Steinway & Sons download our PIANO BUYER'S GUIDE For over 160 years, Steinway & Sons has been dedicated to making the finest pianos in the world. Our pioneering handcrafted methods are still employed today to ensure our uncompromising standards of quality, in turn ensuring that the Steinway piano remains the peerless instrument of uncompromising expression. “Steinway is the only piano on which the pianist can do everything he wants. And everything he dreams.” VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY Steinway & Sons | Grand Pianos Steinway & Sons Rentals Steinway & Sons - Grand Pianos The production of a Steinway grand piano takes about 12 months. If you add two years of drying and seasoning of the wood, three years have been invested and the instrument can leave the factories in New York and Hamburg to bring joy to its new owner. Throughout the manufacturing process, every grand and upright piano is meticulously hand-crafted. The challenge is to make each instrument perfect in its own special way – a perfect Steinway. You can choose between six grand piano models which meet every demand.

Each model, no matter whether it’s the small baby grand or the concert grand piano – our largest model – is manufactured according to the same standards to offer just the same: the inimitable Steinway sound. Model S Baby Grand At 5 feet 1 inch in length, this "Baby" grand piano was introduced in the 1930s. Don’t let its size fool you! Steinway & Sons’ patented "Diaphragmatic Soundboard"—now found in every Steinway piano produced today—was first developed because of this model. To insure that a powerful and rich tone could be produced by a piano of this size, Steinway redesigned its soundboard, resulting in a tone that greatly outperformed others. And it still does. Every inch a Steinway, this piano is a proud addition to any home. "When one plays a Steinway, there is a warmth and nobility in the sound that is unequalled by any other instrument"—Emanuel Ax. Length: Model M Medium Grand At 5 feet 7½ inches in length, our "Music Room" piano is a cherished member of Steinway & Sons’ amazing lineup of incomparable musical instruments.

Its rich tone and responsive action is found not only in a great many homes, but in many schools of music and conservatories as well. It’s a piano that can be enjoyed every day, all day, for a lifetime. "Thank you for providing pianos that have personality and even more importantly, soul"—Hélène Grimaud. Length: Model O Living Room Grand This 5-foot-10¾-inch piano has been a source of joy and inspiration since the very early 1900s—and it continues to be so today. It has a sound that is particularly warm and rich—far beyond what one would expect for a piano that is under 6 feet in length. Its action offers the sensitivity and control that has made Steinway famous; and no matter what you ask of this piano, it has an answer ready. "Steinway is the only piano on which the pianist can do everything he wants. And everything he dreams"—Vladimir Ashkenazy. Length: 5’ 10 3/4’’ (180 cm) Width: 57 3/4’’ (approx.

146.5 cm) Weight: Model A Parlor Grand At 6 feet 2 inches, this amazing piano sounds like a much larger model. The powerful yet warm sound is the result of an amazing scale design that allows the solid spruce soundboard to freely and efficiently vibrate—thus producing a sound that simply cannot be experienced in any piano except a Steinway. Its slightly longer keys give the player a sense of heightened sensitivity and control. The size of this piano is large enough to satisfy those who demand a full, rich bass—yet small enough to beautifully fit into almost any home. "With a tone so rich, I would never be afraid of the dark. Steinway is the only and the best"—Harry Connick, Jr. Length: Model B Music Room Grand This magnificent 7-foot grand piano is often referred to as "the perfect piano." When it comes to balance, beauty, and power, this incredible piano has no equal. It is the choice of the top recording studios and the piano that a great number of Steinway Artists have in their homes. It’s a wonderfully balanced and versatile piano that does extremely well in intimate settings, as well as in mid-sized venues.

It is the musical instrument that those who love the piano can’t wait to play. No matter where you want to go, this is the piano that will get you there. "I have long admired Steinway pianos for their qualities of tone, clarity, pitch consistency, touch responsiveness, and superior craftsmanship"—Billy Joel. Length: Model D Concert Grand Quite simply, this is the ultimate piano. At 9 feet in length, this majestic musical instrument is the overwhelming choice of the world’s greatest pianists. It has the power and projection to be heard in a 2000-seat concert hall—without the aid of a microphone. It sings above the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra, yet it can whisper with equal impact. Its miraculously sensitive action allows any artist to ask of it whatever he or she wants, with full confidence of this instrument’s ability to respond. The Steinway model "D" Concert Grand is the piano that will completely satisfy those who desire the highest possible level of musical expression. "The Steinway piano—with its beauty and power—is the perfect medium for expressing the performer’s art, drama and poetry"—Van Cliburn.

Length: A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano —not just any used Steinway, but a genuine used Steinway piano. For Those Whose Desire for a Used Steinway Piano Is 100% Genuine. A Grand Guide to Buying a Used Steinway Piano is designed to assist you in your journey in selecting a genuine used Steinway piano—from learning about how a Steinway is built and rebuilt, to what makes a Steinway a genuine Steinway and what factors to consider when shopping the used-Steinway market. Seven Types of Used Steinway Pianos Every seller, piano dealer, and technician will classify a used Steinway piano in a different way; but, for the sake of this guide, we’ve broken it into seven simple categories. Shell A used Steinway piano that has never been restored. Typically, the piano is not in playing condition, if it will play at all. The piano has been neglected, damaged or compromised, and has had no annual maintenance for an extended period of time.

Repaired This is a Steinway that has had parts repaired over time without replacing any major components. The piano has been maintained and is still capable of being played daily, but major parts will likely need replacing in the near future. Rebuilt A rebuilt Steinway is a piano in which all the components have been rebuilt to its original condition. Some major components commonly rebuilt are the soundboard, bridges, and action parts, as well as the case. Stein-Was A Stein-Was is a used Steinway piano that has had one or more parts replaced with non-Steinway parts. Therefore, it was a Steinway piano; now it isn’t. Original An original used Steinway piano is one that has never had any parts replaced since it was manufactured. Typically, these are less than 20 years old. Factory Restoration A Steinway piano that was restored by the Steinway Restoration Center in New York City and had the original parts replaced with genuine Steinway parts. Heirloom Collection Steinway Heirloom Collection pianos are available through authorized Steinway dealers.

