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A piano that is sitting on top of a table.

April 3 2018

Spinet pianos and Console pianos – what’s the difference?

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog piano basics

In piano parlance, pianos are classified as Grands “horizontal-sitting” pianos and Uprights “vertical-sitting pianos. Categories under upright pianos include spinets and consoles.

So, What is a Spinet Piano?

Upright or vertical pianos come in various different sizes and a spinet piano is the smallest of the upright pianos measuring between 36” and 40” tall from the floor to the top of the lid and weighing about 300 pounds. The keyboard is approximately five feet wide, like most pianos. But the spinet varies from other uprights not merely in size. Originally introduced in the 1930’s, spinets were designed to be smaller and cheaper than other uprights, and to accomplish this, a different kind of action was introduced called a drop action or an indirect blow action with rods or “elbows” under the keyboard connecting each key to the action.

Drop action in a spinet piano

Also the keys on a spinet piano are shorter. The top of the piano is just a few inches above the keys and the action is located below, this does save space and dimensions, but it results in a lack of control.

Spinets are space savers and usually less expensive than other uprights, but a lesser quality of sound is the tradeoff.
A spinet is not capable of producing the nuanced sound, touch and volume required by professional musicians due to their smallness and action design. The other drawback is that spinets are more difficult to maintain, thus more expensive to tune and repair. Tuners and technicians generally avoid working on this type of piano.

Acrosonic Spinet Piano

That being said, there were brands of spinets that found great favor over the years. Baldwin’s Acrosonic spinet piano was considered one of the better spinets as its action was well designed and built to be removed in one piece for service. The string scale was one of the better spinet scales and reasonably easy to tune (as much as any spinet is). Other commercial brands included Wurlitzer spinet pianos which were modest models, reasonably priced, as were Kimball spinet pianos. These days most manufacturers have stopped producing spinets entirely.

What is a Console Piano?

The console piano is the next largest upright, and is somewhere between 40” to 44” tall, – compact and space saving, but with better performance than a spinet. Manufacturers today are using actions from larger uprights in consoles to give console pianos bigger performance, and while the original consoles were 43” tall, the continental console designs have crept upwards to 44 inches. Because of the popularity of the console piano, manufacturers continue to improve the design.

The sound quality of the console piano is absolutely satisfactory for most home pianists. Unlike spinets, console pianos have a normal action that sits directly on top of the keys, and the hammers sit in an upright (not dropped) position. Just as it should, a hammer strikes the string, which releases the key, and a spring pulls the hammer back into position. The action of a console piano (and most of the uprights) is not as immediately responsive and tonal quality and dynamics are not as rich as that of a grand piano, but it is definitely preferable to the spinet piano’s touch and tone.

Many manufacturers build console pianos that continue to enjoy robust sales today. Yamaha, Baldwin, Pearl River, Pramberger, Charles R.Walter, Kawai, and Young Chang – just to name a few.

What is a “Furniture Console?”

Wurlitzer Console Piano

The console piano shown above would be considered a “furniture console” in the traditional style because it has legs. Such consoles were manufactured in popular furniture styles, including Queen Anne, French Provincial, Italian Provincial, Traditional, Country and Mid Century Modern. One could argue that most of these furniture styles are currently not in vogue. Mid Century Modern furnishings – beautifully embodied by the Baldwin piano company – are highly sought after.

Baldwin Acrosonic circa 1961 – 1964

This piano is no longer in production.

What is a Continental Console?

The Young Chang console shown below is considered a “continental console” because of the omission of legs. A sleek contemporary silhouette continues to be extremely popular among urban buyers of pianos today.

Continental style console piano

Check out the latest addition to our lineup - a mid century modern piano

View Details

Echo™ – Mid century modern console piano

A piano in the corner of a room with curtains.

March 8 2018

Piano Decor – Design Ideas

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog pianos and interior design 0

Naples, Florida is the home of some of the most beautiful and exclusive homes in the world. A tour of Port Royal luxury real estate communities reveals oceanfront and lakeside properties, golf properties, and condominium high-rises that are the equal of the most lavish estates in the nation. Port Royal interior design is in demand, and piano decor that can match the splendor of such interiors are finally here.

Magnificent real estate anywhere is always the province of extraordinary interior design, and Naples is no exception. Naples interior design is the dominion of the easy but elegant lifestyle of the balmy tropical outdoors coupled with an eye to social and entertaining standards that Southwest Floridians have come to expect in a cosmopolitan city that is home to The Naples Philharmonic, The Napes Players, Opera Naples, the Baker Museum to mention only a few of the myriad arts and music venues.

Pianos, of course, are a mainstay of good Naples interior design, because they symbolize all that Naples embraces, as well as the seven elements of good design.

1. Space

The first element is SPACE, and piano decor can be used effectively to create illusions of space, to fill expanses of space, and to overlap with other objects to create the visual spatial effect needed.

2. Line

LINE is the mother of form and shapes, and lines are responsible for establishing harmony, unity, and contrast in a living space. Notice how the lines of the piano, the filigreed stairwell, the ornate chandelier and table all take on a new form visually. Decorating with a piano provides artistic nuances.

The many windows and high ceilings of this room below, as well as the planked floors further use the element of line and disparate intersections (as in the ceiling) and piano lid to create an effect of organized harmony.

