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Joined: Mar 2006
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I love the sound of American made Baldwin grands, especially the larger ones. Warm yet powerful. Very responsive. I haven’t played the Chinese made Baldwin’s. I know I’m an old fuddy duddy and I should probably get a stern lecture from Norbert but a Chinese made Baldwin seems like a sacrilege. I came across a pretty good deal on a later model Baldwin R (226/Art-Case/Queen-Ann) from around 1998/99. And, I have enjoyed it a lot. To be only 5'8", the low bass sounds pretty rich. Not like an L or SF-10 or SD-10 by any means, but still pretty deep and rich for a 5'8" baby grand. It plays well and sounds well to my untrained hands and ears (in spite of the Mexican action  ). I've had several people to offer to buy it from me, but my late wife, Barbara, liked the piano and said she didn't want me to sell it. So, it's a keeper for that reason, if nothing else. Rick ![[Linked Image]](http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/gallery/42/medium/6540.jpg)
Piano enthusiast and amateur musician: "Treat others the way you would like to be treated". Yamaha C7. YouTube Channel
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Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 14,266
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A M is a surprisingly good small grand.
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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 6,676
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Lovely looking piano Rickster. It is also good to see Barbara's piano
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,263
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Rickster - again condolences on your loss of your wonderful wife and of course you should keep the piano as she wished. Thank you for sharing that your more recent Baldwin sounds really nice and that could move me out of my silly ways. Likely I’ll never get to own another Baldwin old or new.
J & J Estonia L190 Hidden Beauty Casio Privia PX-330 My piano’s voice is beautiful!
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 4,884
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Lovely looking piano Rickster. It is also good to see Barbara's piano Indeed. It's lovely to see such a special instrument.
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 137
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Rickster,
It could be a trick of the camera angle or photographic distortion, but the fall-board on that piano looks unusually tall. Is it like that in real life?
Peter 1949 Baldwin M currently working on Brahms op. 10 Ballades, f-minor sonata and 2nd concerto Mendelssohn Songs Without Words and E minor Prelude and Fugue whatever strikes my fancy today.
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6,125
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OP
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Lovely looking piano Rickster. It is also good to see Barbara's piano Indeed! 
“If it sounds good, it IS good.” ― Duke Ellington!
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6,125
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OP
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my late wife, Barbara, liked the piano.... So, it's a keeper for that reason, if nothing else. No better reason than that! I have a similar sentimental attachment to my Baldwin M. I strongly suspect that I'll get another piano at some point, but I will never let this one go. And no reason to anyway, because it's a pretty nice piano.
“If it sounds good, it IS good.” ― Duke Ellington!
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 6,125
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OP
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Retsacnal, I have never played a Baldwin or an M&H .Have you got a picture of your Baldwin piano ? It would be great to see ! There's a picture of it in one of my earliest posts: http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthre...ome-and-thanks-everyone.html#Post2161515There are some others. People used to do holiday threads in which we'd post pictures with decorations, but those aren't as easy to find. I have this book about pianos and of course it mentions Baldwin . One day we will vacation in the States and then I intend to try these pianos. Be careful: you might discover you can't live without one!  There are many nice piano brands out there (of course).
“If it sounds good, it IS good.” ― Duke Ellington!
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Joined: Aug 2018
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How would you describe the Baldwin tone ? Warm is usually how American pianos are described. Is possible to compair to other well known pianos? It would be nice if more posted pictures of Baldwin pianos. I think I once saw a picture of a piano room with a Baldwin .I cannot really remember? It could have been Retsacnal.
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Joined: Aug 2018
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Oh yes there it is ,wonderful?
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Joined: Oct 2012
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Oh yes there it is ,wonderful? I saw your question at the bottom of page 1, and answered, "I just posted a link above." Then that posted on page 2, and I saw your comment above... 
“If it sounds good, it IS good.” ― Duke Ellington!
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 4,263
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Bruce Hornsby was a Baldwin artist. You could download some of his older recordings. And of course there’s Liberace!
