Once the largest manufacturer of pianos in the United States, Baldwin was one of the great American piano companies. Founded in 1857 and manufacturing instruments in the United States for 161 years, Baldwin was a prolific force in the American piano industry.
Dwight Hamilton Baldwin was a piano, violin and organ teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio and in 1862 he opened a branch of the Decker Brothers piano dealership in the area. After hiring Lucien Wulsin in 1866, the two formed the D.H. Baldwin company in 1873. By the 1890’s The Baldwin Piano Company had become the largest piano dealer in the Midwestern United States. They were authorized dealers of Steinway & Sons pianos.
When a relative of Henry Steinway wanted to open a piano store in Cincinnati, Steinways were no longer available for Baldwin to sell. So they embarked upon becoming a piano manufacturer. Little did Steinway know at that time that they would become fierce competition in the following decades!
Over the years Baldwin went from being a retailer to a manufacturer of pianos and they also specialized in player pianos – one of the foremost means of entertainment in homes at the time. By the end of the 1920’s player pianos had begun to decline in popularity and when the great depression hit, the piano industry suffered tremendous losses. Baldwin was able to remain afloat during this time period and remained a dominant force in the piano industry for decades to come.
Baldwin pianos are highly coveted in the used piano market and are known for their rich bass, excellent scale design, and longevity.
Baldwin Acrosonic Pianos
Acrosonic is the biggest selling brand name in the history of pianos! As a division of Baldwin, Acrosonics were high quality spinet and console pianos that offered a variety of different cabinet styles – from Louis XV to Danish mid-century modern.
Many people still regard the Baldwin Acrosonic pianos as the greatest spinets ever built. With technologies not present in other spinet pianos of the time – such as the drop-action rail guide – these pianos felt more precise and produced richer sound than their spinet counterparts of their time.
Baldwin Model M Baby Grand Piano
At only 5’ 2”, the Baldwin model M is a piano that sounds and plays much bigger than its size. With an incredible scale design – known for its wider tale – the model M produces a rich bass and wide range of tone that is impressive for a baby grand piano.
For pianists in need of high quality instruments on a budget and not much space, the model M provides the ability to have a concert-level piano in your home that is both convenient, affordable and compact.
Baldwin Model R Parlor Grand Piano
The next step up in size in the Baldwin family, the model R at 5’ 8” is considered a “living room” grand and typically will fit in most people’s homes. You can expect a larger tone out of any Baldwin piano than many equal size pianos. This is due to the enhanced scale design and wider tail which allows for a larger space for bass strings as well as larger soundboard area
Like Steinway, Baldwin had a wonderfully executed Louis the XV artcase in their lineup which is known as the R226. It is basically the model R in a wonderfully styled cabinet that was offered in a variety of finishes.
The model R is an excellent choice and will be successful in just about any setting you put it in. From the living room to houses of worship, the R is a serious musical instrument.
Baldwin Model L Grand Piano
You might be wondering why you would put a 5’ 8” Baldwin R in a large room such as a church sanctuary. Baldwins will generally take anything you throw at them and not fight with or play against the pianist, but rather accept the challenge. Whether you’re playing Stravinsky or leading a choir in a setting by Lauridsen, the Baldwin will accommodate a wide range of styles.
When it comes to Baldwin, the phrase “bigger is better” applies as it does to most pianos. However, large or small Baldwins can be great pianos that will balance themselves out with the nature of the repertoire as well as the rooms they are in. The reason it applies is obvious, the larger the piano the bigger the sound. So if you think an R sounds fantastic, wait until you hear and play an L!
The model L at 6’3”, again, is one of those pianos that will fit in a fairly sizeable living room while taking a still rather conservative footprint in terms of floorspace. This is a standard grand piano size and is bound to give you a more than sufficient bass that will give you the tonal results that most professional pianists are looking for. Baldwins make for fine recording or studio instruments, so if you’re looking to start or enhance a recording studio, this would be an excellent addition to making that dream a reality.
Baldwin SF-10 Semi-Concert Grand Piano
Now we come to what is arguably one of a handful of iconic American built semi concert grand pianos, the 7’ SF-10. When it was designed in 1972, the piano showed influence of the great German builder, Bechstein which Baldwin owned at the time. Previously, in the late 60s, the Baldwin SD-10 was introduced which was also influenced by German tonal characteristics and ideas in piano technology. The results for both of these pianos were beautifully and well thought out scale designs with a German, Renner actions. They took the world by storm gaining popularity in some of the country’s most prestigious universities as well as being the piano of choice of some of the greatest concert pianist of the time.
Today, the SF-10 holds its musical value right alongside the comparable Steinway B and Mason Hamlin BB. From the very beginning these were and still are world class instruments. If you are looking for a serious concert instrument, the SF-10 will bring a lot to the table in terms of musicality as well as versatility from the studio to small to medium sized concert venues.
Baldwin SD-10 Concert Grand Piano
Finally, and last but not least is the Baldwin SD-10. At 9’ feet, if you were to compare it to a car, could compare it to a Cadillac Talisman. From a sleek styled body to being an aggressive piece of machinery, these two have some things in common. Putting cars aside though, the SD-10 was one of the great three concert grands along with Steinway and Mason Hamlin which were dominating the concert platform in the 70s and 80s. If you were to have attended a concert at that time, you either saw a Steinway D or a Baldwin SD-10 on the stage. Baldwin was at the peak of their company’s popularity and were recognized as an industry leader. The SD-10 cemented this thinking.
Like its baby sister the SF-10, the SD-10 was also influenced by Bechstein. It too featured a Renner action. The entire Baldwin line is known for having a fat yet clear sound which makes them distinguishable to the trained ear in comparison to other American pianos. This was especially true of the SD-10 which featured an enormous roaring low end. What’s amazing with these pianos is more often than not, you can’t hear the breaks between registers which allows for even tone throughout the entire piano. The end result is a well balanced performance which is why these pianos are so popular with jazz as well as Classical musicians.
Like any great Baldwin, the SD-10 is sure to satisfy just about any musician who plays one. In recent years, the Baldwin has subsided from being renowned the world over, but is cherished and recognized still by those who had the privilege of knowing and hearing them in their prime. They can still be found all around the country being played regularly in concert halls as well as living rooms. There is also a wealth of great artists who recorded on them allowing us insight into a great American sound and one of the masterpieces in keyboard history.
In the early 2000’s Baldwin faced bankruptcy and was acquired by the American guitar maker, Gibson. They shuttered American manufacturing and started acquiring pianos from China which are sold in stores today with the Baldwin name on the front.