3. Form

FORM and shapes can be geometric, free form, or organic. As an element of design they can often be surprising and playful, or traditional in grandeur.

The oddly shaped windows echo the piano lid and surprise the viewer.

Finding the subtlety involved in piano décor is part of the fun.

With the use of quiet and traditional shapes, the classic piano, the overstuffed chair, a fireplace, familiar shapes can make a serene living space that soothes.

4. Color

COLOR (hue, value and intensity) always plays a major role in interiors and can be used in pianos as well to full effect. Today’s high-end pianos are as original as modern and classical art and just as beautiful.

5. Texture

TEXTURE as a design element cannot be ignored. Texture moves the eye from object to object, creating visual interest and focal points in a room.

Notice how metal, fabric, tiles, ceramics and wood–all tactile objects, soft, hard, diverse can create surprises and excitement. The decorative merits of piano décor cannot be minimized.

The Bluthner “Hive” piano is textural eye candy. One wants to touch its surfaces for its smooth Lucite feel.

6. Light

LIGHT (and lighting) play their own important role in designing any room, and today’s pianos have taken advantage of the dramatic effects that can be created with LED lights on the piano itself. (sample below in a Lucid Bluthner with blue LED)

7. Pattern

PATTERN, like texture, is another element that moves the eye about a room, from object to object, and often cleverly marries disparate designs into a coherent whole.

Having It All In A Smaller Space

Many people come to Naples just for the winter season, and some have smaller apartments or condos, but still want the opulent lifestyle that Naples offers year round. By choosing the right piano for the space, pianists can have beautiful instruments and surroundings in their home away from home. Here are some examples of how smaller pianos can fit perfectly into limited spaces.

A diagram of an instrument showing the parts of it.

March 8 2018

How a Grand Piano Works

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog piano basics

The dictionary definition of a grand piano is that it is “a large, full-toned piano that has the body, strings, and soundboard arranged horizontally and in line with the keys and is supported by three legs.” That is true, but it hardly touches on the complexity and magic of grand pianos and their parts. In spite of the magnificent assortment of exterior piano cases, the interior is the heart of the grand piano and its performance values. There are thousands of parts, and it is the quality of the manufacturing and materials of these parts and the expertise of the assemblage of them that makes one grand outdistance another. For this reason alone, it behooves people to know something about the instruments they play and purchase.

Whether it’s a baby grand under five feet long or concert grand over nine feet long, the grand piano with a faster touch and a larger sound, is considered more powerful and responsive than upright pianos in general.

So, let’s open the lid and examine what’s inside these really grand pianos.

The Plate

The large cast iron metal plate (often called “the harp”) could be thought of as the spine of the grand piano because it is used to hold over 20 tons of string tension in place. There are two types of plates on the market today: a sandcast and a v-pro plate. Most high-end grand pianos for sale include the sandcast because when it is manufactured, all the air bubbles are eliminated from the metal, thus producing a piano with a pure tone that gets no ringing from the plate. The quick v-pro plate production allows bubbles to get trapped in its metal, and while the plate is thinner, these plates will ring and typically interfere with the pure tone of the piano.

Sample of one of many designs of a sandcast metal piano harp

The holes in the plates allow the metal to cool evenly, and plates are designed by each manufacturer with logos and patent information.

The Pinblock

The ability of a piano to stay in tune depends on the quality of the pinblock which holds the tuning pins in place. Should one of the pins yield to the tremendous string tension, the piano goes out of tune. A special glue is used to laminate layers of the hardest wood to fashion a secure grip on the steel tuning pins. Old pianos frequently are heavily worn, and the holes may not hold the pins tightly, thus requiring installation of oversized pins or installing a new pinblock entirely. Cheap pianos made with inferior woods and workmanship will also need more frequent tuning.

The Soundboard

Beneath the plate and the strings is the amplifier, a large thin wooden board that radiates a large volume of sound over a wide frequency range. (All stringed instruments have some kind of soundboard). This thin wooden amplifier is not one solid piece of wood but made of many smaller planks glued together in strong, but lightweight and flexible woods. Bridges are affixed to the soundboard to hold the strings in place at an extremely high tension. The bridges must be a very hard wood to keep the strings from cutting in. The bottom of the soundboard has softer wooden ribs or braces perpendicular to the grain of the wood, to strengthen it and distribute vibrations across the soundboard better.

Sample of a generic soundboard seen from the top

The Strings

Grand piano strings attach to hitch pins near the tail of the piano and to tuning pins on the pinblock. More than 200 strings made out of tempered high carbon steel (also known as spring steel) are properly fit, installed and tuned. A lot of smaller parts like felts, hammers, hitch pin and bridge pins are used to guide, customize and affix the mighty strings.

From manufacturer to manufacturer, indeed from model to model, the string configurations can and will differ. Each note is created by single, double and even triple strings of varying lengths and girths. Some strings are copper wound to affect sound and tone. They can be cushioned and tautened, loosed and crossed. It is a brain teaser to comprehend the scope of piano stringing, the nuance and subtleties of how each note is wrought from design and engineering skills. Pianos are truly marvels of mechanical genius and keep evolving with the times.

