Piano and Music Videos

So much has transpired in the piano industry in the nearly 6 years since producing my, “Best Piano Brands” video, I thought it was due time to offer a fresh perspective on the industry.

In the first video I explained how countries of origin affect the quality of pianos. This is a simple truth – the longer period of time piano building is pursued in a country, the more mature the manufacturing and quality tends to be. But we are now living in a truly global marketplace. How has that affected the piano industry?

If you carry an iPhone in your pocket, you are enjoying a great product sold by the American company Apple. But the manufacturing is done in China. In fact, many of the components are sourced from other countries like Korea, Mongolia and even parts of Europe! This is not an outlier product – this is the way of the world in manufacturing today.

While there are some small, independent companies producing pianos in the old world tradition mostly in Europe, these tend to be manufacturers with very low output catering to a niche market. Most piano companies are not independent. Japanese piano maker Yamaha owns the Austrian piano company Bösendorfer. The Korean piano giant Samick owns Bechstein, Seiler and a sizeable chunk of Steinway!

Making matters even more complex, large piano companies often have operations in different countries. For example, a Yamaha and Kawai (both Japanese companies) have pianos manufactured in Indonesia.

Another factor is the plethora of “stencil pianos”. These are pianos marketed with familiar names of out of business companies or fictitious names stenciled on the fallboard. Many of these piano companies source the instruments from more than one manufacture. So, often times it’s all but impossible to figure out what company made the piano.

So, in today’s world, the vast number of pianos being produced are made in Asia. Last year there were only about 1400 pianos made in the United States mostly from Steinway. If money is no object, there are many fine piano companies out there from Fazioli in Italy to Mason & Hamlin outside of Boston. But for the vast majority of piano buyers, the short list of major piano companies includes 4 companies which include the two Japanese giants:

Yamaha
Kawai

Korean companies have been around since the mid 20th century. They come with different scale designs and price points just like Yamaha and Kawai and have very mature design and manufacturing:

Young Chang
Samick

The elephant in the room is the emergence of the Chinese piano industry. The largest Chinese piano manufacturer is Pearl River. But there are hundreds of companies now producing pianos in China.

The good news is that there are very few bad pianos sold in the United States. The secret is matching the right instrument for your needs. Ikea isn’t a bad furniture maker so long as your expectations are in alignment with what you are getting. Their products could serve the perfect purpose for you. So it is with pianos. Not everyone needs a piano that can play on a concert level to keep for generations.

Below is a list of hand-made pianos. All of these companies make a limited number of high end pianos. There is a range of quality to some of these manufacturers. However, the specific instrument as well as personal preference will determine which one is best for you:

 

Blüthner
Grotrian
Sauter
Steingraeber & Söhne
August Förster
Bechstein
Mason & Hamlin
Haessler
Schimmel
Steinway
Albert Weber
Shigeru Kawai
Fazioli
Petrof
Rönisch
S Series Yamaha
Schulze Pollmann
Wilh. Steinberg
Charles Walter
Stuart & Sons
Ravenscroft
Weinbach

Acoustic Versus Digital:

There are benefits to both acoustic and digital pianos. However, if the primary purpose is learning to play the piano, an acoustic piano is best. A digital piano has many features that are useful for other purposes such as working with music software, practicing with headphones, and playing a wide variety of sounds. But the piano action of an acoustic piano has nearly 100 parts for each key which provides a much higher level of performance. The subtleties of touch and pedaling enable much more expressive performance on an acoustic piano.

Upright Versus Grand:

An upright might be a good choice if space and budget are limited. However, a grand piano offers superior touch and tone. The vertical motion of hammers in a grand piano offers faster repetition than the horizontal hammer motion of an upright piano. Also, the length of the keys beyond the fall board is greater on a grand piano than on an upright offering better leverage when playing black keys and between black keys. Finally, the sound of a grand piano projects into the room, not into the wall. You may be surprised at how easy it is to place a baby grand piano since it looks good on all sides and can be placed in a corner.

New Versus Used:

If budget is unlimited, buying new can be a good choice. However, it comes with risks. A piano doesn’t reach its full potential until it has had a chance to season and become broken in. So, it is difficult to assess the quality of a new piano until years down the line. Also, if there are any major manufacturing defects in a piano, it will almost always evidence itself within the first few years. Used pianos can offer tremendous value but you must have knowledge in order to make the right buying decision. Factors include the quality of the manufacturer, as well as the history of the specific piano in question.

