🎹 Chinese Pianos | Essex, Baldwin, Pearl River, Ritmuller | Pianos of the World - EP. 04🎹

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NOTE: A previous version of this video referred to Cunningham Pianos as a 'stencil', implying a rebranding of existing generic / mix-&-match designs by an Asian factory. Cunningham has informed us that the pianos have meaningful and unique design elements that, in our opinion, renders the label 'stencil' inappropriate. We apologize to Cunningham for the previous inaccuracy and invite you to learn more about them here: www.cunninghampiano.com/
#pianos #chinesepianos #baldwin #essex
0:00 - Video Introduction
0:47 - Opening Chinese Made Piano Playing Samples
1:08 - Video Overview
3:38 - Domestic Chinese Made Pianos
4:17 - Stencil Chinese Pianos
4:41 -Chinese/other country collaborations
5:33 - History of Chinese Made Pianos
9:49 Current Domestic Made Chinese Pianos
12:54 - Hailun Made Pianos
13:31 Chinese Stencil Made Piano Industry
14:28 - Chinese Piano Industry Collaborations
18:40 - Top Tier Chinese Made Pianos
19:47 - Regulating/Voicing Chinese Made Pianos
23:15 Closing Playing Sample Fridolin F130
23:38 Closing Playing Sample Essex UPE123
Hello and thanks for being here with us at the Merriam Pianos KZbin channel. Next up in our ongoing series on different piano-producing regions from around the world is China.
Chinese pianos have come a very long way in recent years, and today, more pianos are produced in China than in any other place in the world.
Opening Thoughts
For a long time, Chinese pianos were written off for being lower quality and generally unreliable, not to mention, the somewhat duplicitous practice of stencilling wherein Chinese companies would acquire the rights to venerable brand names of the past and use that branding on a basic, poorly made piano.
Over the past two decades, the overall quality standards are increased dramatically, to the point that the industry doesn’t even remotely resemble what it looked like even 20 years ago.
The Chinese Piano Industry Today
There are three general categories of instruments coming out of China today. The first category would be what we called Organic Producers. These are companies that originated in China, and continue to be driven by Chinese ownership and innovation, producing instruments for domestic and international sales.
The second category would be the Stencil Producers. While the overall quality across the board has increased dramatically in China, this category still represents the lower level of what China is capable of producing.
Thirdly, we have the Hybrid Producers. This category represents a partnership between European and Chinese manufacturers, and the pianos in this category consist of high-quality, low-cost alternatives to fully European instruments.
We’ll cover some examples from each category.
Organic Producers
There is a little-known company called Schuman that got its start in the 1950s in China, and they’re actually still operating today. While not as prominent as some of the other manufacturers, their pianos are available in both China and abroad.
Perzina was originally a highly respected German brand, however a Dutch company resurrected the brand a number of years ago, and Perzina pianos are produced in China and have been a staple of the domestic and international piano markets for several years now.
Pearl River is the largest producer of pianos by volume in the entire world today, and they sell pianos under their own Pearl River branding, Ritmuller and their premium offering is sold under the Kayserburg name. These top instruments are using high-end materials, and advanced designs, and are getting to the point of being on par with Eastern European pianos and entry-level Japanese.
Hailun is another big player, and they’re producing some very high-quality instruments under their own name, as well as for other companies, such as Emerson which is one of the most expensive pianos made in China today.
Hybrid Producers
More and more of these collaborations seem to be popping up every day since pianos from this category keep being received with critical acclaim. Here we typically have European or American manufacturers who in an attempt to augment their product lineup and offer a lower-cost alternative, collaborate with a Chinese company to achieve these ends.
The Fridolin Schimmel is a prime example - Schimmel supplies the designs and some components from Germany, while the manufacturing and assembly of these pianos occur in China.
Essex, sold through Steinway’s dealer network, is another example of Essex pianos being produced by Pearl River based on Steinway designs.

[@MerriamPianos]

Correction: A previous version of this video referred to Cunningham Pianos as a 'stencil', implying a rebranding of existing generic / mix-&-match designs by an Asian factory. Cunningham has informed us that the pianos have meaningful and unique design elements that, in our opinion, renders the label 'stencil' inappropriate. We apologize to Cunningham for the previous inaccuracy and invite you to learn more about them here: www.cunninghampiano.com/

[@CunninghamPiano]

Thank you for the correction, Merriam Music. Other sites that have good information on our pianos include www.pianobuyer.com/ or www.matchlesscunningham.com/.

[@aaabbb-py5xd]

"Century of humiliation"? As a Chinese, I'm pretty sure that that's not a common expression we use. I've only heard of "free world" citizens use this expression, and like you, they usually bring it up as a form of very subtle gloating. After all, that period was rather a century of humiliation for europe, during which orcs gave in to their ape instincts. And to the sympathizers of christianity, uh, yeah, lol, so much for the so called moral authority. Finally, a disclaimer: I want no part of the cheap "wokeness" of the "free world"; to appeal to that would be as dumb as appealing for the "free world" to actually respect "human rights".

