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The dealer I bought from sold both Baldwins and Kawai. For the class I wanted to purchase, the Baldwin had more features and resonated with us overall. It's a great piano irrespective of its origins. Also, some have discussed the dot on the "I" and it actually, does not have a dot or a "c" in short, I think they're coming back.

I asked Baldwin for clarification. They supplied the following:

The only model that is an actual copy of a US built Baldwin is the 52” vertical model B252. That one copied the old Baldwin 6000 right down to and including the accu-just hitch pins. The 342 and 442 share the cabinet design and action design with the former US Acrosonic models 2096 and 2090 respectively, however the scale for the backframe is slightly different. Similarly, the B243 is designed to look just like the former US built Hamilton 243, but it is built on a 47” scale as opposed to the 45” scale that the old model used. As universally popular as the old 243 has been, I believe most would pick the new B243 in a blind test today. The B49 is actually the same piano mechanically as our model BH125 that is in a slightly less expensive cabinet. The cabinet on the B49 is just made for the US market and is modeled after the former US built model 248.

The new BP model grands use completely different scale designs from our US built Artist Grands. It would have been a more difficult project to move the old equipment and tooling that was used on those pianos, plus there is the possibility that someday Baldwin might again build those pianos in very limited numbers. What the BP Grands share with the Artist Grands is the same level of materials – maple inner and outer rims, wet-sand cast plates, solid high grade sitka spruce soundboards, Abel hammers, real ebony sharps, etc. They too have been styled with a classic Baldwin look to the music rack, legs, and side arms.

So what we are doing is building a similar level piano at a more affordable price, but not the exact same pianos.

Congratulations Steve and best of luck. I genuinely hope you rebuild the Baldwin name in this area. It would be good for everyone in the piano industry. I especially hope you do well with the American made Baldwins. The idea of Baldwin making pianos in the U.S. again is great. Actually, the idea of anything being made in this country would be great, but I digress.

Seriously, good luck Steve.

Meaning supposedly "previously" U.S. made Artists Grands.
Which factory is making Baldwin pianos in U.S. today?
Not aware of any.



Sounding close to Brodmann specs. In fact heard the grands are actually made by Parsons.
Should be pretty good then....

Norbert

You are correct. There is no current US production. But the factory is there, fully equipted and waiting....

Hopefully the pin blocks have been improved!

The Jasons's Music site includes the following in its write-up of Baldwin pianos:

"Since its gala opening nearly three decades ago, Baldwin has played a key role at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Today, Baldwin pianos are used for a variety of orchestral, ensemble and choral performances at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, Opera House, Eisenhower Theater and Terrace Theater.

"For more than 60 years, Baldwin has been honored to share the stage at a variety of Tanglewood’s orchestral and chamber music concerts, instrumental and vocal recitals, student performances, the Festival of Contemporary Music, and performances by both popular and jazz artists. Through the years, Baldwin also has been the piano of choice for many of Tanglewood’s visionary leaders. For more information about Tanglewood visit the BSO's website."

Putting aside the grammatical error in the first sentence of the quotation, I am having a bit of a problem with the write-up on the Jasons's Music site (which I expect is at least somewhat derived from the new Baldwin's own materials). Are the pianos being produced now really the same as the ones that have, for more than 60 years, graced various concert stages and been adopted by Baldwin Artists? Steve Cohen's own information from the manufacturer, quoted by him in this thread, seems to indicate that they are not. Yes, the brand name is the same, but are the pianos? I also looked in vain for information in this write-up on where the pianos are made. If I missed this information, I apologize, but I could not spot it at the Baldwin link. I think that one is likely to conclude from the write-up that "'America's favorite piano'" is made in America.

They may very well be terrific pianos. They will have to earn their status, though, at least in my opinion. And there are many brand names that have been purchased and applied to pianos made in different locations and by different processes from their locations and processes in the old days. It's a puzzlement, though, to anyone who tries to unravel the threads. . . .

Very informative! Thanks.

Baldwins were stocked in the piano shop where my wife worked, teaching in Barrow in Furness, England. And they were my favourite. Now, since you`re on a roll as they say, there may be hope for British Motorcycles . . . .

http://www.bikeexif.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/velocette_venom_thruxton.jpg

Are they going to start building those thumpers again?

That's interesting. And expensive. They're making $0 on it, but it must still have some costs -- property tax, security, utilities, the interest that could have been made on the value of it all.... It sounds like a situation that won't be sustained for long. I hope it ends the good way, with production starting up, rather than just selling everything.

Actually it is staffed with 4 employees. They handle warehousing & distribution, parts, and warranty services.

Ah, that's better. Glad to hear it.

My very first motorcycle was a BSA 441 Victor Special. The one with the chrome and yellow tank. 441 cc's of single cylinder goodness.

I took a leap of faith with the Baldwin product and I am glad I did. For many years I had sold new Kawai products and I would say that the "quality control" that so many people associate with Japanese products is equaled in the Baldwin product today. I have been selling chinese pianos from the early days of chinese products 15 years ago and at that point the jury was out and so was the regulation of most of the products purchased from china. Chinese pianos used to need many man hours to make them a good alternative to used instruments. But today the Chinese assembled pianos are very good and equal to the Japanese assembled pianos as is the case with the Baldwin pianos. There are still a few Chinese made pianos owned by Chinese companies that are still questionable. However, the quality of components in the Baldwin and many other Chinese products meet or exceed the Japanese manufacturers. This is one reason Yamaha has upped its game with the cx series Yamahas adding things like German hammers, German strings, and more crown to the soundboard. The only thing that the Japanese may have had going for them was the brand loyalty and recognition. Now with Baldwin / Gibson ,an American company, in charge of quality control and warranty I see many Baldwins being sold in the upcoming years.

No news here. Just some more Chinese pianos slapping an old brand name on them and trying to profit from its halo. Given the text on the dealer website it can be considered a kind of deceptive marketing practice. There is a sucker born every minute.

"My very first motorcycle was a BSA 441 Victor Special. The one with the chrome and yellow tank. 441 cc's of single cylinder goodness."

It`s so hard not to resond to this. But that`s two postings on the piano site which are now featuring old British Motorbikes. I had a hand in `em both . . . . Sorry Adminy . . .It`ll be steam trains next . . .

Baldwins are manufactured in one of the oldest and most experienced piano factories in China. Rather than "slapping an old brand name on them", Baldwin bought the factory, which was considered one of the best. See: Dongbei Facts and Baldwin Facts.

Today, the designs are unique to Baldwin, and the factory is owned and operated by Baldwin. The quality control is excellent and their instruments serve well in their market segment.

i'm confused. i searched the online Piano Buyer guide for the term "tier" and only one minor reference came up -- no tiered classifications for pianos. by "tier one" are you saying that baldwin will be classified with the highest quality performance grade pianos such as fazioli and steingraeber?

i'm also confused as to how the pianos are categorized on page 44 of the PBG... without a proper matrix these classifications strike me as arbitrary opinion with no quantifiable data to back them up. the accompanying text does little to instill confidence in the classifications. i'm scratching my head over many of the classifications. hopefully the upcoming issue of PBG will correct these vague classifications.

Hi Entheo.

Even though I am was and am part of the team that helped evolve the "Map", I can easily understand how the chart can be confusing. It is a very difficult and complex issue.

My best suggestion is that you re-read the first few paragraphs of the introduction to the Ma on Page 44. Introduction to the Map

Viewing the Map in that frame of reference denoted in those paragraphs may help.