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Since 1853 some of the worlds most striking and high quality pianos have been made by the world renowned piano manufacturing company Steinway & Sons. Immediately recognisable as have been played by some of the music industry's most respected musicians like Elton John and Lady Gaga.

Steinway pianos reach many thousands of pounds and they have become a thing of wonderment. The most expensive price that a Steinway piano has sold for is a staggering $1.5 million. Steinway are often most recognised for their impressive grand pianos but they also make upright pianos, art case pianos and a selection of custom made pianos.

What's the Difference Between an Upright and a Grand Piano?


The main difference between a grand piano and an upright piano lies in the positioning of the strings. In an upright piano the strings are placed and sit vertically and in a grand piano the strings lie horizontally. Many often cite another difference between the two models is that the grand piano produces a richer, better sound.

The heritage of Steinway and sons is German and American as I said at the start of the article they have been manufacturing pianos in Manhattan NY since 1853. The founder of Steinway & Sons was Heinrich Engelhard who at the time surname was actually Steinweg. The Steinway brand is one that is respected and synonymous with high quality and innovative manufacturing of pianos that has led to them winning multiple awards for their contributions to the advancement in piano manufacturing.

As well as being the worlds most revered creators of some of the worlds most sought after pianos, the factory of Steinway and Sons is in itself a tourist attraction. Still located in the Astoria district in Queens, New York you can visit the factory and embark on a free tour to catch a glimpse of the master craftsmen at work.

The privileged tour of the factory can take up to three hours and you will be able to witness the manufacturing of a Steinway and Sons piano from start to finish, all for free. It has been said that a Steinway Piano is the most intricate thing built by hand in the whole world, containing 12000 parts per instrument (Business Week).

Each Steinway piano in itself is a work of art such great care, consideration and attention to every detail to produce a piano that has been built to the most extraordinary levels of perfection. See the quote below for an example of this:

"The outermost layer of each Steinway piano, called the veneer, uses wood from a single tree to guarantee uniform appearance and attractiveness (Business Week)."

A piano from Steinway in Sons is most definitely a piece of history in the making and they without doubt warrant their shall we say exclusive price tag. Steinway & Sons are the definition of a brand they have equity, personality, exclusivity and a hugely loyal customer base and it looks set to stay that way many years to come.