Action

The action of a piano is the mechanical assembly which translates the depression of the keys into rapid motion of a hammer, which creates sound by striking the strings. Of course, based on all the information learned about the parts above, we know it isn’t quite that simple. More aptly, we could call action the physics of the piano. It converts the touch of the pianist’s fingers on the piano keys into a mechanical flow of energy toward the string, achieved in interaction with the force of gravity.

Action is also defined in different types. The direct action of an upright is the best vertical action. It is quicker with fewer moving parts and allows faster repetition.

Renner Piano Action – Most popular manufacturer of piano actions in the world

The grand piano action is the most responsive action using gravity more and relying less on springs than direct action.

The action is one of the most subjective areas when choosing a piano. Pianists who buy a piano with little resistance will have difficulty playing softly. Too much resistance and it will be difficult to play loudly. Beginners should probably ask for a medium action. The regulation of the action by a highly-skilled technician is a vital component of proper ongoing piano service.

Tips on Choosing A Piano

See our complete blog post on “Choosing a Piano.” Here is a small summary:

1. Buyer beware! There are many old “cheap” pianos being hawked on ebay, craig’s list, and at bargain piano stores. If the price of a piano seems too good to be true, it probably is. A piano that has suffered damages may appear to be okay, but unless an expert examines it first, do not be fooled.

2. Get an education. With the advantages that the Internet provides, everyone today can begin to educate themselves without leaving their chair. Start by investigating Brand Names and Manufacturers. No longer is the cookie-cutter brown baby grand in demand, but a whole new smorgasbord of colors, designs, woods, sizes and décor is available.

3. Get out and about. A truly good piano store will not try to sell you on the available floor inventory, but will listen to your needs, and attempt to help you find the instrument that is the best grand piano. Don’t settle on a piano until you have found the experts that can help you. Piano sellers should be able to give you direction and objective information in your quest. Due to the nature of this product, the hard sell has no place in this industry.

A black and white image of the word bluthner.

March 8 2018

Bluthner Pianos

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog best piano brands, bestpianobrands

Blüthner, a privately-owned family business, has been making pianos of the highest quality in Leipzig, Germany, since 1853. and today boasts the world’s most extensive selection of transparent “Lucid” grand pianos. When you think of the brown Steinway piano tradition, it is clear that pianos have evolved to stunning new choices.

The Lucid piano is realized in reinforced Plexiglass exposing the beauty of what’s within. Customizable with different veneers and iron frame coatings, the look of the Blüthner Lucid Elegance is born of the client’s desires and imagination. From ebony or exotic burl veneers on the side panels to rose gold or chrome finish of the frame the semi-transparent instrument can be uniquely designed. The addition of LED illumination of the inner and outer rim of the piano case will add a touch a magic and transform your interior into real-life Neverland. Bluthner Lucid is where tradition and know-how of piano-making meet the vision of the future using new materials and latest technologies to make what seemed impossible just yesterday a beguiling reality of today.

Until 1900, Blüthner was Europe’s largest piano factory. During World War II, the factory was bombed, but after the war the East German government allowed the Blüthner family and workers to rebuild it because the Blüthner piano was considered a national treasure (and because the Soviet Union needed quality pianos).

Bluthner Lucid Grand Piano

Blüthner pianos have beech rims (grands), solid spruce soundboards, Delignit pinblocks, Renner actions, Abel hammers, and polyester finishes. Pianos for export have three pedals, including sostenuto on the grands, and celeste (practice) on the verticals. Blüthner builds about 100 verticals a year in four sizes, and 500 grands a year in six sizes.

Blüthner pianos incorporate several unique technical features. With aliquot stringing, the notes in the highest treble section (about the top two octaves) have four strings each instead of three. The extra string is raised slightly above the others and vibrates only sympathetically. The effect, heard mainly in medium to forte playing, is similar to that of a duplex scale, adding tonal color to the treble and aiding the singing tone.

In what may have been a world’s first, Blüthner designed a piano for left-handed pianists. This is a completely backward piano, with the treble keys, hammers, and strings on the left and the bass on the right. When it was introduced, a pianist gave a concert on it after only a couple of hours of practice! It is currently available in the 6′ 10″ and 9′ 2″ sizes by special order.

With voicing, Blüthner pianos have a very full sound that is warm, romantic, and lyrical, generally deeper and darker than some of their German counterparts. Sustain is good, but at a low level of volume, giving the tone a refined, delicate character. The action is a little light, but responsive. The pianos are built of superb materials, and are favorably priced compared to some of their competitors.

Blüthner also owns the Irmler brand and the Rönisch and Hupfeld brands.

Warranty: Blüthner and Haessler — 10 years, parts and labor, to original purchaser.

See Series Of Blog Posts For More Highest Quality/Prestige Pianos

A piano that is sitting in the middle of a room.

March 8 2018

A Clear Choice – Transparent Pianos

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog pianos and interior design

Acrylics have been used in various forms since the early 1900’s. In 1909 the first patent for phenol-formaldehyde plastics was secured by Dr. Leo Baekeland for a plastic he called “Bakelite.” It could be molded into colorful jewelry, dishware and many other items (now pricey collector items). He set off the creative imaginations of organic chemists everywhere and research began the world over.

