Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Piano making alive and well at Mason & Hamlin!

Today I went on a tour of the Mason & Hamlin factory in Haverhill, MA with my piano teacher and students of Seacoast Academy of Music of North Hampton, NH. Our tour lasted nearly 3 hours as we went from floor to floor learning how they build a piano. It was very exciting to see the layers of maple being glued together for an outside rim. And then those glued layers were taken to a rim press and locked in as we watched. Fascinating!!!!! The only disappointment was that they don't really have a showroom at the factory. So, there were no finishd pianos for us to try. I had really hoped to play a modern BB to compare to my vintage one. But otherwise, the tour was everthing I had hoped it would be.

Yes, I took pictures. They are on my iPhone now. I need to transfer them to my laptop and see if I can figure out how to post them here.

As we left they were loading up a finished concert grand to be shipped to the annual meeting of the Piano Technician's Guild. M&H is using W,N,& G carbon fiber hammer shanks. I believe this will be a discussion point at the conference.

Glad you such a great time. I love touring piano manufacturing facilities.

The photos will be great.

It's nice to know that Haverhill is still in Massachusetts, rather than Szechuan! - LOL

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/M&Hsandingaconcertlid.JPG

Sanding the paint on a concert CC lid

http://www.pianoworld.com/Uploads/files/Piano1.JPG

My own 1918 Mason & Hamlin BB

Lucky you! Wasn't it fun?

Great pianos!

Great mfg tour!

PW has had tours there for several years, so some of us were also lucky enough to visit. Pics should still be around in the Tour Section of PW if you'd like to see them.

Tell us more about your 1918 MH when you can. Has it been restored?

I have gushed over my piano in numerous threads here on Piano World. Even I forget in which threads. So, no links to my ramblings.

In short, yes, my piano had just been fully restored when I bought it. It has new "everything". The surprise was that I found it on my first trip to investigate pianos for purchase. I hesitated briefly about buying the first piano I had looked at. But was lucky to go to the shop numerous times to play the piano. I'm totally biased, of course. But, it is a really lovely piano! I am beyond lucky to have it. My luck includes that many area artists looked and played this piano and although very impressed, passed on buying it because it was not a Steinway.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good Steinway too. I just think pianos should be evaluated each in their own right. My recordings do not do it justice. I have yet to find the best microphone position. The best recoding can be found in the latest quarterly recital thread. I'm terrible at making links to things. Sorry.

I could go on and on about the huge dynamic range, the incredible resounding base, the sweet treble. Let's just say that at the time and pretty much ever since, it is the most beautiful piano I have ever played. I have never found myself lusting over any other piano I have played. I describe this piano as wrappyng its arms around you as you play. It is somehow very forgiving yet responsive to your every desire. I am so incredibly lucky to have it.

Great pics, thanks for sharing!