Each Heirloom carries the same 5-year warranty as a new Steinway, has genuine Steinway parts, and is distinguished by a medallion on the inner-rim and a Certificate of Authenticity. How to Determine the Age of Any Steinway Piano When shopping for a used Steinway piano, you will want to take into consideration its age. By determining the age of the piano, you will have a better understanding of its history, features, and condition. Below are 3 steps for determining the age of a Steinway piano: Locate the serial number. As new pianos are completed, they are serial-numbered consecutively and the number is applied to the cast-iron plate. On Steinway Grand Pianos Look Up a Steinway Serial Number ▸ Request the piano’s history. At the Steinway factory, there are several leather-bound log books that hold the records on every piano built by Steinway & Sons since 1853. As pianos are completed, they are serial-numbered and, even today, handwritten into the Steinway archives which list the details of every Steinway piano built.

Anyone with a serial number from any Steinway piano can contact Steinway & Sons or their local Steinway dealer for the information on a specific Steinway, including the model, original finish, completion date, and the dealer to whom it was first shipped. The historical records of each and every piano built is just another one of the things that make a Steinway unique. If it doesn’t have 12,116 genuine Steinway parts, it isn’t a Steinway. Used, vintage, and restored Steinway pianos are often prized for their unique beauty and enduring value. However, for years, non-Steinway dealers and unauthorized piano rebuilders have created a great deal of confusion in the piano industry. Many piano rebuilders use inferior non-Steinway parts, seriously compromising an instrument’s performance and investment value. Built for a Steinway Piano For more than 160 years, Steinway & Sons has been on a continuing quest to improve the Steinway piano. Continuous improvement means finding the perfect balance of the many thousands of parts which make up a Steinway piano.

When a Steinway piano is rebuilt, it is imperative that Steinway parts be used in this process if the piano is to play and sound as a Steinway should play and sound. A Steinway piano is designed to use genuine Steinway parts, and it performs its best when these parts are used. If the parts are not 100% Steinway, then the piano is not 100% Steinway and its performance and investment value will be compromised. Why do some rebuilders use non-Steinway parts? Non-Steinway replacement parts used in the rebuilding of a Steinway piano are purchased for one reason only: They are cheaper, both in price and quality. There is no other reason. To the right is a comparison of genuine Steinway parts vs. non-Steinway parts for a Steinway Model O (5’10”) grand piano. As you can see, there is a significant cost difference between genuine Steinway parts and non-Steinway or “Steinway style” parts and this is the reason why there is such a great deal of confusion when shopping for a used Steinway piano.

Three Keys to Remember about Parts When Shopping for a Genuine Steinway Piano one Steinway pianos are designed to use genuine Steinway parts, and they play and sound their best when these parts are in the piano. two The price of a rebuilt Steinway piano with non-Steinway parts should cost significantly less than one with 100% genuine Steinway parts. three Most people selling a used Steinway with non-Steinway parts will NOT advertise it as a counterfeit or Stein-Was, so it’s always best to ask. If you read only one section of this guide, read this section. The soundboard lies at the heart of a Steinway grand or upright piano, which is why Steinway & Sons takes great care in its design and in the selection of the wood used. The soundboard is a critical component in producing the inimitable “Steinway Sound” you desire. About the Soundboard Close-grained, quarter-sawn Sitka spruce, with a prescribed minimum number of annual growth rings is the wood used for Steinway soundboards. These close-grained lines enable the sound-producing energy to travel more efficiently to the end of the soundboard.

When combined with the soundboard being gradually tapered from the center to the edge, which permits the freedom of movement, it creates a sound of unparalleled richness, sonority, and sustain. Soundboards from Scratch Steinway does not buy their soundboards, instead, they buy the spruce planks to make their soundboards. Steinway’s strict standards for soundboard spruce and their yield factor on the prime-grade planks they purchase is only 50%. Meaning, of all the spruce that Steinway inspects and purchases, only 50% of that spruce goes into the making their soundboards. This allows Steinway to build each soundboard to their standards, not the lumber supplier’s. Steinway NEVER sells its soundboards. Steinway sells their soundboards to no one, since the skill, expertise and machinery necessary to replace a soundboard is only available at the Steinway factory. So if a used Steinway was restored somewhere other than the Steinway Restoration Center, it may still have the Steinway & Sons trademark logo on it, but if it doesn’t have a genuine Steinway & Sons soundboard, it has lost the internal magic that makes it a Steinway.

If the soundboard was replaced, how do I know if it was replaced by Steinway & Sons? Determining if the soundboard was replaced by Steinway & Sons can be difficult to the untrained eye. It’s highly recommended that you ask the rebuilder or seller for documents that include the serial number and state that the soundboard was replaced with a genuine Steinway soundboard at the Steinway Restoration Center. A Musical Comparison… Imagine if a Stradivarius violin had the back wood panel replaced by another wood panel not produced by Stradivarius. Would it still sound like a Stradivarius? Would it play like a Stradivarius? Would it still be a Stradivarius? Would the value be the same as Stradivarius? Most certainly not, and the same is true of the Steinway soundboard. Impossible to Replicate A number of piano rebuilders out there are trying to make good soundboards for Steinway grands. One of their difficulties is the necessity they face of reverse-engineering and guesswork. Some of them have likely taken out genuine Steinway soundboards from older used Steinways and tried to figure out how they are made without: knowing the selection criteria.

A Legacy of Innovation Which Continues Today The very first Steinway & Sons patent was granted in 1857, and since that time, the company has been granted more than 125 additional patents. As a consumer shopping for a used Steinway, it is important to consider when these patents were implemented, how they work, and what benefits they provide for pianists like yourself. “Strive always to improve the instrument.” It is important to remember that a Steinway piano will only feature the patents preceding the date of its completion. This means that a Steinway grand piano completed on March 5, 1923, will NOT have any of the innovations or advancements developed after that date such as: Accelerated Action October 13, 1931 • Patent #1826848 The touch of a Steinway is the most sensitive and responsive of any piano made. This is not merely an opinion. It is a fact that results from the way the piano is designed and manufactured. In fact, tests have proven that the keys on a Steinway piano can repeat 14% more quickly than the keys of any other piano.