[@puputintin5296]

This is such a well researched video. Thank you!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@kailangyu]

Awesome episode. Learned so much. I have family back in Mainland China. So many kids take piano so seriously. Another sign of great things to come…

[@LiquidTurbo]

Amazing video!!! Thank you so much for creating this series. Super quality content

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to tune in! :)

[@robertsnelling]

Thank you Stu for your interesting overview of piano manufacturing in China which it seems has moved forward tremendously in recent years, Highlights of a visit to the Pearl River factory in Guangzhou several years ago showed a great diversity of building recently acquired European piano makers including Schimmel. In Shanghai I came across streets of piano shops representing Kawai and Shigeru Kawai. Parson's piano shops also represented these brands. The popularity of learning the piano in China probably contributes to its increasing production of pianos.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much for tuning in and sharing your insights! China is certainly a thriving market when it comes to both piano playing and piano manufacturing! The manufacturing quality in particular has really been moving forward at an impressive rate in recent years. It is exciting to see what the future holds! :)

[@kimg4589]

I am already a total fan of your comprehensive and honest reviews of pianos but I now have to add to that your well researched knowledge of history. So refreshing to hear a more accurate account of the history of the force used by the British on China.. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised given that I am now a very happy owner of a beautiful piano which came to fruition based on your thorough presentation of the facts behind it. Thank you Stu for what you do and who you are…

[@mygift28]

I’m impressed by your deep knowledge in this area 🎉. Thank you for the high quality content

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you so much for taking the time to check out the video! :)

[@dunnkruger8825]

I learned Lots!

[@MerriamPianos]

We're happy to hear that! :)

[@musicmusic9215]

As a Chinese, I think a good non-Chinese Piano is very expensive for a normal Chinese family considering the averaged family income. I really hope we can produce a competitive piano so that we don't have to buy it from other countries.

[@MerriamPianos]

There are some excellent pianos coming out of China at the moment. The Pearl River and Ritmuller lines for instance offer tremendous cost-to-value ratio and have become quite popular at our showrooms. :)

[@musicmusic9215]

@@MerriamPianos thank you very much for your reply. When I lived in Toronto before, I bought my first piano. It was a new pearl river upright 3300 CAD, I like it. I sold it after 6 years, only get 1500 back. It seems that the reselling value is not good? what if I was a Yamaha piano, do you think how much percentage I can get back if I sell it?

[@RobHoffman83]

Great video. I purchased a new grand a couple of years ago and was really suprised by the quality of the Chinese built. I was torn between the Broadman and a "Hallet Davis" who's harp was stencilled with Pearl River's GP-188A model number. Both felt equal in touch to the used grands (Baldwin L, Kawai) I tested that day. I thought the Broadmann was a little bright for my liking so I chose the Pearl River stencil. My local tech says it's easy to tune. I've had no issues other than 1 sticking damper that took a little time for the tech to fix.

[@jamescapstick9598]

As a teenager in the 60s people said bad things about Japanese quality. But now they judge finest quality against products made there. Same is happening with Chinese goods.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is a very good point! Japanese manufacturing, particularly within the realm of musical instruments, is revered these days. The same is slowly starting to occur with Chinese manufacturing. Piano lines like Pearl River and Ritmuller are reshaping this perception in a powerful and positive way. :)

[@florind_h_g9211]

A comparison between the digital Pearl River models and the traditional high quality brands (Yamaha, Kawai, Roland) would be interesting, I think.

[@Zoco101]

I have a little experience with both Zimmermann and Pearl River pianos. I tested a secondhand upright Pearl River piano (made for Yamaha and with both names on it) about 15 years ago. I liked it, but we couldn't agree the price. I half regretted not buying it, but having had to move home many times since, it's probably just as well I didn't. I noted at the time that Pearl River had bad press, but the action and the sound on the upright I tried were very satisfying. The Zimmerman upright was left in my custody, and for a while I tuned and used it, but I gave up because the action was so slow, and it went out of tune too easily. As a fairly small upright, it didn't sound all that exciting either. The piano had been purchased new around 24 years ago (as of now) and I remember that it had Leipzig (East Germany) on the frame. Certainly, Zimmermann did originate in Leipzig. Whether this whole piano was built and assembled there, I don't know. Later I helped the real owner to sell it rather than buying it myself. Zimmermann has sometimes had good press, but I'm guessing that they either sold the name or started producing more cheap pianos to survive. That's a bit like the Rönisch story I guess. We owned a Rönisch in Australia, made in the 1950s, I'm guessing. It had a beautiful tone and a firm action that helped me to develop a good touch as a child. Later in the UK (maybe 25 years ago) I found some horrible Rönisch pianos. I was advised by a tuner, who owned an nice old Rönisch, that the later ones were truly inferior. I hope that Rönisch has recovered and become a decent brand again, if indeed it still exists.

