Excellent starter piano or Modern furniture design piece.

  The “Modern” furniture style of this Janssen console piano is rooted in the mid-century era and is often referred to as “Mid-century Modern Furniture”. The piano was built in 1958, and by current attitudes it definitely has a retro vibe. The “Modernism Movement” heavily influenced this design. The style is characterized by clean lines and minimalism, born out by this piano’s severe unadorned rectangular-shaped sides and strongly geometrical front panels. It’s neutral and simple flat black lacquer finish is sleek and exudes timeless elegance. There is also a focus on diverse materials and a mix of materials in this style. The piano has solid brass legs and supports, free of any unnecessary embellishments and the bench legs have brass ferrules. The music rack has an inlaid brass mesh pattern. The Modern style also has an aspect of practicality and functionality in mind. This piano’s functional component is an electric lamp mounted below the music rack to illuminate the book or sheet music the pianist is performing. Otherwise, a separate music lamp would need to be added and how would that be practical? Enjoy the sleek aesthetics of modern design in this musical instrument!

Compact apartment piano.

“A good used piano”. That is an apt description of this instrument. It would be ideal for a beginner’s first, inexpensive piano as they embark on the exciting journey of learning music. We will be happy to take it back on trade for a full reimbursement toward a better piano later when the pianists skills evolve, and they have grown out of it. It also has the benefit of its compact size. This piano was built in 1958 though in piano-years it is much younger, having been played sparingly. It has been more of a piece of décor than a working piano. It has lived in Albuquerque for decades, so it is happily acclimated to our unique climate and won’t have any service issues. There is minimal wear on the hammers and damper felts plus the other moving action parts, for its age. The structural integrity is excellent, including the soundboard and bridges. All of the tuning pins are tight. It spent a week in our restoration shop and received the normal tuning, minor action regulations and thorough cleaning of the interior. We are happy to offer a two-year warranty. The original matching bench is included. Complimentary local, first-story professional delivery is also included.

Music lamp mounted under the music rack.

48-inch Professional Upright Piano in Polished Mahogany.

  A surprisingly good tone quality for a piano with very little name recognition. We were a little shocked when we first played it. The bass response is robust and clear. The tenor is warm and rich. The treble sings with a bell-like quality and substantial tone. The tone quality (timbre) is center-mellow. The sustain or duration of tone is lengthy and not percussive. The dynamic range is wide permitting quieter pianissimos and louder fortissimos allowing the pianist to play more expressively and emotively. This Steinbach model MP-122 studio upright is known as a “Stencil piano”. It was built by the Pearl River piano company but it’s unclear who the distributor is that ordered the Steinbach piano product line.

Excellent condition – structurally and aesthetically.

This beautiful instrument was barely played by the previous owners who considered it to be the elegant focal point of their formal living room. For that reason, there is minimal wear in the piano-action, trapwork and other moving parts. It is in excellent condition, structurally and aesthetically. It should provide many more decades of musical enjoyment. We will be happy to offer a two-year warranty. It came to us needing very little in the way of piano dealer prep in our 88 Keys Piano restoration shop. We cleaned it thoroughly, regulated and tightened the piano-action and tuned with only a slight pitch correction.

Pearl River today, is the largest and best-selling piano manufacturer in the world and they have the largest market share in retail sales worldwide. They produce 150,000 pianos annually and are sold in 112 countries. Pearl River dominates the Chinese market share with 40% of all the new pianos purchased. The modern 3.2 million square foot factory is located in Guangzhou, China and employs over 4000 workers. Every single large, small or tiny individual, cataloged part has to be handled by human hands. With over 8500 individual parts in an upright piano, a factory location with lower labor rates is an advantage and provides a better value. Pearl River Piano Group builds their own Ritmuller and handmade Kayserburg pianos as well as pianos for other companies, including the Essex line for Steinway & Sons.

In next to new condition – inside and out.

Excellent construction and quality materials in the piano’s back.

Steinway & Sons Semi-concert Grand Piano.

The perfect piano design?

  Behold the splendor of this 19-th century museum piece handmade by the Steinway & Sons family who had a role in every step of the process! It is covered in premium South American Rosewood probably harvested in Brazil. Later on these piano finishes became part of their Crown Jewell Collection of luxury pianos. The standard Steinway & Sons piano is ebonized in black – either satin or polished. It was designed with an 85-key seven-octave compass, starting and ending on A-natural, not 88 keys like today. During this time, they were transitioning from the 7 to 7-1/3 octave keyboard compass. The two longer models in the line, C (7”-5”) and D (8’-10”) had already moved to the new keyboard making this one of the last 85-key pianos Steinway built.

“The Instrument of the Immortals“.