Diaphragmatic Soundboard August 18, 1936 • Patent #2051633 The current production of the Steinway & Sons soundboard is based on a 1936 patent to achieve optimum performance in dynamic range, and maximum sustain. Under this patent, the soundboard is gradually tapered from the center to the edge, permitting freedom of movement and creating a sound of unparalleled richness, sonority, and sustain. Hexagrip Pinblock May 28, 1963 • Patent #3091149 Due to the unique design of the Steinway pinblock all Steinway pianos hold their tune longer. The secret lies in the grain of the wood. The grain of each layer is positioned at 45 degrees to the grain in the next layer. As a result, the tuning pins are exposed on all sides to the tenacious grip of the maple’s end grain. The tighter the grip on the tuning pins, the longer the piano stays in tune.

The “Golden-Age” Myth There are rebuilders, technicians, and non-Steinway dealers who will claim that Steinway pianos built during the “Golden Age” are the best Steinway pianos ever built. This is a myth that has been around since Steinway started building pianos. Are older Steinway pianos really better than new ones? As the late Henry Z. Steinway, great-grandson of the founder of Steinway & Sons, often said, “Steinway pianos crafted 40 years ago are always from the ‘Golden Age.’ It doesn’t matter which year it is today—1920, 1950, 1980, 2008—the ‘Golden Age’ was always 40 years ago!” Why the Myth Exists: There are very few piano dealers that are authorized to sell new Steinway pianos throughout the world (only about 68 in North America) but many piano dealers who can acquire pre-owned Steinway pianos to resell. Since they can’t sell new Steinway pianos, it is to their benefit to advertise that their used Steinway from the “Golden Age” is more desirable than a new one.

Artists demand the finest. The myth of the “Golden Age” is easily disproved. Just look at the concert halls throughout the world who cater to the most discriminating pianists of our time. How old are the pianos you are hearing? On average, they are less than 10 years old. If the world’s most prominent pianists felt that pianos from a “Golden Age” were superior to those produced today, we would not see new Steinway pianos on these stages. A Steinway piano is built to be rebuilt. There are hundreds of companies and technicians who rebuild Steinway pianos. However, there is only one piano rebuilder in the world who is authorized by Steinway & Sons to restore Steinway pianos: the Steinway Restoration Center which operates out of the Steinway New York factory and the Steinway Hamburg factory. A piano restored by the Restoration Center is the closest piano possible to a brand-new Steinway. Benefits of Selecting a Used Steinway Piano Restored by the Steinway Restoration Center Authorized The average age of a Steinway piano restored by the Steinway Restoration Center.

The Secrets of Steinway Pictured below, Andy Horbachevsky, the vice president of manufacturing for Steinway & Sons, stands in front of binders that hold the 159-year-old company’s processes to building a Steinway piano—often referred to as the “Secrets of Steinway.” The Restoration Center Ella Morton, from Rocketboom, visits with Bill Youse, Director of Technical Services & Special Projects for Steinway & Sons to discuss how vintage Steinway pianos are restored to their original splendor at the Steinway Restoration Center. A Sound Investment Times change. Markets rise and fall. But for more than a century and a half, every handcrafted Steinway piano has increased in value. Retail Price The best time to invest in a Steinway piano is always the same: TODAY. That’s because when factory prices of new Steinway pianos increase, the value of used Steinway pianos also rise. The following is a historical listing of prices.

“A 10-year-old Steinway in good condition, usually sells for about 75 percent of the current retail price, which goes up about 4 percent each year.” —Reuters, November 2003 “Over the past decade, the price on the classic Steinway Model B grand piano–currently $81,200–increased 48%, far outpacing the 29% rise in inflation.” —Barron’s, November 2010 Protecting Your Investment It is said that if you don’t know your jewels, know your jeweler. The same is true for pianos—it’s always best to rely on a reputable piano dealer or piano rebuilder. Below are a few examples of details you should be looking for when shopping on-line for a pre-owned Steinway piano. Warranty When shopping for a used Steinway make sure to ask if there is a warranty, and if there is, what is covered under the warranty. In the example on the left the piano has a 20-year warranty but it doesn’t cover the ever-so-important soundboard at all. Pricing There should only be one price for a used product: The price to buy it.

Some people will list several prices with unclear verbiage in an effort to confuse the consumer. In this example, the seller uses the word “wholesale” instead of the word “retail”. What else might they mislead you on? Certified Steinway Technicians Often times a piano technician or rebuilder will use the words “Certified” and “Steinway” together to make it seem as if Steinway approves their work. This is false. Per Steinway & Sons, the only “Certified Steinway Technicians” are the ones that they employ. Clear understanding of parts If you are looking at a rebuilt Steinway piano it is important to find out what parts have been replaced and if they were replaced with genuine Steinway parts. In this example, it says a new soundboard was installed. If the new soundboard was not replaced at the Steinway factory then this piano is no longer a Steinway. There is a Steinway piano for everyone; you just have to find your Steinway. Selecting a Steinway piano should be an enjoyable experience, and to help insure it is, here is a list of 5 things to do while shopping for a used Steinway piano: Play a new Steinway piano.