New: Handmade Versus Production Pianos:

Asian production pianos cost a fraction of hand-made American and European pianos. They are best bought new or nearly new because once they wear out, it doesn’t pay to restore them because they are so inexpensive to begin with. American pianos are a dying breed. We have gone from over 300 manufacturers prior to WWII to 3 companies producing pianos in the United States today. While everyone knows Steinway is a great piano, there are several other piano companies that produced pianos equal to Steinway which can be purchased for a fraction of the cost if you know what to look for. Because this is a vanishing commodity, there is lasting value in these instruments and it can be worthwhile restoring Mason & Hamlin, Knabe, Sohmer, Chickering, Baldwin and many other great American pianos.

Used: Rebuilt Versus Reconditioned:

Unlike people, pianos don’t age unless acted upon by outside forces, namely environment and use. A piano that isn’t played very much and has spent its life in a stable environment in regards to temperature and humidity may only require reconditioning in order to achieve a high level of performance. This is true of some high quality pianos 50 or 75 years old! Other pianos much younger may require rebuilding which involves removal of the strings and plate, and complete restoration of the 10,000 parts throughout the instrument. While this is very costly, the high price of new hand-made pianos makes this investment worthwhile for the right instrument.

Size Matters:

With pianos, all things being equal, bigger is better. This is due to the longer strings and bigger sound board which offer enhanced tone. However, it is important to match the size of the piano to the room. A larger piano produces more volume. So you must assess the acoustics and purpose of the piano to determine what size is appropriate for the space.

Think Long Term:

Unlike almost everything else you buy, you buy a piano only once if you make the right decision. This is because a piano can last a lifetime if it is properly cared for. So you should think beyond your current family situation and home and project far into the future when making a purchasing decision.

Piano as Instrument and Furniture:

While a piano is a musical instrument, it is also one of the most significant pieces of furniture you invest in. So, consider the look of the piano so that you are happy living with it. Black pianos are the most popular, offer the easiest resale, and also are most versatile. But you should ultimately get what you like to be happy.

Intellect Versus Emotion:

While it is important to make the right decision when getting a piano, ultimately it is about satisfying aesthetics. You must not over think it. If you feel an attachment to the sound and look of a piano, it is probably the right one to get. Because then you will want to play and hear the instrument. Educate yourself as to what to look for, but ultimately make the decision based upon what you love.

So What Are the Best Piano Brands?

The country of origin is often the best indicator of the quality of pianos. Since piano production began in Germany and the United States, these represent the very best piano brands.

The United States only has 3 manufacturers left although there used to be hundreds of piano companies building in America. Today we have only:

Steinway

 

 

Steinway makes about 2500 pianos a year

 

 

 

Mason & Hamlin

 

 

Mason & Hamlin builds only 250 pianos per year

 

 

 

 

 

Charles Walter

 

 

Charles Walter is a relative newcomer which builds only about 65 pianos each year.

 

 

 

 

 

The best European pianos come primarily from Germany:

Bechstein

Bluthner

Bosendorfer (from Austria)

Fazioli (from Italy)

The Eastern European pianos are not as refined but offer excellent value:

Petrof/Weinbach

(The same company produces both pianos.)

Estonia

Japan makes the best Asian production pianos. There are 2 companies which are the largest and second largest manufacturers of pianos in the world:

Yamaha

Kawai

Both companies have factories throughout Asia (not just in Japan) and the best pianos they build are made in Japan. They offer everything from budget instruments to hand-made pianos rivaling the best German and American pianos.

Korea has been making pianos for quite some time. While not as refined as the Japanese pianos, they continually improve. There are 2 Korean piano manufactures both of which have factories in other countries:

Samick

Young Chang

Samick sells pianos under many different brand names including Kohler and Campbell, Knabe, Sohmer, Pramberger, Remington and many more. These are referred to as “stencil pianos” since the original manufacturer is either out of business or it is a made up name. Young Chang sells pianos under the Weber name.

Best Piano Brands YouTube Video

Best Piano Brands