The best of both worlds – a common question is whether it is preferable to buy a new Steinway & Sons piano or a preowned one. Or, is a fully rebuilt instrument better than a new one? This 1879 Steinway model B grand piano was built during Steinway’s “Golden era” and is one of the finest musical instruments ever crafted in human history. It was originally built by the 2nd-generation Steinway family in their New York City factory. This was solidly in the Victorian Era in England that was known for its beautiful architecture, advancement of engineering and technology, and exotic furniture and fashion design. Some of these design elements made it “across the pond” and into American manufacturers who were building upscale and interesting pianos.

The piano was completely restored recently, including receiving a new soundboard which is beyond the normal scope of a restoration. A sizable number of musicians and piano technicians believe a fully rebuilt “vintage” Steinway sounds better than a new one. Also, owning a historical piece of Americana can certainly be romantic and alluring. It isn’t a secret that preowned Steinway & Sons pianos that have been professionally restored are the biggest competition to the sale of exorbitantly priced brand new models.

The early history of Steinway & Sons is fascinating, and is intimately connected to the history of New York City.

This model B 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, it radiates plenty of tonal color. It is due to their combination of harmonics that distinguishes Steinways from other makers. The duration of tone (sustain time) is lengthy, which enables legato phrases to be performed musically. 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.

Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to tradespeople who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The royal warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the issuer of the royal warrant; thus lending prestige to the supplier. In 1890, Steinway received their first Royal Warrant. It was from Queen Victoria of England and later by the Prince of Wales. In subsequent years Steinway was granted royal and imperial warrants from the rulers of Italy, Norway, Persia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey.

The Steinway & Sons infamous WW-1 soundboard decal

Manufacturers by Appointment to:

His Majesty William II – German Emperor & King of Prussia

His Majesty Edward VII – King of Great Britain & Emperor of India

His Majesty Nicholas II – Czar of Russia

His Majesty Umberto I – King of Italy

His Majesty Alfonzo XIII – King of Spain

His Majesty Albert – King of Saxony

His Majesty Franz Joseph I – Emperor of Austria & King of Hungary

Her Majesty Maud – Queen of Norway

His Majesty Oscar II – King of Sweden

His Majesty Abdul Hamid II – Sultan of Turkey

And other Distinguished Royalties.

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 24 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 a concert performance.

Steinway & Sons is the piano that every other is judged by. They are handcrafted and took a full year to build. The Steinway company has held nearly all of the important patents in the industry and until the sale of the company in 1972, the family 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 B grand piano is the favorite model of serious classical pianists, recording or teaching studios and small recital halls.

The fallboard protects the precious keys, and the lid protects the internal workings when not in use.

Yamaha Classic Collection 5’-7” Living Room Grand Piano.

  The mid-size G2 provides sufficient power for louder play without overwhelming the surroundings and any loss of clarity. This Yamaha model G2 grand piano was purchased here in Albuquerque in 1975 at the authorized Yamaha dealership, Paul Muench Studios on south San Mateo Blvd. SE. As a result, it is happily acclimated and well-adjusted to our unique climate and the piano has had a very stable, serene and peaceful life here in Albuquerque. Pianos that have been moved a lot have more tumultuous lives and it usually shows in their internal anatomy. There is very little wear in the piano’s action and it’s obvious this low mileage piano wasn’t played very much. It is in excellent condition – structurally and aesthetically and the instrument should provide decades of musical pleasure and enjoyment. We will be happy to offer a two-year warranty. The original matching duet bench with music storage is included and so is local first-floor delivery.

This instrument has the classic Yamaha tone-quality that the company has made their well-earned reputation on. It has a wide dynamic range and will play very quietly (pianissimo) through very loudly (fortissimo). The harmonic content (timbre) isn’t too bright nor is it too mellow and it is fairly uniform from section to section. Some Yamaha models are thought to be too bright or harmonic rich, but this one has more of an American tone-quality, meaning left of center mellow with a strong bass response and a singing treble. Worn hammers are often the culprit with bright Yamaha’s. That certainly isn’t the case here. The duration of tone (sustain) is substantial which lends itself to classical music and standards. The attack isn’t percussive but more of a rounded one that once again, is more of an American quality. The touch is classic Yamaha, as well, very responsive, balanced and even, that will permit the pianist to play emotively and express themselves in their music. The middle pedal is a true Sostenuto for the more advanced and knowledgeable pianist. It is a wonderful instrument to sit down, relax and enjoy.