You may have already made your mind up that purchasing a used Steinway piano is the right choice for you. However, you would be doing your due diligence to visit your local Steinway dealer and play a couple of new Steinway pianos. This experience will give you something to compare against as you shop for a used Steinway piano. 162 Facts About Steinway & Sons and the Pianos They Build Apparel 162 Facts About Steinway & Sons and the Pianos They Build 162 Years, 162 Facts: Happy Birthday, Steinway. Wednesday, March 5, 2015 marks the 162nd anniversary of Steinway & Sons, what better way to celebrate that with a little Liszt list. Below you will find 162 facts about the men, women, artists, and craftsman who have played a role in making Steinway the world's finest piano. 1) In 1836 Heinrich Englehard Steinway built his first piano in the kitchen of his home in Seesen, Germany which is commonly refered to as the “Kitchen” piano. The piano is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

2) Heinrich would build 482 pianos over the next decade. 3) Heinrich Engelhard Steinway and his family would emigrate to the United States in 1850. 4) On March 5, 1853, Steinway & Sons was founded, setting up shop on Varrick Street on the West Side of Manhattan, manufacturing square grand pianos. 5) In 1853, the family decided to Americanize their name to “Steinway” 6. The company’s first piano, serial no. 483, was sold to a New York family named Griswold for $500. It is now displayed at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. 7. By 1854, just a year after founding the company, Steinway & Sons was making 2 pianos a week, and sold 74 pianos for the year. 8. By 1856, Steinway & Sons sales rose to 208 pianos for the year, from 74 just 2 years before in 1854. 9.

In 1857, a piano was created with a lavishly carved case and legs. This piano, Serial #1225, is believed to be the first ever Steinway Art Case piano. 10. On December 20, 1859, Patent #26532 was granted to Henry Steinway Jr. for the Overstung Plate, where by the longer bass strings were drawn over sections of other strings. 11. By 1859, Steinway's least expensive piano sold for $275. 12. In 1863, Henry Steinway became an American Citizen. 13. Steinway & Sons opened the first Steinway Hall on 14th Street in 1866, which had an auditorium of 2,000 seats. 14. 1867, William Steinway estimated that 90% of American Piano output was square pianos, 5% were uprights and 5% were grand pianos, he also characterized that grand sales were "scarce as angels' visits." 15.

In 1867, Steinway became the first American manufacturer to receive the “Grand Gold Medal of Honor” at the Paris piano exhibition. 16. In 1871, William purchased the Steinway Mansion . The Mansion overlooking Bowery Bay on Long Island Sound was owned by Benjamin T. Pike Jr. who owned an optical supply business. He sold the estate to William for $127,500. 17. The Steinway Mansion was recently put up for sale for $3.5 million in 2011. 18. In 1871 Henry Englehard Steinway, founder of Steinway & Sons, died at 74 years of age. 19. In 1871, Steinway sold 2,553 pianos, and was making pianos at a rate of 1 piano per hour, or 10 pianos per day. 20. William Steinway engaged the great Russian pianist Anton Rubinstein to play Steinway pianos during an American concert tour in 1872, with 215 concerts in 239 days. It was a triumph for both Rubinstein and Steinway. 21.

In 1875 Steinway Hall opened in London. 22. 1877 Oberlin College Conservatory, Oberlin, OH, becomes the first All-Steinway School . 23. 1881, William Steinway, Son of Henry, became a millionaire, one of 400 in New York. 24. 1881, Steinway manufactured more than 2,600 pianos. 25. 1883 Alma Tadema Piano Model D #54538, The piano was sent to London in 1884 for inlay and paintings by noted Victorian Artist Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema for Henry Marquand, Art Collector and 2nd President of the New York Metropolitian Museum of Art. Painting "Wandering Minstrels" above the keyboard. 9 Muses on the lid. Returned to NY City in 1887, then auctioned for $8,000 in 1903. Then moved to the Martin Beck Theater in Manhattan.

On June 21, 2003, the Theater was renamed in honor of the caricaturist Al Hirschfeld Theatre famous for his drawings of Broadway celebrities. In 1980 the Alma Tadema was sold at an auction for $360,000. Piano was then on loan to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. 26. 1884, Model D, #51,257 was completed in New York City on January 31, 1894. It is the very first modern Steinway Concert Grand Piano. Its salient features were developed by C.F. Theodore Steinway. 27. 1888-Theodore Steinway enters into agreement with G. Daimler of Mercedes to manufacture parts for the American Mercedes Automobile and the engines as well as marine engines. This arrangement lasted at least until 1906. 28. 1888-The last time a Square Grand was advertised. 29. 1890-Steinway Hall on 14th Street Closed in anticipation of Carnegie Hall. 30. 1891-Carnegie Hall opens.

The Carnegie Music Hall seated 3,000 with standing room for another 1,000, the old Steinway Hall seated only 2,500. 31. 1892-Paderewski signed on for a second tour for 60 concerts, which was a phenomenal success for Steinway & Sons as well. 32. 1892-December 23, Christmas season, “Biggest retail trade ever done, sold 30 old and new pianos in one day.” as per William. 33. 1897-Yale University School of Music, New Haven CT, becomes an All-Steinway School. 34. In 1900 the retail price of a Steinway Model D was $1,400 35. 1902 -The 100,000th Steinway Piano was built and it was built by the “Art Piano case Department” for President Theodore Roosevelt to go in the East Room of the White House.

It was gilded with gold leaf, and on the lid a painting entitled “America Receiving the Nine Muses” depicting 10 women in pink, mauve, and gray centennial revival style ball gowns against a vivid green background. American Eagles carved on the legs, valued at $7,500 (a D sold for $1600) and was given to the nation in 1903. The piano was donated to the Smithsonian when a new Steinway replaced it during the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today the historic Gold Steinway stands in the First Ladies Hall of the National Museum of American History. 36. 1902-The model “O” designed by Henry Ziegler was introduced. This was the introduction of lower prices for smaller pianos some grand pianos were cut in price by as much as a third. Prices of upright pianos were also cut with the introduction of the “Vertegrand”. 37. 1904-model “K” was available for $500. 38. 1911-Steinway & Sons sold more than 6,000 pianos 39.

1912 – Model M, 5’6”, designed by Henry Ziegler was introduced, sold for $750 and 900 of these models were sold. 40. 1922 – Model L introduced, an idea of Henry Ziegler, Vice President, and Frederick Steinway. The Model L replaced the Model O and sold for $1,575. 41. 1923 - It was estimated that 56% of the 360,000 pianos produced in America were players. 42. 1924-The Julliard School, New York, NY becomes an All-Steinway School. 43. 1925-Steinway had 2,300 workers. 44. In 1925, Steinway Hall opened to its current location on West 57th Street. 45. 1928 - January 9, Horowitz arrived in America for a 30- concert tour. Performed with the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall January 13-14-15.