In the 30’s, as plastic chemistry progressed, acrylic resins were developed for industrial coatings and laminated binders. In 1937, Plexiglass was introduced and played an important role in World War II as bullet-resistant glazing in our warplanes. Others developed acrylic resins with trademarks like Lucite, Perspex, and Acrylite (and many others). Products made from these exciting resins were “glass-like” clear, and free of yellowing. (unlike cheap standard plastics) and lent themselves to myriad applications.

Acrylic has come of age over the last 75 years. It now takes a permanent place in our technology and may be the basic material of the future. Incredible uses for it are found in home furnishings, automobiles, jewelry and countless industrial purposes.

One of the earliest famous Lucite home interiors was Helena Rubenstein’s New York apartment, designed by Ladislas Medgyes.

1940 Helena Rubenstein interior manufactured by Rohm Haas.

Like so many other things, acrylics could have been totally ruined by cheap imitations, the clear plastic wannabes of the 1980’s, garish stripper shoes in Vegas, and the like, but manufacturers like Kartell kept acrylic furniture classy through the decades. In 2002 a renaissance began and Lucite and Plexiglass came into its own in high-end furniture and designer homes. Then it exploded into the most sought after standard of contemporary furnishings.

It was only a matter of time before it found its way into the world of Pianos.

Transparent Pianos

Until recently two major German piano manufacturers have dominated the Transparent Piano market. Both brands, Schimmel and Blüthner are of the finest quality pianos in the industry, so the transparent, acrylic art cases also house extraordinary performance piano elements.

Schimmel Glass

The Schimmel Glas model is a Konzert Grand which runs over $300K in price, and delivers the ultimate in performance and beauty. The 7’ Glas is as strong and heavy as the 9’ Konzert Grand.

This transparent grand piano can be ordered with or without internal lighting, and can be customized in opaque colors

Schimmel Acrylic Piano K213G

Bluthner Lucid

Blüthner is by far the most ambitious manufacturer of acrylic pianos. They have taken the clear piano concept to a new high, handcrafting art cases for instruments that have the same performance characteristics of a standard Blüthner grand piano of the highest quality. Few others can rival this combination, but the prices are in high figures, well over $100k.

Bluthner Lucid Elegance

The Blüthner Lucid Piano model is one of the most innovative of the manufactured “glass” pianos. The use of acrylic, rather than wood provides stability against humidity and brings the design into the 21st century.

Lucid EXO

Blüthner makes acrylic digitals, uprights, and grands in staggering variations of designs, colors, and mixtures of glass piano parts with opaque colored parts.

Bluthner PH

Transparent pianos and Luxury Interiors

These 21st Century art works are in demand all over the world, and no place more than Florida’s Port Royal luxury estates. Contemporary designers are seeking uniqueness and custom designs for their clients.

Aire™ by Euro Pianos

Since player piano systems are now available for every style of piano, customers who don’t even play piano use them as a decorating and entertainment feature in their homes.

See our blog on Interior Designs for more interiors and how pianos are used to beautify and pull together designing elements.

Bluthner PH with Red Leather Trim

Benefits of Transparent Pianos

Besides the striking beauty, originality and outstanding customizable choices, glass pianos have practical attributes as well.

– Acrylic care consists of no more than normal wipe-cleaning to keep it looking new.

– Normal small scratches that might occur can be cured with a special cleanser. Severe scoring or gouging can be sanded and refinished.

– Sunlight does not affect acrylic (while having a disastrous effect on other plastics). Acrylic does not yellow. Likewise, while you do not want to set a hot pan or flame on your piano, you can be assured it won’t melt or discolor in prolonged direct Florida sunlight.

A piano sitting in the middle of a room.

March 8 2018

The Aire™ – New Transparent Piano by Euro Pianos

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog pianos and interior design

Taking an approach that extends beyond that of a traditional piano store, Sunny Reuter has converted the family business started by her parents into a new piano boutique for clients seeking exceptional quality, unique piano designs and a top notch piano performance.

Clients considering a piano purchase increasingly expect the piano to be more than just a traditional ebony piano case. The interior design style determines the piano design. For example, a traditional room with antique furnishing may call out for a beautiful grand featuring the veneers of rare woods in intricate designs. A mid century modern styled home with limited room for a full size grand is perfect for the Echo™ upright piano .

Acrylic is timeless medium that is suitable in most decors without ever overpowering. The beautiful shape of a grand piano with an open lid often blocks artworks or a view. An acrylic lid solves this problem.

See Through Acrylic Lid

Anatomy of The Aire™

To bring a new transparent piano to the marketplace required a lot of research and development. Over months of intensive study, Sunny pulled together a team of specialists including an engineer to create the acrylic baby grand piano she named “Aire.”

The standard 5′ – 5’2″ piano case can be ordered in polished ebony or white with beautiful acrylic legs, lid, lyre and music desk. The clear elements make the piano look as if it’s floating on air, thus the name designated for this little beauty.

The Aire™ functions and sounds just like a traditional piano having a wooden rim, spruce soundboard and full sized high performance piano action. The acrylic components do not interfere with the sound quality or performance.

The Aire™ can be customized in a variety of ways. The addition of a wireless player system brings performances by top artists to your living room and extends the usefulness of the piano. Today’s high definition player systems are invisible, store hundreds of hours of music, have a full orchestra and voice accompaniment, and do not impact playability of a piano.