[@randypiano11]

Way to go Stu!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for supporting the channel! We appreciate it. :)

[@samwang5831]

I had a Ritmueller grand once which was very good value for money. It was less than 1/3 the price of a similar Yamaha from Japan The materials and the overall workmanship was good. I could not find any problem with it but it lacked the character that was typically associated with the famous brands. The big Chinese factories nowadays use state-of-the-art machinery and the emphasis is placed on production efficiency. Even if they finally learn the 'secret sauce' I doubt if they would be interested in spending a lot of time in perfecting a piano. That may change when they manage to establish or acquire a brand that consumers are willing to pay a premium for. Not so long ago there was a rumour that the Chinese was interested in Steinway. Imagine Pearl River churning out Steinways that everyone can afford😁😁

[@binhu2404]

Great video with deep knowledge and insights. It has definitely helped me to move one step closer to making up my mind buying the next piano. I live in China btw, and am thinking of a locally manufactured Yamaha…

[@alanstandsalone2802]

This entire series of the histories of these piano companies was absolutely fantastic and interesting. I would love to see another addition which tells the story of a piano I inherited when purchasing a house. It is a Nordiska Model: 152 C Grand. I understand they originally were manufactured in Sweden but now by DongBei Piano Group Co. of Liaoning, China.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you for the kind words! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed this series! The Nordiska history is also quite an interesting one. Given the amount of compelling stories about so many different brands, we may need to revisit this series in the future. ;)

[@markdickey4212]

Super great video! You know your stuff! I just have one correction on the Baldwin information. Baldwin actually owns their own Upright factory in China. Production of the new versions of the uprights had started before the downfall of the Trumann factory in 2008. Gibson brought us out for a dealer meeting to Trumann in 2007 where they had some samples of the new 243. Parsons is only building their BP series grands.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much for the kind words and thank you for the clarification! This is very helpful and insightful info! All the best! :)

[@aliar11]

Hi Stu, many thanks for yet another great video. I can't wait to see the upcoming episodes (I am assuming there would be an American pianos episode and an East European pianos episode) I am also missing your shoot out videos, so may I be so bold to ask for a few comparisons - maybe you would consider it is worth shooting: - Kawai Cn 29 vs Roland Rp 701 - A Wilhelm Scimmel vs a W Hoffmann - A Zimmerman vs a Fridolin - A Schimmel vs a Shigeru Kawai (this might be particularly interesting as both companies are quite innovative in philosophy) ...just saying... Cheers from Turkey, Ali.

[@aliar11]

I have had the chance to sample a Chinese made pianos. I sampled a Fridolin F123 and simply adored it. It was a good match against a K300. Lovely sound, lovely action. I tried an Essex 118. It was good but not outstanding. I havr sampled a few Pearl River 115's. They simply lacked lower dynamic ranges and the very upper dynamic range (not so surprising for a smaller one). The piano was stuck between mezzo forte and forte ranges - no piano/pianissimos, no fortissimos or triple f's. The actions were not very fluid either. I sampled a Pearl River baby grand and it was pretty ok. It is diffcult to comment on long term reliability though. Anyway, imho they still have room to improve but it is a fact that they have come so far in recent years.

[@kennylu7023]

Great video! If the editor can add the logo of the brand (rather than a quick overall picture of the piano) you are talking about, it will be very helpful!

[@oscarsheen3045]

Review the Roland Fantom 0 series. Especially the Fantom 08? PHA-4 key action.

[@Elazarko]

Hey! Is there going to be a "Studiologic Numa x piano" with the GT400 or TP110 keybed action video coming out soon?

[@DickKincheloe]

Love your videos! I watched about 40 so far. I know this is off topic, but on the Kawai CA59-79, what is the action down weight? I have a 6 year old CLV-545 and the action is really heavy (76-88g). I am defining this weight as the grams to make the key move down, but not play the note. thanks!!!!

[@user-on4kc7nk7k]

Дуже цікаві відео! Дякую вам! Ви не плануєте зробити відео подібного типу про електронні інструменти (фортепіано)?

[@isaacvictor8329]

Anyone tried playing Yangtze River piano? I was impressed with the tone

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I have not personally had an opportunity to try out any pianos from that particular brand.

[@ShirleyKirsten]

Thumbs down to Baldwin 165 grand (China manuf).. After two years, my NEWLY purchased piano needed 88 jack pin replacements. Piano timed out--poor repetitions. Yes write this one off!!! I have a sturdy, time-honored Steinway grand. (vintage and rebuilt) Baldwin also had a substandard Warranty as far as repairs were concerned, and it does NOT transfer its weak Warranty...The Chinese Baldwins have NO resemblance to the original, well-reputed American made Baldwin grands --I am talking design wise..re: the era BEFORE the Gibson Guitar takeover.