An ad to purchase a Steinway, “Instrument of the Immortals” with an endorsement by Horowitz. 46. 1928 - January, Horowitz and Rachmaninoff met in the basement of Steinway Hall. There they played Rachmaninoff’s third Concerto. This piece became Horowitz’s trademark. 47. 1929 - Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, PA became an All-Steinway School. 48. In 1930 the retail price for a Steinway Model D was $3,000. 49. From 1931 –1936 A small number of foremen, office workers, and hundreds of part-time piano makers ran the Steinway factory. The factory remained officially closed for 2 years during that period workers were brought back on an as needed basis. 50. 1932 Steinway & Sons sold 900 new pianos. 888 Grand pianos and 12 uprights. They were not in the mass produced spinet business. 51. 1936, Steinway model S was introduced, sold for $885. 52.

1936: Diaphragmatic Soundboard Design - 1936 Patent #2051663 The quality of tonal resonance is directly linked to the quality of the Soundboard. The soundboard is considered the soul of the piano. The Steinway Diaphragmatic Soundboard permits a free and even response throughout the scale. It is thicker in the center and tapered as it approaches the inner rim of the grand piano. This construction not only permits the tone to travel more freely but also displaces a greater amount of air, factors that create a richer and more lasting tone. 53. 1936: Accelerated Action - Patent #2031748 The touch of a Steinway is the most responsive and sensitive of any piano made. This is not opinion. It is a fact that results from the way the instrument is designed and manufactured. In fact, laboratory tests have proven that the keys on a Steinway piano can repeat 14% more quickly than the keys of any other piano. The same features that allow for the faster repeat also provides a much more sensitive, responsive keyboard, an aspect that can be appreciated even by beginning pianists. 54.

1938, Theodore Steinway presented to the American Nation with the 2nd Steinway Grand Piano, #300,000. To show gratitude to the American people, President Franklin Roosevelt accepted the instrument, "dedicating it to the advance of music in every city, town, and hamlet in the country”. 55. 1941 – Steinway shipped 5,600 + pianos, 1,700 more than in the record-breaking year of 1926. 56. 1943-June, Roman de Majewski, Steinway’s wholesale manager secured an order for 405, Olive Green (drab) Victory Model Uprights. Another order for 800 more soon followed. The ODGI model was a 40 inch upright that sat flat on the floor with no legs, looking like a box with a shelf sticking out. 2000 Victory Models were sold complete with their own tuning kits and heavy duty shipping box. 57. 1950-July Yamaha visited Steinway & Sons and asked to carry the Steinway Pianos in their stores in Japan. 58.

In 1950, the retail price of a Steinway Model D was $6,900 59. 1955-Henry Z. Steinway became the 5th President of Steinway & Sons at the age of 40. 60. 1956-Steinway along with the other American piano manufacturers all agreed to abandon ivory and start using plastic for keys. 61. 1958- Van Cliburn , from Kilgore, Texas, wins the Tchaikovsky piano competition playing on a Steinway. 62. 1964-Henry Steinway entertained some 800 friends at Steinway Hall to honor the tenth anniversary of Van Cliburn’s debut with the New York Philharmonic. 63. 1967, January 31, a press party was held at the factory to celebrate the latest factory addition of 2 additional floors adding 60,000 square feet, this done to increase manufacturing of grands by 20%. 64. In 1970, the retail price for a Steinway Model D was $8,275. 65.

1972-Steinway & Sons is sold to CBS Musical Instruments (Owned Fender, Rogers Organs, Electro Music and a string maker) for 500,000 shares of CBS stock, or 7.1 shares of CBS stock for 1 share of Steinway & Sons Stock. Henry would remain President. 66. 1982 – After a number of years with mixed results in using Teflon Bushings, Steinway & Sons switched production to a Teflon Impregnated felt for these bushings. 67. 1985 – CBS announces sale of Steinway & Sons to John and Robert Birmingham. 68. 1985-Bruce Stevens becomes 9th President of Steinway & Sons. 69. 1986-Frank Mazurco introduced the Steinway & Sons Partnership Program as a support tool covering all aspects of a Steinway Merchandising Dealership. 70. 1987 Steinway Piano number #500,000, custom case by Wendell Castle presented in a gala concert at Carnegie Hall on the second of June 1988, celebrating Steinway’s 135th anniversary.

The piano is decorated with signatures of the living Steinway Artists, executed in exotic wood veneers. 71. 1988 June, The Steinway Foundation was formed at the time of the 135th anniversary of Steinway & Sons. A concert celebration was held at the Kennedy Center, three works for the celebration were debuted. 72. 1989, The Glass Case, located in Steinway Hall on West 57th Street, holding the Paris Exhibition award, along with several others, was smashed and the medals stolen, never to be recovered. 73. 1989, “Steinway” by Ronald V. Ratcliffe released depicting the history of Steinway & Sons including pictures of many of the historical and art case instruments produced by Steinway & Sons from their early beginnings. 74. In 1990, the retail price for a Steinway Model D was $53,400. 75. 1991-Steinway announces a mid-priced piano line called Boston . 76.

October 1, 1992 New Oil Portrait of Vladimir Horowitz by John Mfyer was unveiled in Steinway Hall to celebrate the 89th Anniversary of the Great Pianist’s birth. 77. 1994 Opening of the Steinway Academy, the C. F. Theodore Steinway School for Concert Technicians, the first academy for concert technicians world-wide. 78. 1995-Steinway & Sons sold for $100,000,000 to the Selmer Company owned by Investment Bankers, Kyle Kirkland and Dana Messina. 79. 1995, “Steinway & Sons” by Dr. Richard Lieberman released. The first book based on the rich archive of Steinway business and family papers at LaGuardia Community College in New York, as well as on interviews with family members and company employees in the United States, Germany, and England, this authoritative and entertaining book tells the story of the most famous piano company in the world and of the family behind it. 80. 1996 - Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. goes public on August 2.

