The USA only sells about 35,000 pianos per year. The Chinese domestic piano market is approximately 350,000 pianos annually – which accounts for 80% of the world’s new piano market. TD: The global piano market has changed dramatically. GB: What prompted the change to build pianos in China? We may have different suppliers for some parts, but they are all built to Baldwin specifications. TD: We still use all maple parts in our actions, and the last change in the vertical action design came in 2002 when we altered the balance rail for faster repetition. GB: Are there some features like hammers or strings that are the same brand 20 years ago that are still used on today’s pianos? This is a hydraulic system that allows you to lift the heavy grand lid with 2 fingers and makes opening and closing the lid on these pianos much easier and safer. The BP178, BP190, and the coming BP211 Grand models all feature the new slow close Magic Lid. This allows us to offer that capability without sacrificing the middle pedal. TD: Baldwin Verticals now have added the felt-strip mute rail or quiet play feature on a small lever on the lower part of the cabinet. GB: What are some new upgrades that the old Baldwins didn’t have? All Baldwin verticals are equipped with a functional middle pedal that is a bass sustain. Baldwin verticals have a strong 5 post backframe, wet-sand cast plates, complete with Baldwin full blow action, and are now using Accu-just hitchpins ~ a way to accurately apply downbearing to the bridge from the string hitch. The grands feature all-maple inner and outer rims, wet sand cast plates as well as solid Sitka spruce soundboards, Abel hammers, duplex scaling, and real ebony sharp keys. TD: The new BP (Baldwin Professional) Series Grands are done with the same “level” of materials that we traditionally used in Baldwin Artist Grands. GB: What are some of the features that are unique to Baldwin that are implemented into current designs? The new Baldwin Professional Series Grands have cabinets that were modeled after the most recent version of Baldwin Artist Grands (M1, R1, L1) that received that cosmetic makeover in the year 2000. The Hamilton studio piano (B243) is the latest version of our institutional vertical, and the model B252 is the updated version of the Concert Vertical (Model 6000). Tom Dorn: These furniture models (B342 & B442) are updated versions of the old Acrosonic pianos and have identical cabinets. Glen Barkman: Tom, they look identical to pianos I used to sell. Baldwin, in my opinion has always captured the essence of American décor. As I approached the Baldwin booth, I couldn’t believe how the cabinets were identical looking on some of the models from decades ago. But I was equally curious to know what elements have stayed the same. At the NAMM trade show this year, I caught up with Tom Dorn (pictured on the right) as I was curious how Baldwin has changed over the last few years knowing that they had been sold to Gibson Guitar Corporation in 2001 and in 2008, moved manufacturing to China. They have been around since 1862 and were at one point the largest piano manufacturer in North America. In fact, my first job involving pianos was in the local Baldwin dealership. If you live in North America, you’ll surely be aware that Baldwin is a household name.
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