|
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!
|
|
75 members (bluebilly, accordeur, BillS728, aphexdisklavier, bobrunyan, anotherscott, AaronSF, apianostudent, 16 invisible),
2,119
guests, and
357
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159 |
1987 6'10" Schimmel C-208.
Scott Las Vegas, NV
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,178
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,178 |
Marty in Minnesota
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 476
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 476 |
Piano self teaching on and off from 2002-2008. Took piano instruction from Nov 2008- Feb 2011. Took guitar instruction Feb 2011-Jul 2013. Can't play either. Living, breathing proof some people aren't cut out to make music.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 476
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 476 |
The Trumann factory is shutting down, not all of Baldwin.
Piano self teaching on and off from 2002-2008. Took piano instruction from Nov 2008- Feb 2011. Took guitar instruction Feb 2011-Jul 2013. Can't play either. Living, breathing proof some people aren't cut out to make music.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,477 |
I think Gibson is making a big mistake. I just hope that they have the foresight to keep the factory in working condition until the economic situation changes so they can reopen when needed.
Recordings of my recent solo piano and piano/keyboard trio jazz standards.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,199
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 11,199 |
And then there were three. What a shame.
Piano Industry Consultant
Co-author (with Larry Fine) of Practical Piano Valuation www.jasonsmc@msn.com
Contributing Editor & Consultant - Acoustic & Digital Piano Buyer
Retired owned of Jasons Music Center Maryland/DC/No. VA Family Owned and Operated Since 1937.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,126
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,126 |
This is very sad. I really love Baldwin artist grands. I always figured that if/when I upgraded to a bigger piano it would be a Baldwin. I guess that dream is now gone. I wonder if they will try to produce them in China, or if they are just gone away.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,163
6000 Post Club Member
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,163 |
No financial bailouts for the piano industry, I reckon. Dang. Steven
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,864
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,864 |
Does this mean we will see Dong-baldwins? (Dongbei) Or is the grand production moving to Gibson's?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 316
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 316 |
Very SAD INDEED!!! I agree that the Baldwin Artist grands are a pianos! Terry C.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 316
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 316 |
Meant to say that Baldwin Artist grands are great pianos! Sorry!
Terry C.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,126
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,126 |
Originally posted by Bob: Does this mean we will see Dong-baldwins? (Dongbei) Or is the grand production moving to Gibson's? Dongwin? Baldbei? Hmm . . . you may be onto something there. Gibson Artist Grands produced in Nashville.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,621
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,621 |
I recently visited a dealer who carried new Baldwins, he only sold a few in over a year. The uprights were almost pathetic, the grands just soso. Needless to say such meagre efforts are not enough in today's world of super competitive piano making. Laugh all you want, but some of the better Chinese today would be sounding like Premium pianos besides some of the recent Baldwins I saw. Feeling like the German soldier in the Normandy shouting "the Allies are coming" I was heavily ridiculed here only few years ago when pointing out the mass of new Chinese pianos coming onto market, many of which started to impress with a tone quality never seen [heard] before. Instead of being accused of 'promoting Chinese pianos' - as I inevitably was quickly after - the smart ones in the industry should have recognized mine as well as those of many other industry professionals at least a bit of a warning that things were perhaps changing out there and to be on the look out for themselves. I can only hope we'll do better with our own auto industry next... Nostalgia and wishful thinking won't cut it any longer. There will be more piano makers that will have to go - better brace yourself for some more unexpected moves and surprises in the near future. Norbert
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 496
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 496 |
This is stunning... Now Baldwin is not making pianos in the United States?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159 |
So at what year of manufacturing of Baldwin did they turn from great or good pianos to poor pianos? I only ask because a used 6' baldwin is in the mix of pianos that I'm considering for a Christmas present for my wife. I'm also looking at used Knabe's and Yamaha's as well.
1987 6'10" Schimmel C-208.
Scott Las Vegas, NV
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 255
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 255 |
I am very sad. Both as a former employee and as a dealer.
Ric Overton
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,163
6000 Post Club Member
|
6000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,163 |
Originally posted by Swell-Gulbransen: So at what year of manufacturing of Baldwin did they turn from great or good pianos to poor pianos? I only ask because a used 6' baldwin is in the mix of pianos that I'm considering for a Christmas present for my wife. I'm also looking at used Knabe's and Yamaha's as well. What Norbert said is the first I've heard of any descent into "poor" or "pathetic" territory, and he doesn't make clear just what the problems were, i.e., whether they were built badly or just poorly prepped. Originally posted by Ric Overton: I am very sad. Both as a former employee and as a dealer. Ric, do you have any further information about what happens to the Artist Grands now? Unfortunately, that article in the Trumann newspaper is the only mention I could find so far in the media when I googled this sad announcement. Steven
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 159 |
I was at a local Baldwin dealer here in Las Vegas this afternoon. That is were I heard about it. Steinway and Yamaha are their main lines however.
1987 6'10" Schimmel C-208.
Scott Las Vegas, NV
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,336
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,336 |
Pretty remarkable that in a country of 300 million a company making pianos with less than 100 employees and a brand as valuable as Baldwin can't sell enough to pay the rent. Even if the economy's bad you'd think they could sell the required few hundred pianos per year nationwide. Plenty of European companies manage to do it, as someone said over in another thread.
It makes me sad too. I always thought I'd get a Baldwin grand someday. With also the news from the auto industry I have the feeling we Americans just don't have things together these days.
Semi-pro pianist Tuesdays 5-8 at Vince's West Sacramento, California
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 447
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 447 |
Will Gibson honor warranties on the new pianos that dealers will sell off now?
Continuing parts availability?
Maybe there are some deals to be had?
Baldwin M Casio PX-330 Casio AP-45
|
|
|
|
|
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,408
Posts3,349,457
Members111,637
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|