When many people think of a new piano, they tend to think in terms of years gone by. Old names in the piano industry have changed over the years, with manufacturers varying greatly. The number of pianos produced every year has also been changing, giving way to new leaders both domestic and from abroad. In the 1970s, the majority of the pianos sold in the US were made in the US by about a dozen different makers. Hundreds of thousands were sold every year.

Fast forward to today’s market and you’ll find an entirely different dynamic. Numbers have now dropped to around 40,000 new acoustic pianos sold annually, with over 30 different companies from around the world producing around 70 different brand names.

How did this change happen?

In the 1960s, Japanese manufacturers began a wave of imports that took America by storm. That gave way to pianos from Korea being imported in the 80s and 90s, which put most American manufacturers out of business.

As Korean wages rose, it moved piano production to Indonesia and China. The 2000s was also a time for technological advances and computer aided design that allowed manufacturing quality to raise substantially. Even pianos at the lowest price range could have dynamics and precision only found in higher price models of yesteryear.

Since the 1990s, the European manufacturers have also aggressively been targeting the US, giving even more choice to the high end marketplace. To better survive the global economy, more companies are diversifying and increasing their product lines to move into all price ranges. Because parts and labor are being used interchangeably, it often blurs the line between the lower, mid and upper ranges, allowing consumers to be the winner in getting higher quality at an affordable price.

What does all of this mean to you?

If you are in the market for a new piano, the options are better than ever before. Stop by and compare some of the top names in the industry, and find the perfect piano for your needs.