[@BH-2]

I personally never like Baldwin, loud and brassy sound, just like how the American speaks / yells. Joking aside, I think the Chinese pianos has changed very significantly every 5 years or so. I played on some Chinese piano 20 years go they were rubbish, and very recently had a chance to listen to Chang Jiang Pianos, they were in the final of Tschaikovsky Competition and they don't sound too badly against the Steinway, Yamaha and S Kawai.

[@nedmills6841]

I have an American-built 1975 Baldwin 6’3” model D that I had recently tuned after sitting in our living room for 12 years. The pitch was only down about 3 cents. After tuning, it sounds fantastic! I’m a big fan of USA-built Baldwins, and hope someday to buy a 9’ SD-10.

[@ShirleyKirsten]

@@nedmills6841 sounds like you have a great piano. Leonard Bernstein, owned and played Baldwins...American made of course.

[@bhaveshmistry3255]

Your reviews are always help to gain the knowledge for pianos. Just wanted to know about the Perzina & Irmller pianos. How’s this pianos compare to the Pearl River/Ritmuller/Kayserburg and Hailun own brand pianos. Also how do you compare Essex with Zimmerman pianos? It would be great if you can share your thoughts and experience. Thank you so much 🙏💐

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! While we have carried the Perzina, Zimmerman, and Pearl River lines (and have had a large number of used Essex instruments come through out showrooms), we have not carried Irmler or Hailun. With that said, the Perzina and Zimmerman instruments are quite comparable in terms of material and manufacturing quality to the Ritmuller pianos. With that said, each of these instruments offer a very different musical voice. Personally, I have never really favoured the Essex line. They are well-built pianos, but, musically-speaking, I have found them a bit underpowered and underwhelming for the price point. Out of this list, the Ritmuller grands and Perzina uprights have always stood out to me as presenting excellent cost-to-value ratios for customers in this price category. :)

[@bhaveshmistry3255]

Firstly Thank you so much for taking your time and reply me, Really appreciate. 🙏 I still have some questions in my mind. I never get opportunity to try Hailun / Perzina / Irmller and Zimmerman. Only source is KZbin to listen this brands and it is very difficult to judge the exact tone character but I like the some of Hailun / Perzina and Irmller Upriht pianos Specially love the sounds of Irmller. Not getting proper judgment on Zimmerman Uprights they sounds very bright. I prefer mellow tone and rounded tone. When it comes to piano subject Mr. Stu is the best teacher so always keep asking to him to gain my knowledge. I still have questions. How’s the manufacturing standard and consistency of Perzina / Zimmerman & Irmller like specially maintenance and tuning stability? Which one you like more among this brands in terms of longevity and performance? Thank you so much again to team Merriam Music and Specially to Mr. Stu. 🙏❤❤❤

[@luiswall297]

What do people think of Waldstein pianos

[@daviddickey1404]

Just a clarification regarding Baldwin. Baldwins BP grands are built by Parsons. But their uprights are built in factories that Baldwin owns themselves. I have been a Baldwin dealer for over 46 years and their current products coming out of their Chinese factories are equal to or better than anything they have built in my 46 years of experience as a Baldwin dealer.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi David! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you for the insights! Baldwin has a tremendous name and reputation in the industry, so I am sure anything donning the name Baldwin boasts impressive quality and performance.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

I was in a Roland dealer today. They had the HP702 that Stu reviewed recently against the Yamaha YDP184, as well as the LX706, LX708, and GP607. Of course, they had the lower range Roland models too. They had the Roland PH50 and the "Hybrid Grand Keyboard" action displays, so you can see the inner workings of those actions when you press the keys. I took the displays side by side and you can see the "Hybrid Grand Keyboard" is a bit longer, particularly the metal rails on the bottom (about 3 inches or so). Both actions are pretty much plastic with wood inserts on the sides. The wood part is minimal and only for aesthetics. I know that because I had them both in my hands today. But of course, that pales compared to real grand piano actions. They also had I think it was a Seiler grand piano action on display (plus Seiler pianos of course), and that thing is like 2.5 times longer. I have seen those real acoustic grand piano action displays from Kawai and Yamaha as well, and they are in another level than any digital piano, unless you buy a hybrid from Yamaha or Kawai. I don't remember now in detail, but I think the Roland LX706 had kind of matte black keys. I do remember the LX708 had more of a satin finish black keys. That reminded me of Kawai with their GL series vs GX series. The GL series has shiny white keys (acrylic) and matte black keys, whereas the GX series has kind of satin white and black keys. The HP702 was OK, the LX706 a bit better, and the LX708 sounded better... but not amazingly better. I wasn't impressed with the 8-speaker system of the LX708. Sound-wise, I think I would skip all these expensive digital pianos, buy a cheap slab piano and invest in a good speaker system, which for digital pianos, a decent pair of studio monitors will suffice. Honestly, at full volume each piano, the FP30X sounded pretty decent even when compared to the LX708. All pianos achieve a good volume level, comparable to a small grand piano. When I arrived at the store, somebody was playing the FP30X and it sounded very nice from the audience perspective. But you have to turn them all the way up to sound like a real piano. That may sound very annoying in a home situation, but in a large area such as a piano showroom, a high volume doesn't become unpleasant. In fact, it is needed to make these digital pianos fill the room and sound good. Room acoustics is also so important. The FP30X was in a corner against 2 walls. Let me say that again: 2 walls. This creates sound reinforcement. The sound is not lost, it is all projected towards the listener in this case. The same piano in the middle of the room would have sounded weak. It reminds me of a dog barking in a balcony I saw recently: the balcony acted as a horn and amplified the dog's barking in such a way that it almost sounded as if the dog was using a PA system (which always use horns for a reason).