3.5 million shares are floated on the New York Stock Exchange at a share price of US$ 19. The Steinway share is quoted on Wall Street under the abbreviation “LVB“ (Ludwig van Beethoven). 81. 1996 The unveiling of the portrait of Steinway Artist, Arthur Rubinstein, by New York Artist Jacob Collins. The unveiling of this portrait took place in the rotunda of Steinway Hall by Bruce Stevens and the Rubinstein family. 82. 1996, Steinway & Sons was named “Company of the Year” by The Music Trades . 83. 1997 Foundation of a new subsidiary of Steinway & Sons on 1st March called Steinway & Sons Japan, Ltd. in Tokyo. 84. 1997, October, the book “88 Keys, The Making of a Steinway Piano,” released, written by Miles Chapin, a fifth generation descendant of Steinway’s founder, and son of Schuyler Chapin, Commissioner for the Department for Cultural Affairs for New York City. 85.

1998, Steinway’s Rhapsody, Limited edition series with only 24 to be produced, based on George Gershwin’s age when he wrote Rhapsody in Blue. Created to commemorate the birth of George Gershwin, appropriately named after the famous “Rhapsody in Blue," designed by internationally known Frank Pollaro. Features blue dyed maple veneer in high gloss clear lacquer with more than 400 hand cut mother of pearl stars. The traditional golden bronze plate has been replaced by gilded silver evoking the sophistication and style of the 1920’s. The music desk depicts a silhouette of the New York City’s skyline and the hardware is finished in a highly polished nickel-plate. 86. 1998, Kluge, Europe’s largest manufacturer of piano keys, with which Steinway & Sons had been doing business for over a century, was acquired by Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc. 87. 1999, Steinway Musical Instruments purchased O.S. Kelly, the largest manufacturer of piano plates in the United States. 88.

1999 Steinway & Sons acquires Pianohaus Karl Lang of Munich, Germany’s largest piano dealer, opened Steinway Hall Munich. 89. 2000 - The introduction of the Crown Jewel Collection , special exotic finishes from around the world known for their special color and grain were made available for Steinway pianos. 90. 2000, John Lennon’s (of The Beatles) Steinway vertical piano sold for over $2 million dollars to pop star George Michael. This is the piano on which John composed the song “Imagine”. 91. 2000 Steinway Tricentennial , Limited Edition, Model A 6’2”, a joint effort between Hamburg and New York, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the piano, designed by Dakota Jackson. The “S” curve is featured in the lid prop to carry the continuous flowing line from the back of the piano case to the floor. The music desk is designed to hold open the music like a pair of hands and is designed to roll toward and away from the player. Other features include a cantilever effect on the lid with tapered legs.

The rim is raised in the back and the real leg has been pulled forward and inward, again creating the cantilever effect. 92. 2000, January, Steinway & Sons announced the introduction of the William Steinway University, an in-house Management and Sales Training Educational Wing of Steinway & Sons Management to support and strengthen the sales and marketing of the Steinway Dealerships. 93. 2000 October, Steinway & Sons announces the introduction of the 3rd Piano line called the Essex , designed by Steinway & Sons. 94. On November 13, 2001, Steinway Hall was declared a New York City Landmark. 95. 2002, May “Henry The Steinway” written by Peter Goodrich VP of C&A of Steinway & Sons and Sally Coveleskie, Director of Institutional Sales released. A children’s book about an aspiring piano student named Ana and her piano named Henry. 96. 2002 Steinway Alma Tadema , Art Case, model D, recreated by Eric Schpo, In tribute to the magnificence of the original Alma-Tadema design built in 1883.

The recreated Alma-Tadema sold for $675,000 to a museum in Tallahassee, Florida. 97. 2002, The portrait of Arthur Rubinstein, which at the time was the latest addition to the Steinway Art Collection, was moved to Room #9, on the second floor in Steinway Hall on West 57th Street, and renamed “The Arthur Rubinstein Room," the first Salesroom in Steinway Hall to be named after a Steinway Artist. 98. 2003, Historic 150th Anniversary Limited Edition , Art Case Paderewski Model Recreation, in honor of the 150th Anniversary, representing the rich colorful history of Steinway & Sons. 99. The S.L.ED by Karl Lagerfeld was created in 2003, and was one of two instruments to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Steinway & Sons. 100. 2004 Official opening of the subsidiary Steinway Piano (Shanghai) Co., Ltd on January 1. The new corporation with limited liability is situated in Shanghai and supplies the Chinese dealer network. 101.

2004, September, Roger Williams Limited Edition Golden Piano , debut on October 1, at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta. The Celebration will also Roger Williams and former President Jimmy Carter celebrating both of their 80th Birthdays. The design of the art-deco style was prevalent when both men were born, the Roger Williams Limited Edition Gold Piano reflects architectural lines from that historic period, and features a gold-metallic finish accented by a high-gloss top coat. 102. 2004, Model D #51,257, the very first Model D Concert Grand piano completed on January 31, 1884, was purchased by Steinway & Sons and completely rebuilt or refurbished, re-registered as CD-001 and will remain in the Concert & Artists Inventory. 103. 2005, Re-Introduction of the Model A (A2) 6’2. 104. April 17, 2005, the 125th Anniversary of Hamburg Factory in Germany. Introduced the Limited Edition, 125th Anniversary Grand Piano Designed by Goertz . 105.

2006 After 52 years, Steinway-Haus Hamburg moves from the Colonnaden to Rondenbarg 15, and is now situated opposite to the Steinway factory in Hamburg. 106. In 2006, Steinway & Sons unveils the Henry Z. Steinway Limited Edition piano to commemorate the 91st birthday of Henry Z. Steinway and the enduring contribution of four generations of the Steinway family to the world of music. 91 Model O’s and 91 Model B’s built. 107. In 2006, the Steinway & Sons New York factory announced that the Model 'O' will return to production and will replace the Model L. 108. 2007 Crane University of New York becomes All-Steinway School with the purchase of 141 Steinway pianos, the largest all Steinway purchase in the history of Steinway & Sons at that time. 109. 2007 On 29th August, 2007 Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. announces the nomination of Thomas Kurrer as President of Steinway & Sons.

