Ask just about anyone you happen to meet which company produces the best pianos, and they’ll say "Steinway." The name itself conjures up visions of hushed concert halls, lush sounds reverberating throughout, with the greatest pianists in the world producing the greatest music in the world.
I’ve never had the honor of playing a Steinway for more than a few minutes, but I understand the appeal. It’s not just an instrument; it’s a centerpiece, a conversation starter, and a piece of piano history.
Many people out there would love to own a Steinway, but are held back by a number of factors. One of the most common, in fact, is one of space. You want a Steinway to have a room that fits it. However, there is a solution: the Steinway baby grand piano.
Introducing the Model S Steinway Baby Grand Piano
At only 5’1", the Model S is a Steinway baby grand piano that fits into your home and into your life. Despite being among Steinway’s smallest offerings, it still produces the rich, full sound that defines Steinway.
Steinway began manufacturing the Model S in the 1930s, and their dedication to quality has not wavered. Just as they have for decades, each Model S baby grand is hand-crafted and takes 
nearly a year to produce.
The Model S is produced from the finest mahogany, spruce, maple, and pine woods available, each wood chosen for its ability to enhance the instrument. The mahogany in the rim is laminated 12 times, hard enough to prevent warping and damage, while the spruce braces provide tensile strength. All this is accented with strong, durable pure brass hardware.
For a piano lover, a Model S Steinway baby grand piano could be the only piano you’d need to buy, and it would stay in your family for generations.
Other Steinway-Produced Baby Grand Pianos
There is, of course, one other major barrier to Steinway ownership: the price. This level of hand-crafting and quality materials demands a high price that not all can meet. However, for those who want the Steinway baby grand piano quality in a more affordable form, Steinway produces pianos under two other names: Boston and Essex.
The Boston GP-156PE
The Boston brand was introduced to produce mid-range pianos that allow far more people to afford a Steinway-produced piano, but without paying for quite the same level of materials and craftsmanship. The Boston line is still produced adhering to the highest standards of quality, made with with high-quality spruce and maple, guaranteeing a long life.
The GP-156PE is the Boston baby grand piano model, also measuring 5’1". One aspect that makes these baby grands unique is their reduced string tension, which gives them a lyrical, "singing" quality that is quite distinct among baby grands. They also feature innovative space-saving soundboard designs that allow them to produce a sound equivalent to a significantly larger instrument.
A Boston baby grand allows you to have Steinway quality without paying a Steinway price.
The Essex EGP-155
Essex is Steinway’s entry-level brand, aimed at newcomers to piano ownership. While the most inexpensive of Steinway’s brands, they are still among the best pianos available for the money. They continue to incorporate many of the revolutions that Steinway has introduced to pianos, but at a substantially lower price point.
Further, the Essex line has been designed in collaboration with reno
wned designer William Faber, to produce a beautiful instrument that looks far nicer than its price might suggest.
This baby grand is still made of nothing but wood and high-quality metals, with no plastic anywhere in the production. The sound is exceptional for the price. If you want the quality of a Steinway baby grand piano on a budget, this is the piano for you.
In short, no matter your budget, there’s a Steinway baby grand piano that you could own!
Share your Steinway stories! What experiences have you had with these majestic instruments?