Like to have parties and sing alongs around the piano? Order a custom detachable acrylic piano bar.

The Aire™ – New Transparent Piano by Euro Pianos

10 Reasons Why You Should Choose the Aire™ Acrylic Piano Designed by Euro Pianos Naples

Striking statement piece!
Traditional piano action and soundboard for optimal performance.
US made acrylic that won’t yellow over time unlike lesser quality options.
Available in Black Polished or White Polished body | Chrome or Brass Hardware
Handmade in Miami, FL in limited quantities.
Less than 3-4 months delivery from the time of order.
Option of an acrylic bench or stool
Detachable custom PianoBar option
PianoDisc options installed by factory certified technician.
A 5-year warranty accompanies your purchase and the solid support of Euro Pianos Naples’ technicians and experts for your needs.

#airepiano

March 8 2018

Steinway & Sons Pianos

Sunny R Under The Lid Piano Blog best piano brands, bestpianobrands

Steinway grand pianos, and the Steinway B (the favorite of many technicians) cannot be ignored when discussing the best piano brands, although the nomadic history of this company, its myriad owners and configurations of business plans, and the uneven quality of existing product put it at the low end of our list of high-end instruments, due to the “noise” and “uncertainty” that its history imparts today. In addition, there is the issue of the New York City Steinway versus the Hamburg Steinway.

Steinway owns a branch factory in Hamburg, Germany, established in 1880. It serves the world market outside of the Americas. The detailing of the pianos at this Hamburg factory is reputed to be better than the one in New York. Both branches have their advocates among the experts, but Hamburg seems to be more favored in considered opinions. It’s possible to special-order a Hamburg Steinway through an American Steinway dealer; or an enterprising American customer could travel to Europe, buy one there, and have it shipped back home.

Heinrich Engelhardt Steinweg, a German cabinetmaker and piano maker, emigrated to the United States in 1850, and established Steinway & Sons in 1853 in New York City. They were granted patents in their ideas for a better piano with a stronger frame, a richer sound, and a more sensitive action. This ultimately revolutionized the piano as it was known then, and gave them the reputation they enjoy to this day. By the 1880s, the Steinway piano was pretty much the same piano we have today, and the standards set by the founder were strictly adhered to in the next generation.

Without heirs willing or able to take over the business, the fourth generation of Steinways also didn’t have enough capital to finance much-needed equipment modernization. In 1972, they sold their company to CBS who in 1985 sold it to an investment group. In 1995 the company was sold yet again, this time to Conn-Selmer, Inc., a major manufacturer of brass and woodwind instruments, and the combined company (called Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc.) was taken public on the New York Stock Exchange.

In 2013, Paulson & Company, a private-equity firm purchased the public company and took it private once again. Paulson says he is committed to the quality-first approach on which Steinway built its reputation.

Steinway makes two types of vertical piano in three sizes: a 45″ model 4510 studio, a 46½” model 1098 studio, and a 52″ model K-52 upright. In all three models, the middle pedal operates a sostenuto mechanism. All Steinway verticals use a solid spruce soundboard, have no particleboard, and in many other ways are similar in design, materials, and quality of workmanship to Steinway grands. While technicians have always liked the performance of Steinway verticals, they have complained that the studio models in particular were among the most difficult and would unexpectedly jump out of tune. Steinway made small changes to alleviate this problem so the pianos are now mechanically more stable, but an excess of false beats (tonal irregularities) still make the pianos at times difficult to tune.

Steinway full size upright piano

Steinway makes six sizes of grand piano, two of which are new within the last several years. All ebony, mahogany, and walnut grand models come with an adjustable artist bench, the others with a regular bench.

The 5′ 1″ model S is very good for a small grand, but has the usual limitations of any small piano and so is recommended only where space considerations are paramount. The 5′ 7″ model M is a full six inches longer, but costs little more than the S. Historically one of Steinway’s more popular models, it is found in living rooms across the country. Its medium size makes the tone in certain areas slightly less than perfect, but it’s an excellent home instrument.

The 5′ 10½” model L has been replaced with the model O of the same size. Model O was first produced in 1902, but discontinued in 1924 in favor of the model L. Changes over time in both engineering and musical taste, as well as a desire to better synchronize the offerings of the New York factory with Hamburg (where the model O was never abandoned), seemed to dictate a return to the O. The main difference between the two models is in the shape of the tail — the L has a squared-off tail, the O a round tail — but this can also affect the soundboard and bridges and therefore the tone.

Reintroduction of the model O followed the reintroduction of the legendary 6′ 2″ model A. First offered in 1878 and discontinued in New York in 1945, the model A first featured the radial rim bracing and one-piece bent rim construction now used in all Steinway grands. Over the years the model A has gone through several makeovers. The version being reintroduced was made in New York from 1896 to 1914 and is the same size as the model A that has been made at the Hamburg factory for more than a century. Models O and A are suitable for larger living rooms, and for many school and teaching situations.

The 6′ 10½” Steinway model B is the favorite of many piano technicians. It is the best choice for the serious pianist, recording or teaching studio, or small recital hall. The 8′ 11¾” model D, the concert grand, is the flagship of the Steinway line and the piano of choice for the overwhelming majority of concert pianists. It’s too large for most places other than the concert stage.

