Baldwin 5’-2” Baby Grand Piano.

  This is a stately musical instrument in a traditional, warm satin lacquer mahogany finish. The pianos’ structure is excellent, and the piano had very little playing time for its age. It has lived in Albuquerque for several decades, so it is happily acclimated to our arid climate. Per our policy, we always source our pianos locally. It would be a fine choice for an advanced player or even a teaching studio. The venerable Baldwin model M grand piano has been built for nearly a century and is one of the most popular grand piano models ever. They feature an unusually strong bass response that literally growls and a clear singing treble and a pleasing tenor. The “walking bass line” employed by many jazz musicians is ideal for the Baldwin scale design. They are a sturdy piano and have been a favorite among piano teachers and institutional settings where they hold up well and are considered to be low maintenance. Structurally, they were built like a Sherman tank, and you would find them in the practice rooms of nearly every university or conservatory of music. 

“Baldwin – America’s favorite piano.”   Their longtime slogan.

This one was built in 1951, which may sound old, but this is a very good era for the Baldwin piano factory in Cincinnati, Ohio. They had access to fine old-growth woods which were plentiful and inexpensive. Baldwin management took pride in their pianos and a lot of quality wood was left on the factory floor at the end of the day because it wasn’t quite good enough for its application in the piano. They liked to quarter-saw the wooden cuts for superior dimensional stability, though it was more wasteful than other types of cuts. The factory was teeming with craftsmen, many of whom apprenticed there or had a father who brought them in to learn the craft. Quality is abundant in this beautiful sounding musical instrument.

The Baldwin Piano Company was founded in 1863 and became the largest selling American manufacturer of pianos throughout its long and rich history. They began piano production in 1890 after having retailed the Steinway & Sons and Chickering piano lines. The Artist series has long been a favorite of concert artists in all genres of music. Most notable was Liberace who played exclusively on the Baldwin. The Lawrence Welk Show (1951 – 1982) with Jo Ann Castle featured Baldwin pianos exclusively. Dave Brubeck, Leonard Bernstein, John Williams (Star Wars soundtrack) Aaron Copland (Boston Pops Orchestra conductor), Bruce Hornsby and a long roster of concert pianists, composers and musicians endorsed them. Four US Presidents have owned Baldwins in the White House including Harry S. Truman who famously played his, during the first televised tour of the White House in 1952. This 1951 grand piano was built roughly at the same time. A Baldwin grand piano was Paul Shaffer’s choice on NBC’s “Late night with David Letterman”. The Baldwin piano company was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2020.

Close-up of the keys of the Baldwin grand piano donated to the White House in 1952 for the benefit of President Harry Truman and his daughter Margaret, who went on to become a classical soprano.

Cast into the piano’s sand-cast iron plate.

Flawless keyboard and some of the best ivories we’ve ever seen!

American craftsmanship from the great state of Ohio.

Hand-made 50-inch Professional Upright piano.

  The distinctive sound and tone of the Mason & Hamlin grand piano in a more compact upright cabinet, it will outperform the smaller grand pianos. The bass response is classic Mason & Hamlin, booming and robust with a growl like thunder off in the distance. The duration of tone is astonishingly lengthy which is suited to classical music or any piece that requires the melody be sustained above the background of an accompaniment. The harmonic content or timbre of the overall range is center-mellow stressing the fundamental tone, also ideal for classical music. The attack is slow and it seems some notes “crescendo in” upon playing the key. This contrasts with a percussive, short tone with a sharp attack that a jazz pianist may prefer. There is plenty of volume when you want it and the dynamic range is very wide, allowing a more expressive and emotive performance. This piano is an absolute joy to play.

The Mason & Hamlin model 50 Upright Piano is still built to this very day.

Mason & Hamlin model 50 Upright Piano webpage

Per our policy of sourcing our pianos locally, this instrument is a one-owner and has lived its entire life in a beautiful home in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Pianos don’t like being moved around a lot, especially to differing climates. It was purchased brand new at Paul Muench Music here in Albuquerque so it is happily acclimated and fully adjusted to our dry climate and should provide decades of musical gratification to the next owner. It has always received excellent service from skilled piano technicians. The condition is excellent – structurally and aesthetically. We have had to do barely anything in the 88 Keys Piano Restoration shop, just standard cleaning of the interior, tightening piano-action screws and a few adjustments, and a strong tuning. The piano is ready for the next performance.

The uncontested top two American piano manufacturers have historically been Steinway & Sons and Mason & Hamlin. The rest of the top ten is open for debate. They are the two surviving piano companies from the Golden Age of the Piano, during which performance, composing and piano building skills reached notable heights. The finest pianists of the day would sometimes affiliate themselves with their favorite brand (like basketball player Michael Jordan and Nike shoes). Sergei Rachmaninoff and Maurice Ravel were notable pianists/composers who aligned themselves with Mason & Hamlin grand pianos. In 1853, Steinway & Sons was founded by Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg in New York. The following year in 1854, Mason & Hamlin was founded by Henry Mason and Emmons Hamlin in Boston. Including other fine piano manufacturers, the two cities were very prideful in promoting their own piano brands, and that continues to this very day.

The model 50 has been built for over sixty years. This is highly unusual for a model to have that staying power and it’s a testimony to its intrinsic design. Here is a description from an undated catalog:

The Boston-style fallboard protects the keyboard and little fingers.

45-inch Professional-grade vertical piano.

  One of the finest American hand-made pianos of our day, they are sometimes referred to as the Steinway & Sons of the 21^st century. In the year this piano was built, approximately fourteen-hundred of their pianos were actually finished at their factory in Elkhart, Indiana. Most technicians who encounter a Walter piano are very enthusiastic about them, mostly due to their excellent design and lack of service problems. The scale design provides an unusually smooth transition from the bass to the treble. The treble range sings beautifully and the bass is strong and clear all the way down to the bottom note.

The feel is very even across the keyboard due to exceptionally long keys that are individually lead-weighted and balanced. The piano-action is an American-made Langer built by Herrburger Brooks. The exceptionally thick Delignit pinblock keeps the tuning pins tight between tunings and will do so for decades, providing a more enjoyable playing experience and less costly over time. “If you’re looking for a high-quality, medium-size, US-made vertical piano that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this is one you should consider.” Larry Fine, author “The Piano Book”.

All cabinet parts of the piano are carefully sanded, given multiple coats of specially formulated lacquer, meticulously hand-rubbed and polished. This finish consists of genuine American black walnut veneers. It uses no particle board in the cabinetry, which is very substantial and beautifully finished. All case parts are of 5-ply lumber-core and solid hardwood construction. The music desk is sturdy and will accommodate large music books like “fake books” that professional pianists use at gigs and its sheet music desk can handle long musical scores a pianist at the community theater may need. The Boston fallboard gently covers the keys and glides effortlessly to protect the sides. The matching bench is original and is duet-sized for two players. The condition of the instrument is excellent – structurally and aesthetically.

The Walter Piano Co. of Elkhart, Indiana is unique among US piano manufacturers in that it is a family business, staffed by Charles and his wife Barbara, several of their grown children and in-laws, in addition to unrelated production employees. Charles is an engineer and prior to building his namesake instrument he headed Piano Design and Engineering for a piano manufacturer doing important research on musical acoustics. Each piano is inspected by a family member before being shipped and that person’s signature can be found on the top of the piano back, underneath the lid. Though Charles has passed on, the company continues to exist today, run by his family.

Unusually lengthy keys increase leverage for a smoother feel and wider dynamic range.

Grand piano shaped soundboard and sturdy back construction.

American-made Langer piano-action.