It is well known that Steinway pianos from the turn of the century through the 1950s were the best Steinway pianos ever made, for a myriad of reasons. Steinways from this period of time are referred to as “Golden Age” Steinways.
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.