Steinway uses excellent materials and construction techniques in the manufacture of its grands. The rims are made from layers of maple, and the beams are of solid spruce. The keybed is of spruce, and the keys are of Bavarian spruce. The pinblock consists of seven laminations of maple with successive grain orientations of 45 and 90 degrees. The soundboard is of solid Sitka spruce, the bridges are vertically laminated of maple with a solid maple cap, and all models have duplex scaling.

Steinway Model B

It is well known that Steinway’s principal competition comes from used and rebuilt Steinways, many of which come in exotic veneers or have elaborately carved or customized “art cases.” The company has responded by expanding its product line to include modern-day versions of these collector’s items. The Crown Jewel Collection consists of the regular models in natural (non-ebonized) wood veneers, many of them exotic. They are finished in a semi-gloss and, all regular Steinway grands are also now available in polyester high-polish ebony, lacquer high-polish ebony, and polyester high-polish white.

During the early 1900s, ownership of art-case Steinways became a symbol of wealth and culture. Steinway has resumed this tradition by regularly commissioning noted furniture designers to create new art-case designs, usually around a theme. Each year sees new art-case pianos from Steinway.

As another way of capitalizing on the popularity of older Steinways, the company also operates at its factory the world’s largest piano rebuilding facility for the restoration of older Steinways.

The underlying excellence of the Steinway musical designs and the integrity of the construction process are the hallmarks of the Steinway piano. Steinway pianos at their best have the quintessential American piano sound: a powerful bass, a resonant midrange, and a singing treble with plenty of tonal color. The construction process creates a very durable and rigid framework that also contributes to the power of its sound.

Musical and cabinet detailing, such as factory voicing and regulation, and plate and cabinet cosmetics, are reasonable, but have traditionally lagged somewhat behind the company’s European competitors in finesse. Over the last couple of years, however, the company has been making a determined effort to remedy this and by applying lessons learned from its European operations. Examples include: rounding the edges and corners of satin ebony models so they will better hold the finish and not prematurely wear through; more careful woodworking on the bottom of the piano, and applying clear lacquer to the bottom instead of painting over to hide imperfections; protecting the case and plate during stringing and other manufacturing operations so they don’t have to be touched up, often imperfectly, later on; additional time spent playing-in pianos during manufacture in order to naturally harden the hammers so they don’t need quite so much chemical hardening and voicing in the field; and other numerous details that needed fixing.

Steinway pianos require more preparation by the dealer than most pianos in their class, but as the factory preparation has improved, the work required by the dealer is less excessive. Still, some dealers are more conscientious than others, and one occasionally hears of piano buyers who “can’t find a good Steinway.” How much of this is due to inherent weaknesses in some pianos, how much to lack of dealer preparation, and how much to customer bias is impossible to tell. Perhaps all are in play.

Piano technicians who work on high-end pianos do sometimes remark that some Steinways seem to have more potential than others. Many dealers do just enough regulating and voicing to make the instruments acceptable to the average customer, but reserve the highest level of work for those situations of a high-end user who knows the differences.

Most customers for a Steinway will probably find one they like on the sales floor. However, if you are a discriminating buyer who has had trouble finding a Steinway that suits your preferences, I recommend letting the salesperson know, as precisely as you can, what you’re looking for. Give the salesperson some time to have a few instruments prepared for you before making a decision. It may also help to tactfully let the salesperson know that you are aware that other options are available to you in the market for high-end pianos.

In 2008 Steinway underwent a change in management, the first in 23 years. For the first time, the company’s top executives were recruited from its European operations rather than from America. It is speculated that this may have signaled a subtle change of direction with regard to quality issues, and may be one of the reasons that European quality standards are appearing to be more strictly applied to the American-made instruments.

Warranty: 5 years, parts and labor, to original purchaser.

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March 6 2018

Sauter Pianos

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Six generations of Sauters have owned the Sauter piano firm since 1819, currently run by Ulrich Sauter in southern Germany. Structural and acoustical parts are made of high-quality woods, including solid Bavarian spruce soundboards and beech pinblocks. Actions are made by Renner, and Sauter makes its own keys. The keybed is reinforced with steel to prevent warping, and all pianos are fully tropicalized for humid climates. The larger verticals use an action, designed and patented by Sauter, that contains an auxiliary jack spring to aid in faster repetition. Sauter calls this the R2 Double Escapement action. (Although the term double escapement does not apply here as it has historically been used, the mechanism has some of the same effects.) Producing approximately 800 verticals and 120 grand pianos each year, their German factory is situated at the foot of the Alps.

Sauter pianos are famous for the variety of finishes and styles in which they are available, many with intricate detail and inlay work. Customizing such rare woods as yew, burl walnut, pyramid mahogany, and genuine ebony in the cabinets, as well as special engravings, are available for any customer’s desire. Sauter’s M Line of vertical pianos features exclusive cabinet detailing and built-in features such as a hygrometer to measure relative humidity.

New Masterline institutional uprights, sold directly to institutions and not through dealers, include protective sidebars, industrial-grade casters, and locking mechanisms.

Sauter Pure in Ebony Polished

Amadeus is a special-edition 6′ 1″ grand honoring the 250th anniversary of Mozart’s birth, with styling reminiscent of that in Mozart’s time. The natural keytops are of polished bone, the sharps of rosewood with ebony caps. Only 36 are to be made, one for each year of Mozart’s life.

