Boston by Steinway & Sons 5’10” Living Room Grand Piano.

  A synthesis of high-technology and the highest musical standards, Steinway & Sons launched its Boston line of pianos in 1992 in order to offer an affordable alternative to their admittedly expensive hand-crafted musical instruments. They are designed by Steinway engineers using the most sophisticated computer modeling and proven patents, concepts and materials. Then they are built in the main Kawai piano factory in Hamamatsu, Japan with the streamlined manufacturing they have perfected. Having them built in Japan, Steinway takes advantage of the efficiency and high technology of their manufacturing process and combines it with their own old-world standards of artistry and craftsmanship. The result is an affordable high-end piano synonymous with the Steinway name. This Boston model GP-178 II grand piano and the other four models have been sold only through select Steinway & Sons dealerships. Boston pianos are used exclusively by a number of prestigious music schools and festivals including Aspen, Bowdoin, Brevard, Ravinia and Tanglewood.

This strikingly beautiful instrument was purchased locally in 1996 at Washburn Piano Co., the Steinway & Sons piano dealership at the time. It is finished in a lovely polished red mahogany polyester resin finish that will “pop” and be the focal point of any formal living room. It has spent its entire life so far in Albuquerque so it is happily acclimated and adjusted to our unique and arid climate. It is a one-owner who thought it worthwhile to professionally maintain it with qualified technicians. The piano is in excellent condition – structurally and aesthetically. It required very little attention in our restoration shop. It has minimal amounts of wear throughout the action and trapwork. It should provide the new owner decades of musical passion and be a “forever piano”. It is an absolute pleasure to play. The original bench is included. Professional, local first-floor delivery is also included.

Several design elements are identical to the Steinway piano. It has the patented Octa-grip™ pinblock that holds the tuning pins tightly for a longer period of time. Both use hardwood maple inner rims and radial bracing that reinforces both rims and contributes to the longevity of the soundboard crown. The vertically laminated bridges provide better tonal transmission and transfer of power. The Steinway patented hammer flanges are rosette-shaped to match the hammer rail to allow more accurate hammer spacing. All of the action parts are traditional quarter-sawn hardwoods and not cheaper plastic materials. Thinner, tapered premium solid Sitka spruce soundboards measuring 6mm – 8mm, and a low-tension scale design account for that classic Steinway duration of tone (sustain) and clarity at the bass end. It also has the “singing treble” that Steinway & Sons pianos are well-known for and other pianos aspire to.

At 5’-10” long, it is larger that the average Living Room grand piano so the string length will be longer and they will vibrate longer for that increased Boston sustain. Additionally, it has a very wide tail design, so it performs like a much larger instrument to begin with. The wide tail design of the case means that this 5’-10” grand has the same soundboard area as a typical 6’-2” grand piano. Additionally, this allows the bass bridge to be located closer to the lively, central part of the soundboard and that results in a much better bass response. Steinway & Sons officials claim this innovation establishes the Boston piano as having an entirely new concept in piano design. Most listeners believe they have a warmer, more mellow tonal color and musicality than other pianos built in that part of the world.

An affordable Steinway & Sons designed piano.

Premium-quality Mapes bass strings.

Grey iron, bronze-painted and lacquered.

Baldwin’s Acrosonic – the most popular piano model in history.

  This is the quintessential “good used piano” and it would be an excellent choice for the beginning piano student or casual player. It was built in 1957 though in piano-years it is much younger, having been played sparingly. There is minimal wear for its age on the hammers and damper felts plus the other moving action parts. All of the tuning pins are tight so it will hold its tune. Loose tuning pins are a common problem in our dry and arid climate, and they are costly and aggravating. It spent two weeks in our restoration shop and received the normal tuning and pitch-raises, minor action regulations and thorough cleaning of the interior. There is a music desk with a long sheet music lip so heavy books or long music charts can be accommodated. We are happy to offer a two-year warranty. It qualifies for a full trade-in too, for when you decide to move up to a better piano. The original, matching bench with music storage is included. It even has its own bench pad for your comfort. Local, first-story professional delivery is available at a discounted rate.