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

How did the GP 607 feel like to play? Was it good enough, and did it sound ok?🎹🎶

[@Instrumental-Covers]

@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 Unfortunately, they had two models, one black and one white, and neither one was connected. I could have asked them to connect them, but I felt they would sound very similar to the Roland RG-1F/RG-3F, both of which I have played (they were the previous generation of baby grand pianos from Roland). I did check the bottom of the piano ha ha, it has an 8-inch woofer facing down for the low frequencies. They are expecting to receive the GP609 next week, which is the bigger brother of the GP607. But it is 1-hour driving for me to go to this specific Roland dealer, and I have played the top of the line from Roland before, the V-Grand. By the way, I also inspected the bottom of that piano before and it has a 12-inch woofer facing down. The action in the LX708 feels much nicer than the PHA-4 for sure. The first 2 piano sounds are called "European" and "American" piano: the "European" sounded somehow better, but I didn't feel connected to those piano sounds... the HP702 probably sounds even worse than the FP30X because it has the same 2 small 5-inch speakers facing down, but unlike the FP30X where the speakers can disperse the sound close to you, in the HP702 the speakers are all the way in the back of the piano, and I noticed that the port opening on the front is only on the bottom (the Yamaha YDP184 has two openings, one on top and one on the bottom, which allows more sound to escape). So, I think the sound was more muffled in the HP702 than the FP30X. Honestly, sound-wise, I don't think they are that much of an improvement. It is just a cabinet to make them look better. But maybe there are users who may prefer an indirect sound presentation, so the HP702 may be preferable for them.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@Instrumental-Covers indeed the only reason why I like the Roland GP 607 is because of the grand piano shape LOL. I did have a chance to try one out before, however I didn't want to because I didn't care for digital pianos at the time, and I was trying out a Yamaha JU190PE upright. I care for digital pianos now, but I still prefer a good acoustic grand overall🎹🎶

[@Instrumental-Covers]

@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 Totally agree. Digital pianos still don't deliver the experience acoustic pianos do, particularly when you are the player. They sound better when you are in the audience, as you lose that immediate connection and the speakers play back a grand piano sample anyway.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@Instrumental-Covers yes as long as you're in the audience even a Roland can sound nice LOL. I didn't try the GP 607 though🎹🎶

[@wynnyu3594]

Hi Stu, have you tried hailun grand piano ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I know Stu has played Hailun pianos before. We will add it to our list of potential brands to cover in upcoming review/comparison videos. :)

[@0204tmar]

Any thoughts on the FEURICH production line at Ningbo, China and the quality of the Feurich 122 Universal upright for example?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! While I have read some promising reviews of that line, we are not Feurich dealers and we have not had any come in used in recent months/years. So, unfortunately, I can't really speak to their quality and musical performance personally.

[@0204tmar]

Hi, thank you for yor reply, much appreciated. I will heed Stu’s advice regarding laminated spruce and give this line a miss, although I have read some favorable reviews on their Feurich range. @@MerriamPianos

[@gabi.coroian]

I own a Feurich 133 Concert upright piano and I’m very pleased with it!!! Beautiful sound and character!

[@trevorjarman1729]

What is your view of the latest Feurich grand pianos?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I haven't personally played any of the most recent Feurich grand models, so I can't really comment on them at this time.

[@sebastienrodrigues9407]

@MerriamPianos I would be interested to have a test of the Feurich 179

[@fatimacardoso5522]

Saudações do Brasil, o que você poderia dizer dos pianos digitais da Pearl River, chegaram no Brasil no final de 2023. Obrigada!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! We have not received any Pearl River digital pianos at this time, so, unfortunately, I cannot really comment on them.

[@rodrigofratin5141]

Have you ever played the FEURICH 218 Grand Piano? Paul Barton uses it on his performances. Is it very far behind the quality of the Kawai GX séries?

[@MarcusVinicius116]

Roberts pianos in England shows often Feurich pianos and praizes them. Their sound is rich and clear.

[@michelprimeau4531]

I have mixed review about that. Never tried the grand but a few upright at the same dealer. The action was light but the scaling felt a bit short to me. I was short on time but definitely an option to explore when you are on a budget. My concern with piano made in China is the long term. I wonder if they will fall short like the Korean piano do over time (in 20 years).