The company has made versions of its 48″ upright and 6′ 11″ and 7′ 6″ grands with cabinets designed by the famous European designer Peter Maly. Some recent designs include the 48″ upright Vitrea, after the Latin word for glass, with a veneer of greenish glass covering the front of the cabinet.

Sauter Vitrea

Ambiente is a 7′ 6″ grand that is asymmetrically curved on both the bass and treble sides. In the recent past, Sauter has won several prestigious design awards for its Peter Maly–designed pianos.

Some extremely unusual models have been created. One was the 7′ 3″ model 220 has colored lines painted on the soundboard and white inlays on the tops of the dampers as guides for musicians performing music for “prepared piano,” ultramodern music requiring the insertion of foreign objects between the strings, or the plucking or striking of strings directly by the performer.

Sauter Ambiente

Sauter pianos are high-quality instruments with a lush, full, singing tone, closer to an “American” sound than most other European pianos.

Warranty: 5 years, parts and labor, to original purchaser.

See Series Of Blog Posts For More Highest Quality/Prestige Pianos

About Euro Pianos Naples

Euro Pianos Naples is a respected distributor of European luxury musical instruments. The company’s origin dates back to 1965. Euro Pianos represents world renowned brands such as Sauter, and it has recently become a manufacturer of its own acrylic instrument – The Aire. Apart from being a successful retailer, consultant, and entrepreneur organization, Euro Pianos is actively engaged in the artistic and community life of Naples, Florida as an organizer and supporter of musical events throughout the years.

March 6 2018

Yamaha Pianos

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Yamaha was established in 1887 as a piano and reed organ manufacturer by Torakusu Yamaha. The company’s origins as a musical instrument manufacturer are still reflected today in the group’s logo—a trio of interlocking tuning forks. Yamaha grew to become the world’s largest manufacturer of musical instruments (including pianos, “silent” pianos, drums, guitars, brass, woodwinds, violins, violas, celli and vibraphones), as well as being a leading manufacturer of motorcycles, semiconductors, audio/visual, computer related products, sporting goods, home appliances, specialty metals and industrial robots.

In 2008, Yamaha made an agreement with an Austrian Bank to purchase all the shares of the renowned piano company, Bösendorfer. Yamaha intends to continue manufacturing at the Bösendorfer facilities in Austria. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH operates as a subsidiary of Yamaha Corp, but the businesses are run separately, maintaining Bösendorfer’s original quality.

Yamaha entered the world of electronic instruments in 1959, when it introduced the first all-transistor organ. In 1971, to fill its need, it built its own integrated circuit (IC) plant for Yamaha’s relatively low-volume demand. Jumping ahead to 1983, the introduction of the first Yamaha Clavinova, the YP-40, marked the beginning of what we now call the digital piano. Today, Yamaha’s three dozen or so models of digital piano, in many different finishes, constitute the broadest range of any manufacturer. The downside is that deciphering the variety of options—slabs, verticals, grands, stage pianos, ensemble pianos, designer digitals, hybrids—can be a bit daunting. And then there are the sub-brands: Clavinova, Modus, and Arius.

Arius by Yamaha

Clavinova digital pianos include the standard CLP line and the ensemble CVP line, and are available only through piano dealers. The Modus models (model numbers beginning with F, H, and R), Yamaha’s series of designer digitals, are functionally similar to the CLP line but with modern-looking cabinets. (The Modus H01 and H11 are perhaps the most striking visual designs among digital pianos.) They are now available online through authorized dealers. Arius (model numbers beginning with YDP) represents Yamaha’s entry-level line of digital verticals, with the long-popular YDP223 now replaced by the YDP181.

The CP and CP stage models are intended for situations that require a portable instrument. Available at several price points, they are suitable for a wide range of applications, from live performance to studio recording. Some of the models in this line feature Yamaha’s new Spectral Component Modeling (SCM) technology, or a combination of SCM and Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) sampling. The model CP1 also includes the NW-Stage action.

Yamaha’s apps for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch are unique in the digital-piano world. The NoteStar app brings sheet music into the 21st century, and puts you in the band with real audio backing tracks that you can slow down or transpose. MusicSoft Manager lets you manage the content of your CVP Clavinova, while Repertoire Finder provides complete keyboard setups for songs you want to play.

Seven different actions are used in Yamaha digitals. In order of increasing quality, they are: Graded Hammer Standard (GHS), Graded Hammer (GH), Graded Hammer 3 (GH3), Natural Wood (NW), Natural Wood Stage (NW-Stage), Natural Wood Linear Graded Hammer (NW-LGH), and the grand piano action used in the AvantGrand models.

They also have several hybrid models including the “silent” piano and the Transacoustics.

See Series Of Blog Posts For More Highest Quality/Prestige Pianos

About Euro Pianos Naples

March 6 2018

Best Concert Grand Pianos

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The Concert Grand is considered the epitome of luxurious performance pianos. The most prestigious European manufacturers compete to make their concert grand pianos the ultimate in striking tonal quality and beauty.

