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The Baldwin Piano Company has its roots in the 19th century and became the #1 selling piano in the United States in the 20th century. Dwight Hamilton Baldwin started the company as a retail store. In fact, they were a Steinway dealership! The story is that Steinway had a relative who wanted to open a store in Cincinnati where Baldwin operated. When Baldwin lost the franchise, they began producing pianos. Very soon they won prestigious international awards which catapulted them into the concert arena. During WWII Baldwin manufactured wooden bracing for aircraft. The technology they developed was utilized in the incredibly strong pin block design they employed in their pianos after the war.

Baldwin pianos went on to become a formidable force in the concert market with some of the most notable musicians of the 20th century and beyond choosing Baldwin pianos including: Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Earl Wild, Liberace, Dave Brubeck and Bruce Hornsby to name just a few. Baldwin acquired the great German piano manufacturer Bechstein in the 1960’s. Together they introduced the SD-10 concert grand piano in 1966 which was heralded as one of the great advancements in piano design in the 20th century. Eventually all the Baldwin grand pianos were redesigned with Bechstein.

Baldwin became a diverse financial multi-billion dollar company later in the 20th century. In 1984 they suffered a bankruptcy. The management team of Baldwin Piano Company bought Baldwin from the huge financial company and continued making top tier pianos. Eventually the competition of cheap Asian pianos took its toll and Baldwin suffered another bankruptcy in the early 2000s. Gibson guitar bought them and soon closed American operations. They bought 2 huge Chinese piano manufacturers and are importing pianos from them and putting the Baldwin name on them. However, word has it that the American factory is still operational. So, one day we may again enjoy new Baldwin pianos, some of the greatest pianos in the world being produced in the United States.

The History of Baldwin Pianos

If you are familiar with one of the great American piano companies Mason & Hamlin you have may have heard about the Tension Resonator System, sometimes referred to as “The Spider” or “Crown Retention System”. This technology is unique to Mason & Hamlin pianos. What is this all about?

We have covered unique piano technologies in the past such as Baldwin Accu-Just Hitch Pins, Steinway Pianos and Teflon Parts and what makes Chickering Pianos Unique, but today we are going to discuss a technology we haven’t covered previously.

Some people refer to Mason & Hamlin pianos as being “overbuilt”. Mason & Hamlin prides themselves on building their pianos to last for generations and one of the ways they have done this is by incorporating the Tension Resonator System.

A thin membrane of wood called the soundboard is what produces most of the sound on a piano. Without a soundboard even the largest piano would barely be audible from across a large room. How could a simple piece of wood produce so much sound? There is a tremendous amount of tension that creates potential energy. The soundboard is built into the rim of a piano under tension which causes a slight upward arch referred to as “crown”. The soundboard is arguably the most important part of a piano and it’s something that varies from piano to piano – even on new pianos. Without crown, a soundboard produces a dead, lifeless sound.

There is a big challenge keeping the soundboard crown intact. After all,the soundboard is made of wood which is an organic substance that contracts and expands with changes in the temperature and humidity. Over time, the rim of a piano can expand and contract and cause the soundboard on a piano to lose its tension and therefore lose its crown. This is where the tension resonator technology comes into play.

If you look underneath a Mason & Hamlin piano you will notice the Tension Resonator System that sits below the soundboard and expands out to the rim of the piano. This technology allows the pianos to maintain their crown better because the metal device supports the rim of the piano and keeps it from expanding and contracting in different weather conditions; creating much more stability for the piano. Furthermore, Mason & Hamlin pianos have massively built inner and outer rims that further enhance the longevity of soundboard crown. This is why many older Mason & Hamlin pianos still produce vibrant sound when other pianos lose their energy of tone.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions or comments about this topic or any topic at all please contact us directly: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

What is a Tension Resonator System? Mason & Hamlin Pianos

If you are familiar with one of the great American piano companies Mason & Hamlin you have may have heard about the Tension Resonator System, sometimes referred to as “The Spider” or “Crown Retention System”. This technology is unique to

Two of the most popular piano companies in the world, Yamaha and Kawai, have competed with each other for decades. Many people wonder which piano is better. Despite this being a controversial topic, we are going to answer this in an honest way.

Both of these companies are based in Japan and have been around for around 100 years. They are also the two largest piano manufacturers in the world. Both the longevity and output of pianos is simply stunning and both companies are well respected within the piano community.

