The “Golden Age” Myth

They are rebuilders, technicians, and non-Steinway dealer who will claim that Steinway pianos built during the “Golden Age” are the best Steinway pianos ever built.   This is a myth that has been around since Steinway started building pianos.

Are older Steinway piano really better that new ones?

As the late Henry Z. Steinway, great grandson of the founder of Steinway & Sons, often said, “Steinway pianos crafted 40 years ago were always from the “Golden Age.” It didn’t matter which year- 1900, 1920, 1950, 2008- the ‘Golden Age’ was always forty years ago!

Why the myth exist?

There are very few piano dealers that are authorized to sell new Steinway pianos throughout the world (only about 68 in North America) but many piano dealers who can acquire used Steinway piano to resell.  Since they cant sell new Steinway pianos, it is to there benefit to advertise that their used Steinway from the ‘Golden Age is more desirable than a new one.

Artist demand the best

The myth of the ‘Golden Age’ is easily disproved.  Just look at the concert halls throughout the world who cater to the most discriminating pianist of our time. How old are the pianos you are hearing? On average, they are less than ten years old.  If the world’s most prominent pianist felt that pianos from the ‘Golden Age’ were superior to those produced today, we would not see new Steinways pianos on these stages.

These post is taken from Casey Saliba’s pamphlet titled “A Grand Guide to Buying A Used Steinway Piano”

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