Thomas Kurrer is the successor of Bruce Stevens, who retires after 22 years. 110. In 2008, Steinway & Sons unveiled the latest model in the Legendary Collection of Steinway pianos, the re-creation of the #100,000 White House model. The piano was sold to Mr. Devoe Moore of Tallahassee Florida. Mr. More now has possession of the entire collection of these 3 pianos. The Alma-Tadama, the Peace Piano and the recreation of the #100,000 White House model presented to Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, the original piano is now at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. 111. Until his death on September 18, 2008 at the age of 93, Henry Z. Steinway, the great-grandson of the Steinway founder, still worked for Steinway and put his signature on custom-made limited edition pianos. Henry Z. Steinway was the last family member to be the president of Steinway & Sons. 112.

November 18, 2008 – CCM, the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati (“UC”), purchased 165 New Steinway pianos, the largest unit purchase in Steinway’s 155-year history. (The price of the pianos is $4.1 million) 113. On November 1, 2009 Southern Adventist University becomes the 100th All-Steinway School. 114. Steinway & Sons launched the William E. Steinway Limited Edition piano on January 14, 2009, at the company’s annual convention in Newport Beach, California. This exquisite piano is a reproduction of the Steinway Centennial Piano, which was first introduced in 1876 at the nation’s Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Pianos - Steinway & Sons Pianos Countries Choose Country or Region The Steinway Family For over 160 years, steinway & sons has been dedicated to making the finest pianos in the world, setting the uncompromising standard for sound, touch, beauty, and investment value.

From our flagship steinway model D — the best piano in the world, to the Boston Performance Edition for the serious student, to the Essex studio upright for those new to the steinway family, steinway & sons has an instrument for everyone. A Quality Piano Starts with Quality Wood and Materials Apparel A Quality Piano Starts with Quality Wood Since 85% of any acoustic piano is composed of wood, it behooves the shopper to compare the species and grades of the wood used, and the integrity with which each is employed. Pianos made to satisfy price requirements rather than quality standards compromise first on wood – restoring to inexpensive substitutes rather than the top grade, solid wood parts found throughout every Steinway piano. The Steinway Diaphragmatic soundboard, for example, is made of the highest grade close-grained, quarter-sawn Sitka spruce. A wood selected for its superb acoustic properties. The Steinway grand piano rim is entirely hard rock maple. In the Steinway concert grand piano, 18 laminations of this wood are bent together as on unified rim, so as to with stand 45,373 pounds of tension from the strings.

Unlike softer, lesser wood species found in other pianos, the solid hard rock maple projects the sound from the strings and soundboard with power only achieved by a Steinway piano. If your standards leave no room for compromise, you deserve the one piano in the world with standards to match. Steinway – only Steinway. Below is some background on the exquisite woods used in Steinway pianos. *Hard Maple We select two types of Hard Maple: Piano Grade Hard Maple and Quarter-Sawn Maple. Hard Maple is used for action parts and rims because it is the whitest maple and has a tight straight grain. Main benefits: shape retention and durability. Quarter-sawn hard maple is used for wrestplanks and bridges. Main benefits: stability, durability and the ability to attain a vise-like grip on tuning pins and bridge pins. Source: Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, Eastern Canada, and Wisconsin. *Yellow Birch Among more than ten kinds of birch, yellow birch is the most important commercially. For its extreme hardness and interlocking grain (known as ‘curly grain’), yellow birch is used for keybed caps, upright linings, upright backboards and the legs of models B and D.

Steinway selects only straight-grained birch, as it is slower in growth, whiter in color and better in texture (grain count). Main benefits: stability, shape retention and durability. Source: Appalachian Mountains, New England, and Canada. *Yellow Poplar Quarter-sawn yellow poplar is used for corewood (wood used between veneers) in grand and upright tops, keylids, upright sides, music desks, etc. Main benefits: strength and the ability to retain its flat and/or rounded posture as corestock. Source: The regions from New York southward to Florida and westward to Missouri. Steinway uses only the best poplar, which is grown in Maryland and Pennsylvania. *Mahogany Mahogany is used in the legs of models S, M, and O, keybed moldings, pedal lyres and cross-banding veneer. Main benefits: stability and woodworking properties. Source: Bolivia and Brazil. *Black Walnut This expensive cabinet wood is used mainly for furniture, architectural woodwork and decorative panels. Steinway uses it for exposed furniture parts (veneers and solids) on vertical and grand piano cases. It is steamed for uniformity in color.

Main benefit: its exquisiteness, beauty, and character. Source: The Ohio Valley states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. *Sugar Pine This wood is used for soundboard ribs. It is never used as a furniture wood. Main benefits: strength and flexibility. Source: Northern California. *Sitka Spruce This is a tree of tremendous size. Steinway uses it for soundboards, upright back posts, grand piano braces and keybeds. Main benefits: lightness of weight, extreme high strength properties across the grain, unequaled sensitivity to vibrating strings and tremendous tensile strength to weight ratio. Because of these qualities, Sitka Spruce is the preferred wood for ladders and aircraft construction. Source: Northern Washington State, British Columbia and Northern Alaska. Steinway Grand Pianos from model S to D by Steinway & Sons Hamburg S, M, or maybe a D? Find the right piano with the new Steinway app. For many of those who are passionate about the piano, Steinway is nothing less than the instrument of their dreams.