The concert piano, by definition, is made to be used on the symphonic stage, grand concert halls and opera houses. But some magnificent private homes with enough space to handle the volume, tone and timbre of such a large instrument do sometimes showcase a concert grand for reasons of interior design or the needs of a professional pianist. But normally the best concert grand pianos are reserved for public venues where their sound is allowed to flourish and resonate as is intended; they are the most magnificent products of the piano craftsmen’s art.

What really defines this largest of all grand pianos is more than its size (roughly nine or ten feet in length or 2.75 to 3.05 meters). Most are around nine feet long, though the Bösendorfer Imperials, of the Austrian concert pianos, are 9½ feet, and some other pianos reach up to 10 feet.

The advantage of a longer acoustic piano is that the strings are also longer, and that is what produces the great power and richness of the concert grands, allowing them to be easily heard clear to the back of a concert hall, even when accompanied by a full symphonic orchestra, all playing at the same time. The workmanship that goes into these instruments gives them the ability to retain harmonic balance, ensuring that close or spread octaves alike have the purity and brilliance to produce virtually beatless perfect fifths. Concert grands excel in these regards, and the technician’s ability to artistically voice an instrument to bring out these elements of tone depends on the excellence of the soundboard wood, the rim stock, and the hammers.

There are many opinions about the extent to which a pianist can affect the tone of a piano while playing, but it is a fact that, with the more sensitive actions of high-quality instruments, the skilled pianist is able to more reliably control the speed of the hammers’ attack on the strings, and thus create a wider tonal palette, giving the audience a better and more nuanced musical experience. This is readily apparent at international piano competitions, at which many pianists, playing the same works on the same piano, can nonetheless bring forth very different tonal qualities from it. The ultimate experience of action control for the artist, possible with only the finest instruments, occurs when the piano becomes a seamless extension of the pianist’s thoughts and feelings — the action seems to disappear, the music seeming to rise effortlessly from the instrument without the presence of an intervening mechanism.

Because concert grands are more musically sensitive than less costly pianos, they may require more frequent servicing if they are to be kept at peak performance levels. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re delicate and finicky. Most of these expensive instruments are built to be taken down, moved long distances, and set up repeatedly; played vigorously for many hours a day; and tuned and serviced regularly. Most owners find, after an initial settling-in period, and a good regulation and tuning, all high-end pianos require only slight touch-up adjustments on a regular basis, and are actually easier to maintain than less costly ones.

Concert grands are only produced by the finest and most experienced manufacturers, often in very small quantities such as only 10 to 100 a year from any particular brand. They can cost up to $300,000 for stately black models, and even more for those with piano cases having elaborate wood-work, inlays, custom colors and fancy veneers—which in today’s marketplace, are getting attention and lauded like never before by interior designers. But in spite of the magnificent assortment of exterior cases, the interior is the heart of the concert grand piano and its performance values. There are thousands of parts, and it is the quality of the manufacturing and materials of these parts and the expertise of the assemblage of them that makes one concert grand outdistance another. For this reason alone, it behooves people to listen. To truly appreciate the value and magic of a concert grand, you must hear it played in the proper setting.

Manufacturers of mass-produced, lower-price pianos seldom make concert grands, because concert halls or professional pianists would be unwilling to buy such a piano from a name with the reputation of a budget brand. The companies that make concert grands have a tradition of hand-craftsmanship and many of them have enjoyed top reputations for almost 200 years. Several of the companies have been owned and operated by the same families since they were started in the early 1800’s, and have a very prestigious image in the piano world. Sauter concert grands and Schimmel Konzert grands (their top line) enjoy this renown along with August Forester, Bechstein, and Bluthner, Bosendorfer, Steingraeber, Grotrian and the Steinways coming from Germany (not New York).

In a lesser-grade piano, quality might actually refer to quality-control, making each piano sound as equal as possible to every other. But in the crafting of high-end pianos, quality means something more: Each instrument is judged not on its similarities to its model, but on its musical excellence as a unique instrument. Since the superior natural materials that concert grand pianos are made from are never completely uniform, and because the craftspeople who make these instruments are trained to maximize the musical potential of each instrument, any particular model of a concert grand piano is likely to exhibit small variations in performance characteristics from instrument to instrument. And professionals appreciate these differences and savor them from brand to brand, piano to piano. Our factory trained technicians may also voice (change the tonal characteristics) of a piano in client’s home to better work with acoustics of a room.

Besides the concert grands, there are parlor grands, studio grands, salon grands, and semi-concert grands, depending on their length. Baby grands are those models that are only five feet long or less, front-to-back.

Economy pianos, like the auto industry, can have parts from anywhere, assembled in any of several different countries. However, the great concert grands are all still pure examples of excellent piano-making by skilled craftsmen from original, highly reputable manufacturers, many with a great history stretching back to the most famous composers and performers from centuries ago; Chopin had his Pleyel, Mahler his Blüthner, Brahms his Bösendorfer, and Liszt his Bechstein.

About Euro Pianos Naples

Euro Pianos Naples is a respected distributor of European luxury musical instruments. The company’s origin dates back to 1965. Euro Pianos represents world renowned brands such as Sauter, and it has recently become a manufacturer of its own acrylic instrument – The Aire. Apart from being a successful retailer and entrepreneur organization, Euro Pianos is actively engaged in the artistic and community life of Naples, Florida as an organizer and supporter of musical events throughout the years.