[@rodrigofratin5141]

@@MarcusVinicius116 Yes, I follow Robert channel too. The FEURICH pianos looks like to have wonderful finish. Sound is great in Paul Barton vídeos, but sometimes I think the sustain is weak. In a particular video Robert says that the sound of then comes too bright and you need to add extra technical service to be happy with then. But have the possibility to buy a new 7 foot grand piano for under $ 30.000 is very interesting. Unfortunely, I don't have the option to try a FEURICH Piano here in Brazil. So probably I will have to make my choice between Yamaha or Kawai, the only two trustable brends avaiable here.

[@rodrigofratin5141]

@@michelprimeau4531 Thanks for your point of view. Buy on of then could be truly risky. I would like to try the 4th pedal. (The harmonic pedal) Only then have this item. I stay so curious with what i can do with that as a composer. The option of buy a 7 foot grand at the same price of a short Yamaha or Kawai is very seductive also, but i only will know my choice when I have the possibility to go to Europe and play on it...

[@MarcusVinicius116]

@@rodrigofratin5141 totally agree with Barton's instrument which seems a little weak sometimes, but maybe it's the sound recording wich betrays his piano. I listen on numerous YT channels Feurich grands which sounds very good. I live in France, where this brand is available, and I think one day I'll try a 218. I have a C5 Yamaha from 1991, and I confirm this brand's reputation of reliability and great sound. Kawai are awsome too.

[@b3lover433]

Are Henry F. Miller pianos in the stencil category? I also wanted to ask about the outsourced Mason & Hamlin line; would these fall in the hybrid category?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! I am not particularly familiar with the Henry F. Miller line, so unfortunately I cannot comment on specifics related to those pianos. With that said, perhaps, one of our knowledgeable community members can chime in with some insights. Thanks for tuning in and writing! :)

[@b3lover433]

@@MerriamPianos, I recently discovered your videos and have been enjoying them! ...Any info on the outsourced Mason & Hamlin (maybe that's in the American piano video)?

[@dunnkruger8825]

I own Japanese-built in Japan and German-built in Germany cars: Not as a brand-hoar, but for build-quality and visceral feel. But my piano budget doesn’t get there. What do you suggest?

[@MerriamPianos]

In my opinion, the Ritmuller line would be really well-aligned with what you're describing. The Johannes Seiler GS and Eduard Seiler ED lines are also very compelling options that align quite well too. :)

[@brunobrunopianosok]

Hello, how are you? I respect you and I see a lot of your material now: when you try to defend the new piano, over the used piano! I don't agree at all... you mean that the German factories... They bought Chinese factories, and now it's the Germans who went to China to make pianos... cheaper? I really don't understand where this point is going. On the other hand, in the history of the piano we believe that the piano was born in Europe, and specifically in Germany. (modern piano) no pianos were ever made in the East! It's something they adopted recently. Better or worse. I always watch your videos, and I'm a big follower, keep it up!

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your kind words about our channel! At the end of the day, determinations like purchasing a new piano over a used one or spending more money for a German made instrument over a Japanese made one are very subjective and personal. Every player and shopper will have their own opinion on the matter, which is a good thing. The most important thing is to choose a piano that you love and that works with your requirements and budget! :)

[@philosophicallyspeaking6463]

Why such a cursory mention of Baldwin? There is also an obvious edit in the middle of that particular commentary. Parsons is apparently charging a premium for that name recognition, but is there any actual additive quality oversight, or preliminary regulation and voicing built into that additional cost?

[@MerriamPianos]

There are a lot of Chinese piano brands currently, so this video is intended to be an introduction and overview opposed to a deep dive into particular lines. In terms of the premium that comes along with the Baldwin name, one thing to consider is that Parsons is manufacturing Baldwin pianos to their specifications and scale designs, which are quite celebrated in some piano circles. There is also simply the gravitas of the name and legacy of the Baldwin brand to factor in.

[@jacobneal5388]

Do you just improvise all the pieces you play or are they actual music?

[@KyleHohn]

Implying that improv isn’t “actual music” 😭

[@The-Organised-Pianist]

I think you'll find that overall it's a mixture. The answer to that depends on which clip you're watching & which video. I'll have a go at categorizing them. If he sees this, Stu might have time to have a look & correct me if I'm wrong... Sometimes you'll hear him playing extracts from classical pieces (e.g. Liszt "Liebestraume No. 3"), either note for note or with some freedom. Often you'll hear him take a jazz standard - e.g. I particularly like "My Romance" - & work with it in the typical creative way that jazz musicians do. I daresay he's played those so many times that you may notice similarities on different occasions, but he will probably follow the thoughts he has at that time. Sometimes it will be a pop song that he will do his own take on - for instance, we hear "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers late in this video. He has made albums, presumably involving some music writing &/or detailed planning of what he will do. I expect he does other writing sometimes, which we may get on here (not sure). Often in these videos, as you noticed, Stu is just creating the music as the inspiration occurs to him at the time. It's a great skill to have & is a lot of fun even at a much lower level than the one he achieves. Having studied improv to a high level & with a lot of practical experience, Stu can transition between these categories in quite a fluid way. I know what you meant, but as Kyle points out, happily all of these are actual music. Thanks Stu for some wonderful music! On a list called "Stu Harrison, pianist - an appreciation" I include some of these categories. You're welcome to hear if you like.