Yamaha pianos are well-known for their excellent engineering and design plus rigid quality controls in manufacturing. The G-series models (G1, G2 and G3) were built in the main factory in Hamamatsu, Japan where their more desirable models are built. Based on sales, this line of pianos is arguably among the most popular in the long history of grand piano building worldwide. The Yamaha piano-action is universally praised by musicians and technicians alike. Artists endorsements are numerous with Elton John coming to mind. Many colleges and universities have become “All-Yamaha Schools” as an attraction to potential students desiring quality pianos to practice and perform on during their studies.

In Institutional settings, Yamaha pianos are well-known for being reliable low maintenance instruments requiring fewer tunings, repairs and regulation. This appeals to music department budgets. Current new Yamaha models have become very expensive for a variety of reasons including rising labor rates, costs of materials and unfavorable currency exchange rates so that makes this piano an excellent value comparatively, with other Japanese-built Yamaha pianos.

Built in the Czech Republic.

  Petrof instruments are exceptional, revealing a round and romantic timbre in the purest European tradition. This Petrof model 131 Concert Upright is a superb piano with remarkable clarity and modern and refined aesthetics. Expressive with a wide dynamic range and a lovely palette of colors, it would be an excellent choice for a Conservatory or a private studio. Petrof pianos are known for their warm, rich European overall tone quality, full of color and a clear singing treble tone. They don’t necessarily have the tonal power and projection American pianos strive for though. But they excel at classical music with their darker, more mellow tone that “stresses the fundamental pitch” and attenuates the overtone structure normally associated with Asian pianos. They are ideal for Mozart and Beethoven. Someone with a “jazzier” taste in music would probably be better off with a different piano.

The model 131 features the high-performance German designed and manufactured Louis Renner piano-action that permits the musician to fulfill themselves passionately and push their pianistic limits. Renner is only available for their larger uprights and larger grand pianos. Whereas nearly every other manufacturer’s strings randomly pass over a rounded Capo d’ astra bar, the model 131 has eighty-eight separate agraffes for permanent, ideal string spacing. The vast majority of pianos built today are in polished ebony, this is a unique polished walnut finish with an interesting vertical grain structure. It is more forgiving of dust, finger prints and minor “cobweb” scratches. The middle pedal is equipped with a Muffler function for quiet practice. The music desk is sturdy for large, heavy music books with a long sheet music lip to spread out musical scores. The original adjustable Artist bench is included. It is an elite bench built by the Italian company, Discacciati for some of the finest European pianos.

At the time this model was built, there was a huge currency advantage for Czech Republic factories in all industries because they were not yet on the Euro currency. However, when fully regulated and prepped Petrof pianos could hold their own in comparison to more well-known high-end German piano manufacturers. At the time, labor rates were very low and there were no duty taxes to pay. The price of these pianos was only a fraction of that of other European instruments and sometimes even less expensive than pianos from Japan. This is no longer the case. Economic conditions have changed dramatically and the current model has a full MSRP of $50,644. Current Petrof model P 131 Concert Upright Piano.

The Petrof Piano Co. was established in 1864 by Antonin Petrof, born at Hrádec Kralové, Czechoslovakia in 1839. Antonin learned piano building from his uncle in Vienna and returned home to build his own pianos. The Czechs have long been known for their musical instrument building skills and vibrant music industry. The company grew and over the years moved into larger facilities and acquired other plants. Upright pianos came along in 1883 followed by player pianos. Family members began participating in the business. Antonin, Jr. joined the firm in 1908; Vladimir in 1914. Antonin, Sr. lived until 1915. Younger Petrofs Ivan and Dimitrij apprenticed in 1928. The company prospered and their pianos consistently earned prizes at international exhibitions. They embraced the advancement of technology and production became more sophisticated.

1939 brought WWII and the factory converted to war production and afterward in 1947 the State Ministry of Industry took over the company. All businesses in Czechoslovakia were nationalized this way and the Petrof family was forced out. Antonin, Jr. passed away in 1964 after his release from Communist imprisonment. With the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and the fall of the Soviet Union afterward, many state-run factories were able to become private businesses again. Fourth-generation Jan, son of Dimitrij, initiated the privatization process in 1991 in order to reclaim the company and in 2001 the factory was successfully passed into the hands of the Petrof family as the fifth generation was also admitted.

Petrof pianos were first imported into the US in 1985 by Geneva International based in Wheeling, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Initially, they had a difficult time convincing piano dealers to carry a piano brand built in a communist country. Geneva’s response was “I’d argue that Czechs were not communists but rather were an invaded nation.” The tumbling of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 resulted in an independent Czech Republic and the Petrof piano began receiving the appreciation as a high-end piano it sorely deserved.

“When properly prepared, they are a very good value.”

Larry Fine

Author, The Piano Book

Sturdy music desk to accommodate large books and long musical scores.