Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
If they could ever get back on their feet, is there any possible way they could bring back the Hamilton models/designs from the 1950s to early 1960s? Those have been some of the best verticals under 48" I have played. I don't care nearly so much for the newer ones, though, especially mid 1980s forward.
1950 (#144211) Baldwin Hamilton 1956 (#167714) Baldwin Hamilton You can right-click my avatar for an option to view a larger version.
I have a 6000 (big vertical) from the early 90's that I think is a wonderful instrument. I'm selling it to a (lucky) friend as I take delivery of my rebuilt Baldwin C. I also think their smaller 243's are excellent.
The grands will still be around for rebuilding. I've seen at least three different rebuilders selling them, so don't dash those dreams yet. (Charles, Dennis!)
Norbert: vague negative comments like yours didn't help either. Yes, it's been hard to find nice Baldwin's on showroom floors lately. Put your brands back in your sig.
I knew it was over when I saw the stupid paint jobs...
-Nocty Not in the piano business. 1906 Baldwin C rebuilt 2008
Originally posted by NoctuGranes: I have a 6000 (big vertical) from the early 90's that I think is a wonderful instrument. I'm selling it to a (lucky) friend as I take delivery of my rebuilt Baldwin C. I also think their smaller 243's are excellent.
The grands will still be around for rebuilding. I've seen at least three different rebuilders selling them, so don't dash those dreams yet. (Charles, Dennis!)
Norbert: vague negative comments like yours didn't help either. Yes, it's been hard to find nice Baldwin's on showroom floors lately. Put your brands back in your sig.
I knew it was over when I saw the stupid paint jobs...
I have to agree, when I saw some of the crazy cabinets they were coming out with I figured they were grasping at straws.
I worked for a dealer selling Baldwin pianos in the early 80s. They were in Avon CT (high-rent district). Sold a lot of pianos because they were the "accent" needed for the room (usually chosen by the decorator). Mostly the R.
We also kept the local concert piano for artist playing in the Hartford area. They were still highly regarded pianos back then.
Hate to see them stop completely, then we lose another vernerable old brand.
My Keyboards: Estonia L-190, Roland RD88, Yamaha P-80, Bilhorn Telescope Organ c 1880, Antique Pump Organ, 1850 concertina, 3 other digital pianos ------------------------- My original piece on BandCamp: https://frankbaxtermrpianoworld.bandcamp.com/releases
Me banging out some tunes in the Estonia piano booth at the NAMM show...
OH NO!!!! Balwin was on my top three list for acoustic pianos.
Well I guess that narrows the choices down...
sadness
“The doubters said, "Man cannot fly," The doers said, "Maybe, but we'll try," And finally soared in the morning glow while non-believers watched from below.†― Bruce Lee
I agree with a suggestion made by Noctugranes. Norbert: I very much enjoy your posts, but you should put your brands back in your signature line. I looked up your site, and you sell some wonderful brands, but it would be helpful to have this information included up front. The fact that you sell competing brands is useful information. It does not, of course, necessarily undercut the accuracy of what you say, but it is information worth having when weighing competing views. By the way, I believe that all dealers should include this information in their signature lines, for the same reason.
I am also sad about Baldwin. I hope that the glorious American piano tradition can continue in the few wonderful brands still being made and sold, and that there are no nasty surprises ahead as we all try to weather this economic catastrophe.
Originally posted by Piano World: I worked for a dealer selling Baldwin pianos in the early 80s. They were in Avon CT (high-rent district).
We also kept the local concert piano for artist playing in the Hartford area. They were still highly regarded pianos back then.
Hate to see them stop completely, then we lose another vernerable old brand.
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Baldwins. Taught at the local studios (Boston north) for about 15 yrs. Had about 40 students so got to play a lot of Baldwins. Same era Frank!
North Shore studio carried the concert grand (for concerts) so loved playing it when time allowed. I rushed to it after a Chuck Mangione concert (to play where his fingers touched!!!) Told the owners not to wipe down the keys and 'others' might get a thrill too!
(Dont' laugh - I've come a long way since then!!!)
Sad to hear of this plant closing.
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything."
A very sad day for the piano industry indeed. My aunt had a Baldwin grand that I loved to play as a kid-- I'd visit her house to play the "real" piano (we had a spinet at home) and it was there I first got a sense of how really "grand" a piano could be.
We can only hope the remaining American piano makers continue and weather this economic crisis. For those around here who seem to look for every opportunity to pull down Steinway-- be careful what you wish for.
There are a lot of speculations out there. I can assure you that Baldwin is not gone forever, but, a bit of changes are sorely needed. I still believe in Baldwin and know that we will work through this.
The demise of Baldwin is devastating news. Sadly, this is probably a predictable turn of events when a venerable piano maker is moved south for cheaper labor rates while leaving many of its master craftsmen behind; principles of soap manufacturing are methodically applied to piano building; the operation is then run by a guitar company; the guitar company refuses to honor prior Baldwin warranties to ingratiate itself with its loyal customer base; an effective and successful dealership network is jettisoned by "management"; instruments become mere "units" in the eyes of the strummers; resources are squandered on the side-shows of Wurlitzer and faux-Chickering pianos; suggested retail prices are raised into the stratosphere with previously successful discounting strategies abandoned; and Mason & Hamlin is passively allowed to displace Baldwin as principal domestic competitor to NY Steinway. This is usually not the way it's taught in business school. But heck, what do I know? I'm just a Baldwin pianist playing a Model L Artist Grand.
Maybe they'll come back. They went bankrupt twice before, right? Anyone know if they stopped production at those times? It just seems hard for me to imagine that there isn't demand for the artist grands at least.
And it seemed like they had a good market niche: they were the 'Americana' brand, the pop and folk acoustic piano. Steinway and MasonHamlin just don't have that profile. Who is going to fill that niche??
Semi-pro pianist Tuesdays 5-8 at Vince's West Sacramento, California
Ric, if the owners want Baldwin to retain/regain its status, they might want to think thru what would be needed, to retain/regain their dealer network.
Wow, this is terrible news. I'm grateful to have this forum as a place to share my sadness. I fell in love with Baldwins when I took lessons in the late 70's; my teacher had a couple Baldwin Hamiltons in his studio. I bought a new Hamilton in 2001 and absolutely love it. Then I bought a 1995 Baldwin L 6'2" grand last year, and love it as well. I can't say I'm surprised that they closed the Trumann factory. When they raised prices through the roof I found it hard to imagine them competing with some of the very good pianos coming out of China, especially Broadmann. I was in San Diego about a year ago and I met Ric Overton at his PianoSD store. Like me, Ric is a true Baldwin lover. In addition to Baldwins, he sells Brodmann. He let me practice at his store every day, and let me use a Brodmann grand for a little concert I gave for some friends. It was amazingly good, especially for the price. He also had an incredibly well prepped new Baldwin L that was probably the best L I have ever played. But even so, if I were in the market for a new grand, I would find it hard to justify paying so much more for an L over the Brodmann. So, Norbert, you were right in your predictions, but have a little sympathy for those of us who feel like we have lost an old friend. Larry
An Aeolian-like rebirth for Baldwin as a stencil piano would be a fate worse than death. Samick can't make a decent piano with its own name on the fall board never mind make a real upper tier high-performance piano. What would benefit Baldwin would be a U.S. private investor rescue opportunity similar to that given to Mason & Hamlin.