Yamaha and Kawai both have factories in different countries and each one outputs different models and types of pianos. When it comes to judging these companies side-by-side you really have to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

There is no point in comparing a promotional level Yamaha piano to a hand-made Shigeru-Kawai, just as comparing a top of the line Yamaha S series to an Indonesian-made Kawai has no value. Each company has different tiers of pianos – from the most affordable basic models to ultra-high-end performance models.

So if you’re comparing similar styles and models of pianos between the two companies, which is better? Honestly, it comes down more to personal taste than anything else. However, there are some guidelines for you to follow to see which brand is right for you.

Many people are drawn to the clarity of tone of Yamaha pianos – sometimes perceived as a bright sound. That’s why it’s a very popular choice for pop and rock musicians (such as Elton John). The sound of Yamaha’s are able to cut through a mix better than other pianos which can be of real benefit for some styles of music. The actions on the pianos are also first class.

Kawai pianos are also known for their actions – including their Blak series which contain composite materials. Many people are drawn to Kawai pianos which tend to have a warmer tone than Yamaha pianos.

Whether a piano is bright or warm can also have a lot to do with the voicing of the instrument (the hardness of the felt on the hammers). However, there are general tendencies of sound that are evident. The characteristics of Kawai pianos being warm and Yamaha pianos being bright are not universal. Each piano has to be assessed for what it is. The size, model, voicing and the unique sound of each instrument comes into play.

There is a lot more to determine when selecting between Kawai and Yamaha pianos, but it really comes down to personal taste and the exact pianos you are comparing. Both Yamaha and Kawai make pianos on all levels from entry-level to concert instruments. When you find a piano you love, it’s the right piano whatever the brand name.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-372

Yamaha Pianos Vs. Kawai Pianos – Which is Better?

This is probably one of the most fiercely debated topics regarding Steinway pianos. There is a ton of misinformation online as well as varying degrees of opinions. Not everyone is going to agree on this topic, but I will share my perspective from a lifetime with Steinway pianos. So let’s dive right into this hotly contested debate, is Teflon on Steinway Pianos bad?

In 1972 Steinway & Sons was sold to CBS and they owned the company until 1985. At some time during this period in Steinway’s history, the felt parts of the action were replaced with Teflon. Eventually, they abandoned this practice and went back to felt – not without some public outcry. Today, some people will see older Steinway pianos with Teflon and become adamant about replacing it, but is it really such a big problem?

There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. Teflon has many different characteristics then felt and one of the reasons Steinway decided to use it was that it is much more durable and robust then felt. One of the big problems Steinway ran into with Teflon is that many technicians didn’t know how to work with it. The vast majority of the world’s actions were built with felt and replacing it with a new material created some confusion. Unless a technician is familiar with Steinway Teflon actions, they might not be able to adjust it properly.

If you have a Steinway piano with Teflon in it and it’s in good shape, all you need is a good technician who can maintain it. There is really no reason to replace the Teflon if you have no problems. Now, there are cases where you will have to replace Teflon.

Teflon does cause some unwanted problems and if you are experiencing any of these you will need to get it replaced. Telfon is rigid but wood is susceptible to expanding and contracting with the weather. If you put a Steinway piano with Teflon in an extreme environment with wild swings in temperature – from dry to humid and from hot to cold – it’s possible the wood could crack. This can cause unwanted noises that could be created by the spaces between the Teflon bushings and the wood. This is what gave Teflon a very bad reputation; it’s not made for extreme environments.

If you live in a stable environment, you probably won’t have any negative issues with Teflon You will probably be fine as long as you have a properly trained technician.

If you feel that you want to replace the Teflon in your action, you can. If you have any concerns or qualms about it and you have the money, you should simply do what makes you happy. Does it need to be replaced? Unless you live in an extreme environment, the Teflon is old, or you can’t find the right technician, probably not. I personally don’t have any problems with Teflon parts but that’s my opinion and I’m sure there are plenty of varying viewpoints.

Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

Is Teflon on Steinway Pianos Bad? Teflon and Steinway Pianos

People often ask me what the difference is between New York and Hamburg made Steinway pianos. Researching this online may offer some perspective but really the choice between the two may be more a matter of personal preference than anything else. That being said, there are some key differences between the two manufacturers of Steinway pianos that may interest you.

