Knowledge Base
A Collection of Informative Articles, Guides, and FAQs About Pianos
Each Steinway & Sons piano is hand-crafted, one at a time, taking about a full year to complete. Every grand piano has 12,116 individual parts. It may be easy to find a piano that is less expensive than a Steinway, but it is impossible to find one that will offer more heritage, more enjoyment or a greater return on investment. In fact, for more than 150 years, every handmade Steinway has increased in value.
Steinway & Sons pianos have been the instrument of choice for 98% of the world's performing artists. That’s because Steinway has built a reputation on a commitment to one simple word: quality. Steinway pianos are far more than fine instruments. Each one is an investment-worthy, hand-crafted family heirloom to be treasured and enjoyed for generations to come.
This Knowledge Base provides a wealth of information that we've amassed about what makes a piano work well, play well, and sustain its value. You’ll find several piano-buying resources that will help you select the piano that is best for you and your family. One resource is our Piano Buyer’s Guide that will walk you through the important elements to consider when searching for a new or used piano.
In our collection of Piano Shopping Tools, you’ll learn how to prepare and shop for a piano online or in your local piano stores. Shopping for a piano can be overwhelming, but with these tools, we hope you’ll find the journey can be a memorable one.
Starting with the mechanics, the piano works through a complex and highly developed process that dates from the early 1700s before being perfected over the last centuries. Did you know that there are over 12,000 specific parts in a typical piano and that 57 parts move every time you play one key on a piano?
Talking about each part would be overwhelming, but in our How It Works section we have highlighted the parts and detailed the manufacturing processes that are most important when considering a new piano purchase.
Finally, please take a look at the Steinway Artists who make the Steinway sing. See what these professionals say about the piano and learn why they choose to perform on a Steinway.