Baldwins have long been favorites of piano teachers and have a well-earned reputation for being sturdy, well-built, maintenance-free instruments and the Acrosonic spinet from the Baldwin Piano Company is by far, the best of its kind. Many people like the low-profile appearance of the spinet, but other manufacturers offer poorly built models only to achieve a low price point. This instrument was designed for the home and the family. Many are passed down from generation to generation. Baldwin defines the American sound. Its famous scale design makes for a clear, pretty tenor and treble with a nice sustain. The bass section is surprisingly gutsy and resonant for the piano’s 36-inch height. Of note, the string length and soundboard area is equal to or exceeds many 40-inch models of other brands. To accomplish this, the casters are recessed into the piano’s bottom so the interior extends nearly all the way to the floor where the strings and soundboard terminate. One can’t even get a toe under this model due to its ½-inch floor clearance. The touch is expressive and has a nice feel, unlike nearly every other spinet ever built. Historically, most spinet piano-actions have used substandard plastic parts that eventually break and need replacing – all 88 of them! Baldwin has always built their Acrosonic piano-actions with traditional hardwood components like maple or hornbeam, and well-engineered designs.

The unique design of its spinet piano made the Baldwin and Acrosonic range of models the most popular in American piano building history. Akros, a Greek word meaning “extreme, summit or topmost” became Acro, also meaning “Expanded”, in a way. The Acropolis is a citadel at the summit or highest point of Athens, Greece. Sonic derives from Sonus in Greek and denotes “Sound”. Therefore, the model’s name Acrosonic refers to the “Expanded sound” of this smaller piano. The name was patented and is still registered in the US Patent Office.

American Cherry wood 40”-tall Console Piano.

  This designer piece is a beauty to behold with its graceful lines, ornate music-rack and curved cabriole legs. Even the original matching bench with its needle-point covering is lovely for the eyes. The cabinet is in excellent condition and the piano was obviously adored and cared for. The Queen Anne furniture style originated during the rule of King William 111 of England and reached its primacy during the reign of Queen Anne (1702 – 1714). The style is known for its ornamental excesses and is also commonly referred to as Victorian. The Story and Clark piano company has had an excellent reputation for staying true to the style of decorative arts with all of their historic cabinet styles.

The cabinetry is built from warm, light-colored American Cherry wood veneers and preserved with a satin lacquer finish, and free of any particle board. All of the hardware is solid brass. The music-desk is sturdy in order to accommodate a heavy book and long enough for a multiple page musical score. The covering for the keyboard is a two-piece Boston-style fallboard with a long piano hinge that won’t scratch the sides or warp, and get stuck inside. It has been a permanent resident here in Albuquerque, so it is happily acclimated and well-adjusted to our unique climate.  Though the piano was built in 1964 it has a modest amount of wear.  The overall condition is excellent; structurally and aesthetically.  We provided a thorough action regulation, cleaning and multiple tunings for stability in our restoration shop.  The tuning pins are tight, so it holds tune well.  Given Story & Clark’s well-earned reputation for maintenance-free durability, this piano should provide many more years of enjoyment and musical fulfillment. We’re happy to warrant the instrument for two years. Complimentary local, first-floor professional delivery is included.

Hampton Story began his retail piano business in 1857 and was joined by Melville Clark in 1884. They actually had a thriving reed organ manufacturing business in Chicago, Ill. before they built pianos. Eventually, there were also factories in London, England and Berlin, Germany. When they began building pianos, the factory was located in Grand Haven, Michigan which was called “Furniture Country” at the time due to its numerous furniture factories. Logging and lumber mills thrived there due to the vast forests of diverse timber in the area which included the northern US and Canada. Hardwoods and softwoods were plentiful. A piano is constructed with various different species of wood, depending on the need whether it be strength, flexibility, density, beauty, uniformity of grain etc.

After leaving the piano industry, Mr. Story went on to help develop Coronado Island across the bay from San Diego and build the luxurious Hotel del Coronado in what became Coronado, California. The “Hotel del” is an architectural gem and the second largest wooden structure in the US. The Crown room is perfectly round and built without any metal fasteners like nails, screws or bolts, but only wooden dowels, joints and pegs. Mr. Clark, ironically went on to found the QRS company (Quality Roll Systems – think player-piano rolls) in 1900 and he designed old-fashioned pneumatic (air pressure with a bellows) player-pianos and eventually, new electronic disk-player systems that became popular in the 1990’s. Those systems are actually wireless today and play wirelessly through networks with no need for disk drives. You can control them with your phone or tablet. To complete the circle, QRS acquired the Story & Clark Piano Co. in 1993 in order to offer these player-systems in their own piano brand.

