What Makes A Great Piano...Great?

If you have been around pianos for long, the names Steinway, Bösendorfer, Bechstein, Mason & Hamlin, Charles R. Walter are probably familiar to you. These makers have for many years hand-crafted pianos to almost absolute perfection. I say almost, because it is impossible to make a perfect piano. Not everyone has the same tastes. Some performers prefer a more subdued sweet melodic tone (Bösendorfer) and others prefer the massive power of a Steinway. And then, there is the bright quality of a Yamaha. It is all left to the whims of the player. There really is no wrong choice.

But let me tell you what I think makes one piano better than another... Expression. When I fall in love with an instrument it is because I can make it respond to my touch with a great variety of tone. I want it sweet

, mellow and quiet when played softly...but then.....I WANT IT TO ROAR TO LIFE WHEN I POUND IT! I call this painting with music... Creating the hills and valleys on the canvas. This is what it's all about to me.

There are many things that affect the tone and power of a piano. To go into all the inner workings and materials used to create a piano would be boring. Depending on the design, a modern piano can consist of up to 12,000 parts, many of which move. Considering this, it is important that a piano contain high quality materials.

One of the most exciting things in the piano world is the increasing quality of lesser expensive instruments. Steinways, Bösendorfers, and all the aforementioned pianos have always been great and will likely always will be. The materials and quality in construction is impeccable. However, the biggest improvements I’ve seen in my 27 years of being in the piano business have been in the lower and mid-priced instruments. Now it is possible to get a piano that rivals something that is 3 or 4 times the price. Come in and play all of our Steinways, but check out the amazing tone and expressiveness of the Brodmann, Perzina, Hailun and Ritmuller. I think you will be surprised. These instruments feature extremely high quality European soundboards, action parts, strings, hammers and they are built, regulated and voiced to strict standards. You will find expression isn’t as expensive as it used to be.