Imported Pianos
Steinway Pianos Manufactured in Asia
In addition to the Steinway & Sons brand, Steinway markets two other brands: Essex for the entry-level market, and Boston for the mid-level market. Essex and Boston pianos are made using lower-cost components and labor. They feature lower overall string tension, a hallmark of Steinway pianos. This brings a warmer tone, longer sustain, and a lighter attack. Pianos of these two brands, made with Steinway designs, are manufactured in Asia by independent suppliers.
Essex Pianos
This model is made for the entry-range market and is lower priced than Steinway and Boston pianos. Since 2005, Essex pianos have been made at the Pearl River piano factory in Guangzhou, China, per Steinway’s design. Prior to 2005, they were made by Young Chang in Korea. There are two sizes of Essex grand pianos and four sizes of Essex upright pianos available in a wide variety of finishes and furniture designs. Essex pianos incorporate these features of Steinway pianos: lower string tension, a wider tail design, an all-wood action with Steinway geometry with rosette-shaped hammer flanges, and reinforced hammers with metal fasteners. The scale design is by Steinway.
Boston Pianos
This model is made for the general mid-ranged piano market at lower prices than Steinway’s name brand. Boston pianos are designed by Steinway, and they are manufactured by Kawai in Hamamatsu, Japan, and Karawang, Indonesia. There are five sizes of Boston grand pianos and three sizes of Boston upright pianos available in a variety of finishes. Boston pianos incorporate some features of Steinway pianos, such as lower string tension, a wider tail design (a feature of the Steinway piano models A-188, B-211, C-227, and D-274), resulting in a larger soundboard area than conventionally shaped pianos of comparable sizes. They also include a maple inner rim, Steinway’s Octagrip pinblock, and the scale design is by Steinway.
Bechstein and Hoffman Pianos
C. Bechstein pianos are constructed with very high levels of quality and precision in Seifhennersdorf, Germany. The touch of a Bechstein is light and very responsive. Their instruments require little effort to produce a great tone.
The W. Hoffmann brand was founded in Berlin in 1904 by Wilhelmine Sophia Friederike Hoffmann.
Their upright and grand pianos are now made in the Czech Republic town of Hradec Králové by the foremost European piano manufacturer, C. Bechstein.
Playing any Hoffman upright is almost a magical experience. They have the smoothest actions I have ever played.
We recommend the Bechstein/W. Hoffman Professional Series for their striking silver and chrome interior with a polished ebony finish. They are manufactured in grand and upright models.
Bosendorfer Pianos
Bosendorfer pianos are made in Wiener Neustadt, a suburb of Vienna, Austria. Their pianos have significantly higher string tensions and use harder hammers as well, which makes notes have greater clarity. They are clean and bright with pure tones. Bosendorfer is the only piano made with a spruce rim, going against the conventional wisdom that a piano rim must be made of hard, dense woods such as maple or beech. In 2008, the Japanese enterprise Yamaha acquired Bosendorfer. Conscious and cautious about the heritage of Bosendorfer, the company remains fully independent and continues to be operated as a separate Austrian company, fully owned by Yamaha. Bosendorfer works closely with Yamaha when it comes down to selling their instruments. In the US, Bosendorfer Imperial Concert Grand pianos retail for between $256,000 and $560,000.
Hailun Pianos
Hailun manufactures high-end pianos in Ningbo, China. Mr. Hailun Chen and Mrs. Faye Chen own the Hailun Piano Company. Both were graduates of the Piano Technology School in Bejing where they met and fell in love with each other as well as with the world of pianos.
They founded their company together, which was initially co-owned by the Chinese government. The company specialized in producing piano parts and quickly became known as one of the most reliable supplier of highest accuracy semi-finished pianos. Mr. Chen incrementally purchased full control for the company and set his goal to build the finest pianos in the Far East. During that time he met a fourth generation piano builder from Vienna, Austria. Peter Veletzy and Hailun Chen struck up a special friendship and Mr. Veletzky transferred know-how and technology in order to build instruments that would be able to compete with makers in Europe. Hailun Piano Company also invested heavily in Japanese and German digital production equipment and manufacturing lines and is currently employing the newest and most advanced technology available to piano manufacturers. Hailun is known for high quality piano manufacturing across the Far East.
Hailun Pianos now makes pianos and components for several other manufacturers and distributors. One of the American brands is Emerson. The W.P. Emerson Co. was founded in 1849 in Boston. George F. Emerson, a designer for Baldwin and Mason & Hamlin, now works with Hailun Pianos.
Hailun also manufactures pianos and parts for other brands, including Cline, Feurich., and Wendl & Lung. Cline pianos are a high-end line of pianos that are made with the same high-quality materials and construction as Hailun pianos. Emerson pianos are a more affordable line of pianos, but they are still made with high-quality materials and construction. Feurich pianos are made in Austria using Hailun’s parts and components. Wendl & Lung pianos are a German brand that is now owned by Hailun.