The history of the Steinway family is pretty fascinating and for a detailed description, I would suggest viewing their official story on their website. The family was actually a group of German immigrants who came to New York. They began piano manufacturing in New York and later opened a factory in Hamburg, Germany. Both of these factories have been producing pianos for over a hundred years.

Overall, the pianos coming out of each factory are incredibly similar. Both factories produce nearly all the same models today; which is not something they have always done. For most of the 20th century, New York Steinway was producing the model L while Hamburg was producing the model O. Both of the pianos are the same size, 5-foot 10 1/2-inches, but they have different scale designs. Earlier in the 20th century, New York Steinway was also producing Model O’s but they then switched to the L. Recently the L model was discontinued and now they only produce the Model O in both factories. Recently New York Steinway started producing the model A (6-foot 2-inch) which was only built in Germany, however, it was built in New York early in the 20th century. (There was also a model termed the “stretch A” which measured 6-foot 4-inches.) The model C (7’ 6” in size) is only built in Hamburg Germany even today.

One of the biggest difference between the two different factories is the actions. New York makes their own actions while Hamburg utilizes Renner (an esteemed German action manufacturer). The New York Steinways have unique design elements only available on the Steinway made actions including the Accelerated Action.

Another difference between the two factories is that Hamburg Steinway’s tend to have slightly thicker soundboards than their New York counterparts. This means that the Hamburg Steinway’s are a little bit more subdued and it takes a bit more effort to get a larger sound out of them (depending upon voicing).

Ultimately the difference between New York and Hamburg Steinways comes down to the individual piano.

Some people appreciate the higher degree of refinement of German Steinways direct from the factory. However, with the proper preparation, these differences may not be so great. This means that American Steinway technicians play a very important role in each dealer getting the pianos to play on the highest possible level.

I hope this sheds some light on the similarities and differences between New York and Hamburg Steinway pianos.

Thanks for joining me, Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

The Difference Between New York and Hamburg Steinways

Welcome to my first in a multi-part series of videos about what makes each major piano brand unique. Every major piano company has something that separates them from their competition: whether it is Mason & Hamlin’s Tension Resonator System or the Steinway Accelerated Action, many major piano brands will have some sort of unique or patented design element that their competition doesn’t employ.

Today we are going to start with the Baldwin piano company. There are many things about Baldwin pianos that make them unique but today we are going to be discussing one thing in particular that is truly unique about them – their Accu-just hitch pin system.

Baldwin developed this technology in the 1960s at a time they owned the great German piano company Bechstein. The first piano to employ the Accu-just hitch pin was the newly designed SD-10 concert grand which went on to get spectacular reviews.

But what is a hitch pin anyway? Well, you are probably familiar with the tuning pins located at the front of the piano – those are the numerous small pins that stick out from through the plate which is set into the pin block. On the other side, the strings wrap around what are called hitch pins.

On most pianos, the hitch pins are simply hooks that hold the strings in place. You will also notice that the strings are over the bridge – so they have a certain amount of down-bearing on the bridge; which is glued onto the soundboard. This creates just the right amount of downward pressure on the strings.

But why does this matter? Well, if the piano is rebuilt and the plate is removed, the down-bearing on the strings must be adjusted precisely once the plate is replaced – which means the height of the plate must be adjusted with precision because it is critical to the tone of the piano. When simply restringing a piano, normally there is no down-bearing adjustment possible. Often over time the soundboard will lose some crown but may still have good tone. It would be ideal if the down-bearing was adjustable without the tremendous undertaking of rebuilding and removing the plate.

This is where the Baldwin Accu-just hitch pins come into play. Instead of just having hooks, these newly designed Baldwin pianos have vertical rods which the strings wrap around. The reason for this is that the height of the strings – not just the plate – can be adjusted to get just the right amount of down-bearing. This allows a technician to adjust precisely the down-bearing individually for each string!

This is why a lot of Baldwins will have a particularly singing tone – especially in the high register – because the down-bearing can be manipulated to be absolutely precise in all registers.

Does this mean that these Baldwin pianos are superior to older Baldwins that don’t employ this technology? Not necessarily – there are many factors that go into making a piano great. And after all, there are many great pianos from other manufacturers that don’t have this technology. It’s just something that makes them unique and able to stand out from the competition. If you find a Baldwin without the Accu-just hitch pins, it’s nothing to be concerned about – just think of it as an extra bonus if yours contains them.

As always, thanks for watching and reading and I look forward to your comments and suggestions.