Est. 1859 by Hampton L Story and later with Melville Clark

Hepplewhite designer cabinetry styling.

  The classic heritage of 18th-century England is gracefully preserved in this superb adaptation of the style and embodiment of a master designer. Aside from its qualities as a musical instrument you will appreciate this Hobart M Cable spinet piano for its sheer beauty as an object. The furniture cabinet is finished in a light American cherry wood, and it represents the highest level of cabinetry available. Even the original, matching bench is a work of art. They are both in flawless condition, structurally and aesthetically. The piano was built in the Story & Clark piano factory in Grand Haven, Michigan; the heart of “Furniture Country” due to its numerous furniture factories. Logging and lumber mills thrived there due to the vast forests of diverse timber in the area which included the northern US and Canada. Hardwoods and softwoods were plentiful. A piano is constructed with various and different species of wood, depending on the need or function, whether it be strength, flexibility, density, beauty, uniformity of grain, etc. so the location was an advantage. Today, Story & Clark still exists, and they build America’s very best player-piano systems.

The piano has lived in Albuquerque for decades and it is happily acclimated and well-adjusted to our unique climate, so it ought to provide decades more of musical enjoyment to the new owner. There is minimal wear for its age on the hammers and damper felts, plus the other moving action and trapwork parts. All of the tuning pins are tight so it will hold its tuning. Loose tuning pins are a common problem in our dry and arid climate, and they are costly to repair and can be aggravating for the psyche. It spent two weeks in our restoration shop and received the normal tunings and pitch-raises, minor action regulations and thorough cleaning of the interior. We will be happy to offer a two-year warranty, in-home tuning and professional local, first-floor delivery.

Shown with the two-piece Boston-style fallboard protecting the keys.

Steinway & Sons 5’-7” Studio Grand Piano.

 This Steinway & Sons grand piano is one of the finest musical instruments in human history, and it was built by the 3rd-generation Steinway family in New York City. Steinway & Sons is the piano that every other is judged by. It is handcrafted and took a full year to build. The Steinway company has held nearly all of the important patents in the industry and the family has always participated in all of the significant operations of the factory. Steinway is nearly exclusively responsible for improving and modernizing piano manufacturing throughout the 19^th and 20^th centuries. In the world of musical instruments, there are pianos – and then there are Steinway & Sons. They enjoy a reputation second to none. Historically, the Steinway model M grand piano is their most popular model and its medium size makes it an excellent home instrument. It isn’t a secret that pre-owned Steinway & Sons pianos that have been restored are the biggest competition to the sale of exorbitantly priced brand new models.

The white Natural keys are authentic ivory and original. The black Sharp keys are lacquered wood and not plastic. We refurbished the core of the instrument and refinished it in a classic ebonized lacquer finish with a red mahogany-wood music rack, fallboard above the keys and inner rim inside the case. The company has a long history dating back into the 19th-century of creating Art-case pianos like this one. The nation’s White-house has a very intricate and regal one with large American Bald-eagles representing the three legs. A quick Google search will reveal pictures of that piano.

The Steinway & Sons grand piano action, with its 12,116 individual parts is the vanguard of piano actions. Steinway held most of the patents issued to piano manufacturers for action improvements including the exclusive “Accelerated Action”, which increases the speed of repetition. The patented Tubular Metallic action frame maintains proper alignment of the thousands of action parts. A grand piano-action regulation requires 14 separate adjustments per key. Our talented 88 Keys piano-technicians who work in our restoration shop have been busy and the piano-action has been well-regulated and ready now for concert performances.

This model M features the classic “Steinway sound”, having a strong, singing treble, a resonant tenor mid-range and a powerful bass, rich in high harmonics. With richness, depth and power, they radiate plenty of tonal color. It is due to their combination of harmonics that distinguishes them from other makers. The duration of tone (sustain time) is lengthy, which enables legato phrases to be performed well and enjoyed. The dynamic range is wide, allowing the pianist to play expressively and emotively. It is neither overly mellow and dull or overly bright and tinny. The mid-treble, where most of the melody lines are played “sings” and doesn’t disappear under the background of an accompaniment. It has the power that most pianos aspire to but not the brash “loudness” that often results.

The inner rim is finished in red mahogany. Come in and behold its beauty!

Excellent condition structurally and aesthetically.