It is important to note that Hailun does not directly sell all of the brands that they make under contract. For example, Cline pianos are only sold through a select network of dealers. Emerson pianos are sold through a variety of dealers, including online retailers. Feurich pianos are sold through a network of dealers in Europe and North America. Wendl & Lung pianos are sold through a network of dealers in Europe.
Yamaha Pianos
Yamaha upright pianos usually feature a silent pedal, which has made them the favorite of music schools and homes everywhere. The silent pedal allows you to practice without disturbing anyone close by.
The B Series are Yamaha’s most affordable pianos. When discounted, pricing starts at $4,995.00, brand new (plus delivery and tax).
All new Yamaha pianos come with:
Matching Yamaha padded bench w/storage
Complimentary tuning in home after delivery
10 Year Yamaha Parts & Labor Warranty
10 Year Full Trade-in Guarantee
Yamaha pianos are in great demand, so the availability of used instruments constantly changes. It’s easy to order a new Yamaha piano. Please contact us for up-to-date information on used and new Yamahas.
A two-year warranty is offered on previously owned pianos. A ten-year trade-up warranty is offered on all pianos.
Kawai Pianos
Kawai brand pianos can take a lot of punishment because their pianos have a very strong build quality. Koichi Kawai formed his piano company in 1927 to build the world’s finest piano with a focused pursuit of excellence. They are recommended by piano technicians because they consistently have very high quality parts and construction. The majority of their uprights and grands are made in Japan. The K200 and K300 are made in both Japan and Indonesia, and the baby grand GL10 is made in Indonesia.
Petrof Pianos
Antonin Petrof built his first grand piano in 1864 after traveling to Vienna in 1857 to learn piano manufacturing. After World War II, the company and property were confiscated under nationalization but in 1990, Jan Petrof took over the company with the return of democracy and privatization. 2004 marked the year when 5th generation Zuzana Ceralová-Petrofová became president. Today the company continues to expand and build pianos from the Czech Republic.
Young Chang Pianos
Young Chang began making pianos in Seoul, South Korea, in 1964. Young Chang pianos are known for their vivid sound and clarity. Their sound is similar to the sound of Baldwin pianos. They also bought the Albert Weber piano brand, a higher-level piano. As Young Chang’s top-of-the-line, they are manufactured in a separate production line and receive extra preparation and attention-to-detail. In addition to the Young Chang and Weber brands, they also manufacture Kurzweil keyboards and home digital pianos. Young Chang also built pianos for other companies, under names such as Astor, Bechendorff, Bergmann, Cline, Essex, Ibach, Karl Muller, Knabe, Nakamura, Pramberger, Schafer & Sons, Wagner, Weber, and Wurlitzer.
Pearl River Pianos
The Pearl River Piano Group is one of the largest piano makers in the world. It is known for its affordable pianos that offer excellent value. The company is based in Guangzhou, China, and has been in operation since 1956. Pearl River is capable of producing over 100,000 pianos a year, and exports them to more than 80 countries. Pearl River pianos are manufactured under a wide range of brand names and levels.
Samick Pianos
Samick was founded in 1958 as a Baldwin distributor. Samick eventually grew into one of the largest piano and guitar manufacturers in the world. As of 2023, with the rising costs of Korean labor, the majority of Samick’s piano production now occurs in Indonesia.
In 2008, Samick acquired the German piano manufacturer Seiler, with the production of Seiler’s high-end line still occurring in Germany. Samick diversified the Seiler line-up by creating two sub-lines that are both manufactured in Indonesia to compete in the market at different price points. From 2009 to 2013 Samick also controlled a 32% share of Steinway & Sons, until losing their shares after being outbid when Steinway was taken private.
They have bought several well-known piano brands and now sell pianos under those names as well as Samick: Wm. Knabe & Co., Kohler & Campbell, Pramberger, Seiler, Sohmer, and DH Baldwin.
Kayserburg Pianos
Kayserburg pianos are completely handcrafted with meticulous attention to detail. They are imported from Germany.
Kayserburg sets a new standard among handmade pianos for piano aficionados.
Estonia Pianos
Estonia grand and concert pianos are handmade at the Estonia Piano Factory.
They use high-quality European components like iron plates from Finland, thick birch rims, and resonance spruce soundboards from the Swiss/Italian Alps.
Estonia pianos are the result of an effort to craft the finest handmade instruments using proven European suppliers and traditional methods.
Feel free to contact us about available models at the piano store that we work with. We can help you find a new or used piano that is the right size, price, and quality for you.
© 2024 Tom Dans/Piano Island