[@philosophicallyspeaking6463]

If you are not servicing your preparation for a concert career, and have no 'posh' friends to impress, you could buy a 'poorly' or les-well prepared, 'quality' Chinese (or Eastern European for that matter) piano, one that has only 70% of its otherwise limited but substantial potential or competency (depending on your expectations and standards) realized, and then employ a talented local piano tech by using but a fraction of the savings to have the instrument personalized to your tastes 'in house' (the acoustic setting of any instrument being very important to its perceived sound) and then set upon the obligation of a course of regular maintenance such as is required to continue building on the formative 'prep' through gradual mechanical and sonic evolution. Besides, expensive European, Japanese, and American Steinways usually play 'very' poorly straight out of the box, and require just as much effort to realize their albeit considerable potential. But most common 'enthusiasts' who purchase expensive pianos never get them dialed in because the cost of the piano itself bankrupts their playing ability before it does their bank accounts, or exhausts their patience before their technique, AND...frustrates their to ability to publicly celebrate the purchase for what it costs them in enthusiasm because they have exhausted the cognitive dissonance necessary to explain why their very expensive instrument sounds like...a piano! When is should sound...more EXPENSIVE! Diminishing returns.

[@MerriamPianos]

There is definitely something to be said for post-purchase voicing and regulation work and factoring that into one's budget, particularly when it comes to some factory-produced instruments. There is certainly a different between a piano's musical "potential" and musical "standing". Obviously, as reflected in the prices of instruments, the amount of prep, regulation and voicing put into factory built pianos is often a fraction of handcrafted instruments, so, from that perspective, you definitely bring up some good points that are worth considering. On the other hand, when it comes to the real premium handcrafted instruments, particularly the German produced instruments, the amount of time put into prep, regulation and voicing is immense and it shows from the way these pianos present, play and sound right out of the box.

[@dunnkruger8825]

I want a German-sound e.g., Schimmel, C.Bechstein, Japanese-build quality, e.g., Yamaha, Kawaii. at Chinese-labor costs: e.g., Haliun at Indonesian - build price - e.g., Kawai, Yamaha IDEAS?

[@MerriamPianos]

In my opinion, the Ritmuller line would be really well-aligned with what you're describing. The Johannes Seiler GS and Eduard Seiler ED lines are also very compelling options that align quite well too. :)

[@AGC828]

Another very informative video and unbiased (negatively). But like most other piano companies ....such as the larger German companies....all companies need to find marekting $ to make their brands known to the "general public". If only a few piano nerds (weatlthy) know of brands like Blutner, C. Bechsteirn....there's even less chance people will recognize or know of any of hte brands mentioned in this video.....then being "made In China" ....China, has yet to shake their bad rep of bieng a country known for producing "knock off products". and for "good QC". Till then.... And it sin't as if China can't produce quality struments....they can for woodwind and brass instruments. And what helped those American or French companies that are prodcing in China...is they've sponsored name artists to endorse their brand. HELPS get their name out there and buy the trust of the public. I"f Whitney Houston's sax player is now playing a "P. Mauriat" sax then it must be good!!"...Taiwanese brand...but same idea. These "Made in China" brands are going to have to play it smart and keep their pricing "attrative" and not get greedy at this stage. Pearl River needs to start spending advertising $ in leading American/Cdn magazines....hire a US advertising compan to make quality TV commercials...till then...they're only going to sell locally (China...and HK, taiwan...SEA....people "not in the know"). Or in the US and Canada to people who dont do much research e.g. walk into unknown piano shop and buy based on price.... ....though, as mentioned....buying a piano is usually a sign of "being well-educated" in any city/country....which begs the questin why someone in this market with $20,000 "extra spending money ...for as musical instrument" would by a "made in China" brand vs a Yamaha piano (made in Japan)....or Germany, USA...the crowd that's done "enough research"....to know where piano brand/series are made...because it DOES matter to them... Piano brands that roll off the tongues of people who dont even play pianos? Steinway & Sons and maybe Yamaha ... Something else....picking a "good company" also involves their "dealer network"....how many service centres do they have around the world and in each city. Matters. Yamaha has the lasrgedst network for musical instruments (I believe)---acustic/hybrid pianos, woodwind and brass instruments....why a lot of touring PRO musicians choose Yamaha....they can get their instrument serviced in any major city (e.g. sax)....

