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If you’re considering acquiring a piano in the artistic and performance category, consider an instrument from Schimmel. After all, the company is known for its rich history, craftspeople, commitment to innovation, and sustainability. Schimmel also offers a variety of grand and upright pianos we recommend you place on your list of top models to consider.
Wilhelm Schimmel, the company’s founder, opened his first piano workshop in Leipzig, Germany, in 1885. He quickly built an outstanding reputation for creating pianos synonymous with superb quality, durability, and exceptional sound, touch, and durability.
Schimmel is the recipient of numerous high-profile accolades for exceptional quality, excellence in manufacturing, and groundbreaking innovation. The company is distinguished as Germany’s most awarded piano maker. Crafting around 3,000 pianos a year, each Schimmel piano is made using exclusive designs and peerless materials.
To maintain a workforce capable of building the finest pianos well into the future, Schimmel has an in-depth internship craftsperson program and allocates substantial capital investment to train everyone involved in making a Schimmel.
There are two distinct levels of craftspeople at the Schimmel factory: “specialists” and “master craftsmen.” Over three and half years of training are necessary to become a “specialist,” and over nine years are needed to reach “master craftsman” status. It’s not unusual to see generations of family members working in the same factory crafting these special instruments.
Schimmel leads the way in combining traditional handcraftsmanship with CAPE (Computer Assisted Piano Engineering). In fact, players and technicians often remark on the minute details and design of the action geometry, the casework, and the overall fit and finish of each Schimmel upright and grand. Schimmel pianos are known for several innovations:
Schimmel grand pianos are unique compared to other pianos because they have a patented conical shape rather than a standard parallel design. This allows for a bigger soundboard (15% larger than standard grands!), resulting in a more expansive, complex sound. They also include a resilient bar across the soundboard that helps create a clearer tone when playing softer. The tension of the strings is also better distributed, which makes the soundboard vibrate more freely and generate more nuance.
Schimmel holds a patent for its innovative contoured mass-reduced bridge, which allows higher energy levels to be transmitted to the soundboard and offers a more musically rich sound. This unique milling process creates long sustain and more complex tones by distributing the vibration of the piano strings into the soundboard.
The texture and beauty of sound and the ability of the player to create wide-ranging dynamic levels are, in part, based on the quality of the hammer. The hammers in Schimmel pianos are made of the highest-grade Merino felt.
The hammers on all Schimmel pianos are prepared at the factory level before crating, meaning they are often ready to be played upon arrival at their destination with very little make-ready required.
Schimmel keytops are made of mineral material and ebony wood. These create a wonderful sensation to the touch and are also good for the environment.
The plate (also known as a harp) on a Schimmel piano is designed to withstand the over twenty-one tons of tension created by two hundred resonating strings, and CAD aids in ensuring this process is done to perfection. Each plate is finished through a thirteen-step process, making a Schimmel plate distinctive from all other pianos.
Schimmel produces pianos according to high German environmental standards, and its instruments are made using predominantly renewable raw materials, including domestic wood from certified forestry and wool.
The spruce wood used in Schimmel pianos comes from slow-growth trees harvested at the highest altitudes possible from Bavarian & Bohemian forests and available at a specific time each year. This spruce is set aside exclusively for Schimmel through the German Forest Authority, and it goes through an extensive drying period before being ready for manufacturing.
Wood leftovers and shavings from production are used to heat production in winter, and Schimmel generates solar power on the roof of their factory. Biofilters and a modern heating system complete their production.
Schimmel’s Konzert and Classic series are the top two models available as grands and uprights to U.S. buyers. Over two hundred seasoned craftspeople manufacture these amazing instruments in a state-of-the-art factory in Braunschweig, Germany.
The highly regarded Wilhelm Schimmel series, available as grand pianos and uprights, is a third option for piano buyers seeking excellent value. The Wilhelm Schimmel W 180 is a grand piano often praised for its rich tone and excellent playability, suitable for both advanced pianists and professionals. For those looking for an upright piano, the W 114 fits into smaller spaces while still delivering a pleasing tone.
Wilhelm Schimmel instruments are designed in Germany and made at their factory in Kalisz, Poland. While taking advantage of lower costs in Poland, Schimmel maintains high standards at a more affordable price. All pianos made in the Kalisz factory are transferred back to Braunschweig, just 360 miles away, for final preparation and regulation.
Schimmel is no ordinary piano maker, and we are pleased to represent them. As part of the #1 Schimmel dealership in North America, our buying power gives us access to inventory that may not be available to other U.S. dealers. Visit our showroom today to see, hear, and play these extraordinary instruments side-by-side to find a piano you love.
