This is particularly observed in the case of CD formats utilized by the different streaming agencies. However, it is a fact that there are higher-quality playback formats available such as FLAC. However, you will need to pay more for them and they are difficult to locate. The vinyl records on the other hand are easily available online and at the local stores.

4. Tangibles: Although the subscripted streaming service proves almost uninterrupted access and convenience there is one shortcoming to it and that is ownership. You do not own the piece of music when you are playing the digital files via an app. The vinyl records on the other hand are physical items that may be collected, held in your hands, and purchased in person. You may also discuss it endlessly with fellow music lovers and record store clerks. These records also come with other tangibles such as liner notes and album artwork.

As you can see there are several good reasons why you should collect the vinyl records. Many people from all generations are looking to have a renewed outlook on the past, present, and future of music. Many people are looking at vinyl record collection as a cool and trendy effort. There are good reasons to learn to play the piano as well if you are a music lover. If you are looking to buy a piano in the Tampa, FL area make this purchase from Dave’s Piano Showroom. You can visit them for a preview today.

Picture Credit: Unsplash

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The MSRP of a 6’1” Yamaha grand is nearly $60,000. At just $18,900 this is an incredible offering for a piano with such a rich musical history.

This is a nongray market Yamaha piano that comes with proof of authenticity. If you are looking for a conservatory Yamaha grand series piano in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Pete, or elsewhere call Dave directly to discuss his many options.

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From nuts and bolts and overall fit and finish perspective, not to mention the quality of tone and feel, each of these brands represented the highest quality available in the United States and were roughly similar in quality of materials and construction.

The two brands that really gave Steinway a run for their money were Baldwin and Mason and Hamlin. Baldwin in particular gained traction in the market place with innumerable pianists. Pop, jazz, and classical musicians chose Baldwin over Steinway in many instances. Who can forget Liberace’s rhinestone piano seen here:

A new model M 5’7” Steinway parlor grand in Tampa sells for over $70,000. A Steinway & Sons model M in Tampa, FL, in the same condition and age of this Baldwin pictured here would sell for $30,000. This 5’7” model R Baldwin of the same size is being offered for sale at the astonishing price of just $9500!

The post Baldwin Parlor Grand Piano – Model R – Handmade In America – Just $12500 appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Speaking of Steinway, it is worth mentioning that Steinway chose Kawai in 1992 to build their Boston series of pianos. Kawai remains the Official Builder for Steinway’s Boston line of pianos. Yamaha can not make this claim.

This piano has only had one owner and is showroom condition. The pianist moved out and off to college and the empty nesters have decided to downsize. New this piano would be roughly $30,000. Own the best piano out of Japan for just a third of its new value!

The sale includes delivery, piano servicing and a warranty. Call or text Dave at 813-293-0838 to view this and it’s fine pianos.

Don’t forget to visit DavesPianoShowroom.com

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If you are in the market for a Yamaha U1, Boston Studio or Steinway Studio and are shopping in the Tampa Bay or Clearwater areas, be sure to audition this piano before you buy.

The K-300 builds upon the success of its award-winning predecessor, the K-3, that was named Acoustic Piano of the Year in four consecutive years.* The K-300 proudly extends this distinguished legacy.
– Exclusive Millennium III Upright Action
with ABS-Carbon Composites
– Popular 48? Height for Home or Studio
– Double Felted Mahogany Core Hammers
– Height Adjustable Bench
– Also Available with Nickel Hardware
*by the readers of MMR Magazine (2008-2011)
Available Finish:
– Polished Ebony
– Satin Ebony
– Polished Sapeli Mahogany
– Satin Mahogany
– Polished Snow White

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