Leadership Through Craftsmanship and Innovation
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- Leadership Through Craftsmanship and Innovation
The contemporary Steinway piano incorporates over 100 patented component parts and processes, including our patented Diaphragmatic soundboard, Accelerated action, and Hexagrip pinblock along with a host of other equally important Steinway innovations.
Strive Always to Improve
Steinway & Sons has always led through innovation. Indeed, the very cornerstone of the firm's foundation are two innovations that, essentially, define the modern piano: shortly after its founding, Steinway & Sons introduced the first grand piano to incorporate a full cast-iron plate and overstringing. The cast-iron plate versus reinforced wood construction allowed higher string tension which, coupled with the Steinway over-strung scale, permitted longer bass strings for more volume and better soundboard resonance.
The combination of these two innovations established the standard to which all contemporary pianos are built. More importantly, they established the fact that Steinway pianos deliver a fuller, richer sound and confirmed for Steinway the value of innovation.
The 19th century was an age of invention in which no improvement, no matter how innovative, could stand unchallenged for long. Thus began a tradition of Steinway technical development which has produced an uninterrupted flow of technical enhancements. By the end of the 19th century, Steinway & Sons refined and improved virtually every aspect of the piano. By 1900, Steinway pianos incorporated 70 patented components and processes and hundreds of subtle construction details which distinguish them from lesser instruments.
Innovation, A Steinway Tradition
The Steinway tradition of innovation has continued to the present. The 30's, for instance, saw Steinway & Sons introduce a new Duplex scale, the renowned Accelerated action and Diaphragmatic soundboard. In the 60's we improved the tuning characteristics of all models with our Hexagrip pinblock. And, currently, Steinway pianos feature 114 patented parts and processes with several patents pending, as well as over 1000 details of design and construction which set our pianos apart from all others.
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| Diaphragmatic Soundboard Tapering gently from the center to the edges to assure freer, more unified vibration for richer more lasting tonal response. |
Accelerated Action Introduced in 1936, the enhanced response soon became legendary. Steinway has harnessed the power of computer-aided design technologies to continue our long tradition of innovation. |
Hexagrip Pinblock Layers of maple aligned at 45 degrees to each other assure precise, longer-lasting tuning. |