J & J Estonia L190 Hidden Beauty Casio Privia PX-330 My piano’s voice is beautiful!
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Joined: Oct 2009
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LivingPianos has several Baldwin’s in stock. If you click on the link the owner and resident pianist plays the piano and talks about the sound.
J & J Estonia L190 Hidden Beauty Casio Privia PX-330 My piano’s voice is beautiful!
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,117
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Rickster,
It could be a trick of the camera angle or photographic distortion, but the fall-board on that piano looks unusually tall. Is it like that in real life? Not aware of any camera trick or photo-shop or distortion on/in that photo. It could be the camera angle, I suppose. Here are a couple more pics. The fall-board does have the rectangular/squared off front edge, (as does the front side of the wood cabinet) and not the curved front edge like the Yamahas and many other brands of pianos. I took these pictures after I had just had the piano delivered and had not cleaned it up well yet. You can see a lot of dust on lyre. Rick ![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/lxgoAWV.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/r81coB7.jpg)
Piano enthusiast and amateur musician: "Treat others the way you would like to be treated". Yamaha C7. YouTube Channel
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Joined: Oct 2012
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I would have loved to have purchased a new Baldwin Grand if they had still been made here in the USA. My very first piano was a Baldwin spinet. Iy had beautiful tone and kept its tune really well.
Barbara ...without music, no life...
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Joined: Aug 2018
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Listening to that youtube clip all I can say amazing sound .Yes I would say warm tone ,with a sparkling treble as well . To me I would say clarity as well but never" cold ". No wonder people love these pianos ! Retsacnal ,you went on a real hunt to find your wonderful piano. Enjoyed reading it all .There is nothing quite as unique as seaching for a piano .Its almost like being slightly high for weeks ! Then their were people like Apple and Marty who I used to read all those months when I was on my search .I agree one should really treasure those Baldwins . As to your "Hidy Hole" statement, well there is always" better ",don't tell me ,I know !!!! Thanks enjoyed reading and listening ! Sometimes I dream about writing a book about pianos, as though the world needs another book about pianos!
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Joined: May 2008
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I am also the proud owner of an American made Baldwin. I looked at quite a few pianos before deciding that the Baldwin R was the model for me. I played 4 or 5 before purchasing the 2000 model shown below. They all sounded great to me, but I really liked the satin mahogany finish on this one. If you are interested in how it sounds there are several recent videos on my YouTube channel linked in my signature. ![[Linked Image]](http://forum.pianoworld.com//gallery/42/full/11243.jpeg)
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 124
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We only had a chance to play a Baldwin one time. But it was a memorable experience.
In 1987 we stopped in Connecticut to drop off our 8 year old (she just turned 40 last month!) at my parents home on our way to the Salzburg Festival (our first and only time there). While visiting, my brother ask me whether I would like to visit one of their friends, Dave and Iola Brubeck at their home, which was not far away. My brother and his then wife got to know the Brubecks through their son Chris and his then wife because they were in the same Lamaze class. We stopped by the Brubeck's home and Dave and Iola were extremely gracious, and Dave showed us the composition he was working on for the Pope's visit to the US and the Mass he would give later that year in the Giants' ball park near San Francisco. He also invited my wife to play his Baldwin grand. Dave didn't play for us, but my wife got to play some Chopin which was quite a thrill. We stayed much of the afternoon at the Brubecks as Dave went through the details of his compositional techniques for the pieces he was composing. Most of you know the Dave studied with the great French composer Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland, CA and named his first son after Milhaud.
I saw a link to a youtube on another thread where a young man was playing Brubeck's piano which was at a music store. I don't know whether it was the same one that was in his home over 30 years ago.
Boesendorfer 225 (1985) Yamaha S400E (predecessor to CF4) Disklavier (1992)
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Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 6,676
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Oh yes there it is ,wonderful? Sorry it was NOT a question. The question mark was not meant, it was a MISTAKE. It was supposed to be an exclamation mark .
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