Anyone who is playing with the idea of making this wish come true but who is uncertain which upright or grand piano would fit into their home can now find out this information using an effective visual tool. The new Steinway app allows you to project any model from the Steinway & Sons range – seven grand pianos ranging from the S-155 to the D-274 as well as two upright models, the V-125 and the K-132 – into any room of the house with faithful reproduction and to test out which size would be a perfect match for the available space. The tool is very easy to use: after downloading the free Steinway Augmented Reality app from the App Store , simply point the camera on your iPhone or iPad at the desired place in your apartment of house and select the appropriate model of grand or upright piano from the menu. You can try out each model in this way to see which instrument is most suitable in terms of space and aesthetics. The three-dimensional visualization makes it possible not only to slide the instrument back and forth, but also to rotate it and view it from every angle until the correct position is found.

You can then use the screenshot feature to save your preferred location without any effort before storing the image and sharing it with family or friends – and of course posting it on Facebook. Authorized Steinway dealers can also use this picture to gain a quick impression of the home environment and the customer’s instrument of first choice before offering the best advice. The new Steinway Augmented Reality app is available now at no charge for iPad and iPhone. more information Phone: +49 40 85391 - 0 Fax: +49 40 85391 - 199 Steinway & Sons - YouTube Steinway & Sons The next video is starting stop Steinway & Sons - Proudly Handmade Since 1853 4,006 views 5 months ago In 1853, German immigrant Henry E. Steinway founded Steinway & Sons in New York City with the goal of building the best piano possible. In the pursuit of that goal, he began one of the great American success stories. A century and a half later, the Steinway is still handcrafted with pride in the New York, U.S.A. and in Hamburg, Germany.

Show less The Steinway Restoration Center Steinway & Sons The Steinway Restoration Center Ensure that Your Piano Remains 100% Genuine Steinway To speak with a representative about restoration of your Steinway piano please call (718) 204-3175 or Submit an inquiry If it doesn’t have 12,116 genuine Steinway parts, it isn’t a Steinway There are 12,116 genuine Steinway parts that make up a Steinway piano, and unfortunately for those who have their Steinway pianos restored outside of the Steinway Restoration Center, there are nearly as many imitation parts that are used in the name of cutting corners and saving money. At Steinway, the love of our instruments and our guiding principle of building to a standard, not a price, means that every one of our parts must answer to the same demand of quality that comes with the Steinway name. If your Steinway piano is in need of restoration services, the only way to ensure that 100% genuine Steinway parts are being used is to use the Steinway Restoration Center. Some parts, such as the proprietary Steinway soundboard, are simply not available to other piano restoration companies or individuals.

In other cases, Steinway parts are available, but restoration companies will opt for cheaper imitation parts — often claiming that they are somehow superior to the genuine Steinway parts. A Steinway is not only a piece of stunning beauty that sounds like no other piano, it is also A Sound Investment . If you restore a Steinway piano and don’t receive a certificate that guarantees the piano has been restored with 100% genuine Steinway parts, you are compromising the value of the instrument. Each and every Steinway piano we restore receives a certificate that guarantees the piano has been restored with the uncompromising Steinway standards using 100% genuine Steinway parts. Nobody else can make that guarantee. If they tell you they can, ask them to put it in writing. If you restore your Steinway piano somewhere else because of a lower cost estimate, any savings realized initially through use of cheaper, non-Steinway parts will be lost due to the diminished long-term value of the instrument. The Steinway Difference Just as all pianos are not created equal and there is a reason Steinway is the choice of 9 out of 10 concert artists, all restoration services are not created equal.

When you restore your Steinway piano at the Steinway Restoration Center, you are ensuring the continued greatness of the instrument. Steinway is the only one with the combination of knowledge, experience, facilities, and materials to ensure that your piano remains a Steinway in every respect. Others who restore Steinway pianos will talk about how much “combined Steinway factory experience” their employees have, but in reality many of them have a transient workforce — so you never know who truly is doing the work on your piano. In addition, even if your technician does have Steinway factory experience, the reality is that they are not working in the Steinway factory. Steinway pianos achieve their greatness by not only the skill and talent of the factory craftspeople, but also due to the years of perfecting tools, processes, and conditioning environments. Simply put, no restoration company or individual can offer what Steinway can. A Full Restoration When you restore your Steinway piano using the Steinway Restoration Center, not only are you guaranteed 100% genuine Steinway parts, but you’re guaranteed replacement of key parts — not repair of old parts or polishing of old hardware.

For example, a complete new genuine Steinway action is used to replace the old — we never simply repair the existing action. And we replace all of the hardware on the piano with genuine Steinway parts, whereas someone else might polish the existing hardware to look new, when it might be many years old, worn, and in need of replacement. If you restore your Steinway piano somewhere else, at the very minimum you will not be getting a genuine Steinway & Sons diaphragmatic soundboard (the lifeblood of the instrument). Steinway NEVER sells its soundboards — so if you restore your piano somewhere else it may still have the Steinway & Sons trademark logo on it, but if it doesn’t have a genuine Steinway & Sons soundboard, it has lost the internal magic that makes it a Steinway. The Steinway Restoration Center — The Right Choice The Steinway Restoration Center is the only authorized Steinway piano rebuilder in the world — and the only place where you are guaranteed that 100% genuine Steinway parts will be used to restore your Steinway Piano. We accept pianos from institutions, piano technicians, and retailers, as well as from private owners.

All work is backed by an all-inclusive 5-year Steinway warranty — the same as a brand new Steinway. And importantly, for future investment appraisal or sale, you’ll receive a dated certification record indicating that your piano has been restored by Steinway & Sons using 100% genuine Steinway parts. Whether your cherished Steinway is in need of custom refinishing, or replacement of the action or soundboard, it couldn’t be in better hands — the hands that originally built it. The location of your piano in need of restoration is not important — as we regularly have pianos shipped to our factory/restoration center from all over the world and back to the owner in pristine, restored condition. If you are considering the restoration of your Steinway piano, the only option that ensures your piano will continue to live up to the legacy of the Steinway & Sons trademark adorning it is the Steinway Restoration Center. Learn About Full Steinway Piano Restoration Ensure that your piano continues to live up to its legacy Call (718) 204-3175 or

Question: What do Steinway and Sons make?
Answer: Pianos