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! There is definitely some strategy involved when it comes to newer companies trying to etch out a segment of marketshare for themselves in this longstanding industry. With that said, Pearl River definitely sets competitive pricing on some of their entry level models that make them very attractive new alternatives to used pianos given their price points. They are making impressive steps on the manufacturing side of things as well and quality standards are definitely on the rise. :)

[@geoffk777]

There's no denying the value proposition of Chinese pianos. You can get a Pearl River upright for the cost of a high-end digital, and even their concert grand is less money than a Yamaha upright (if you have the space for it!). But the quality is still lacking. And resale values will also be bad compared to an established brand. I also have some personal issues in supporting China with a major purchase like this. Even so, an inexpensive Pearl River upright might be a good choice for a begininner on a budget.

[@MerriamPianos]

No two piano shoppers are the same. I can speak from experience that there are many customers that will not even consider a digital piano despite there being a far greater number of options within their budget within that realm. Similarly, there are some customers that, for a variety of reasons, will not consider used pianos. In both of these cases, the Pearl River line is a perfect option. However, beyond that, the quality offering from Pearl River uprights and grands for their price point is fantastic and constantly improving. At the end of the day, I think it is also exciting to have pianos (both acoustic and digital) as accessible to as many people as possible so that more people can experience the magic and joy of music and piano playing! :)

[@pianowhizz]

British: ‘We ran out of silver, so we’re going to pay you in heroin instead!’ (heroin they stole from India!) China: ‘No thanks!’ British: So civilised these Europeans! (They should have offered to pay in pianos instead!)

[@MerriamPianos]

If the world used pianos and music as a currency, I think it would be a much better place.

[@lollypot6317]

Great video again Stu! Isn’t the pearl river company owned by the Chinese government? Or is that no longer? I’d prefer not to spend that much money supporting a company owned by human rights violators…

[@RobHoffman83]

From what research I did before making my purchase, they were owned by the Government until around 20 years ago. That mattered to me too.

[@lollypot6317]

That’s interesting to know! Thanks for informing me :)

[@Pilosoposporo]

Speaking of human rights violations, no piano company is as notorious as C. Bechstein and their idol... A. Hitler. You wanna know what Yamaha and Kawai did in WW2 too?

[@dunnkruger8825]

SCHUMANN. How Chinese ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Schumann pianos are manufactured in China and have been since the line was launched in 1984.

[@michelprimeau4531]

Perzina piano are simply awful. Pearl River and the Ritmuller are great. I didn't have a great experience with the Hailun that I've tried but the music store don't care about piano. I've tried Ernst Krauss piano and it was interesting. Essex cost too much for what you get. Fridolin Schimmel is good but Zimmermann is better IMO. I've also tried a stencil piano that was designed by a local technician and built in China that was surprising. Thanks to China, they are holding the piano world on their shoulder in terms of manufacturing and terms of sheer number of piano players.

[@robertvanweerden7589]

Can you explain why perzina piano's are awful? I own one and I love how it sounds and love playing it. I must say that mine is not build in China but made in Germany. Maybe there is a difference between that

[@michelprimeau4531]

@@robertvanweerden7589 I wonder when your piano was built. What we have here are built in China. They are entry level piano but as expensive as Kawai or Yamaha b line. The break is awful. The cabinet buzz when you play. For that price, it's a no for me.

[@robertvanweerden7589]

@@michelprimeau4531 ah ok too expensive for the quality you get. Mine was build in the beginning of '90s.

[@michelprimeau4531]

@@robertvanweerden7589 Even for half the price, I wouldn't take it. Like I said, a poor job was done with the break. I can't talk about your piano but I've tried Perzina in 2 different store and it was bad. I'm not surprise that you like your piano, I've read great reviews about the brand and had great expectations.

[@westernkentucky5956]

I just cannot buy a Chinese piano. They buy the right to use German names, but... the quality is always in question for Chinese goods. Why would it be any different in their manufacture of pianos?

[@MerriamPianos]

There are some fantastic Chinese-made piano lines, such as the Ritmuller pianos made by Pearl River. The quality of craftsmanship and materials is quite impressive (especially for their price point).

[@westernkentucky5956]

@@MerriamPianos , yes. I have a salesperson working with me on possibly buying a Rittmuller. I know it was Brahms' favorite back in the 1800s, but when the Chinese took it... It does sound nice, but I'm just still worried about longevity. Do you know if it has German parts and Chinese labor? Is anything about it still German?

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

You still get a 👍, but I’ll NEVER consider a Chinese piano, let alone any other major purchase.

[@capri2673]

I agree with you and I wish we could all buy things from countries that treat its citizens better.

[@euy7957]

who cares

[@oscarsheen3045]

Made in China = lose of inspiration appeal. My kettle, Sony head phones, keyboard, mouse, everything is Made in China. Not my piano. Its' made in Malaysia ... great :(