The Craftmanship of Schneider
The craftsmanship that makes the Schneider the World’s Best Piano is not the acquisition of one generation, but a pedigree of skills that have run through more than three hundred years. Not merely by the masters of this great industry, but in the families of employees where sons have succeeded fathers at the head of some particular branch of the art, and who in great part have suggested improvements where possible.
However, Schneider grand and upright pianos are the result of an ideal – to craft inspirational instruments by hand using only the best suited, and therefore limited, materials, parts and experienced craftsmen in Europe.
To build a truly hand-crafted piano in the European tradition, Schneider sets the standard and then seeks out only proven European partners to supply each selected component in the pianos we build.
Our iron plates come from Austria, and are made the old-fashioned, European way.
In order to qarantee the right quality, they are sand-cast, seasoned, and only the best plates pass the final selection. We have one year of iron plates in our inventory, and only the best would be selected. It takes modern machinery to make even the rough surfaces and prepare for our mirror-like polish finishes,, at which our craftsmen show their experience. We continue to test them, to make sure that they do not interfere with the piano sound but are there to support the structure. Shiny, smooth, and even, they have received a lot of praise at international music trade shows, and are considered among the best from Europe.
Our rims are strong and thick, much thicker than most other pianos.
Dense rims are important for a rich sound, plus solid beams support the overall tension of the piano structure, further adding to the balance and longevity of the instrument. Multiple layers of select Austrian birch are glued together in a press where they dry over a long time; in addition, the outer frame is set aside to cure separately thereafter. After curing and testing, the wood is further shaped according to exact measurements to form the rim.
Making a great grand piano starts with the determination to not compromise in any aspect of the design, materials and craftsmanship. Through the years since its inception, the piano has been technically refined to the point of near perfection. There are time honored design features and specific materials that are known to produce the finest musical results.
Some components are ideally made of spruce while others require maple or hornbeam. Crafting a fine piano like the Schneider must be done by the hands of skilled and experienced craftsmen.
The keybed on our pianos is built into the rim.
This uniques feature – to have the piano components all connected and supportive – is an old tradition. How many other makers would spend the time to set the keybed into the piano rim? It is a lot more time consuming process, as compared to attaching the keybed separately under the rim.Schneider continues the old traditions of European piano making.
The look of the ebony polish finish, made with the Euroepan, shiny polyester laquer, is classic – very elegant and very European. It protects the piano surface and lets minor scratches, if they were to come from using the instrument, to be polished out.
Individually tuned duplex scaling, front and rear, on all grand models.
Beyond the speaking length of the string, duplex scales add rich overtones to the overall piano sound. By having movable duplex aliquots, technicians can change the tuning according to their wishes and necessary acoustics. This level of control over the sound is found on only a few of the finest pianos.
Schneider pianos must have treble strings made of the best wire, etc. To execute the Schneider bass tone, we must must make and wind each string within our factory walls.
SCHNEIDER seeks out the most reliable, serviceable & traditional action parts, and selects best action in the world
The Schneider pianos have hand-made actions from Renner, chosen for their highest quality and performance by professional pianists. Louis Renner GMBH & Company, founded in 1882 in Stuttgart, Germany, are being used by many high-end European piano makers. All Schneider piano models have the full blue actions. In addition, all piano models have the selected, premium Renner Blue hammers for ideal tone and longevity.
Each piano receives several tunings and voicings. First, our pianos get played by a player machine at the factory, so that the stings would be streched and piano action would get a good workout. Thereafter it is tuned, voiced and regulated again. Second, the piano is played and evaluated by a member of the Laul family, and when necessary, more tuning and voicing would get done. Each piano receives the heightened degree of attention to detail that makes your piano performance a pure joy.
Briefly, SCHNEIDER has its own production line in Chen Hailun’s highly modern, CNC-machine-equipped piano plant in Ningbo, China.
The plant has an ever increasing output of outstanding quality, controlled according to very specific criteria determined by SCHNEIDER’s own team of experts. This type of collaboration has not been possible for most of the big piano factories.
Hailun Piano is an ‘in demand’ component supplier for numerous piano brands. In 2012 it was the first piano company in China to be listed on the stock market.
Longevity of experience in relation to the production of piano parts and the latest equipment sets the parameter to produce the unique components of SCHNEIDER’s grand and upright pianos.
Because of it’s dedicated team of experts Schneider has created many evolutionary and inovative instruments.
This combination of expertise in both the traditional and modern way of piano building enables creative and new methods in all areas of production. The optimal implementation of high-tech-machines, indispensable mastery and quality control determine the highest in quality.
Therfore a most unique partnership has come into being – the best of both worlds!
Performance
From the very beginning, Albin Schneider committed himself and his company to building fine, high performance instruments. Soon the great pianists of the world began to recognize this Luckenwalde piano maker’s designs and craftsmanship. Concert halls all across America and Europe began featuring Schneider pianos. The Schneider has also been the chosen instrument of important conservatories of music, public schools and music departments of colleges and other institutions where musical instruction has a prominent place in the curriculum.
The rich and wondrous tonal quality of the Schneider has often been described as the nearest approach to the human singing voice. Its reputation for matchless tone and flawless beauty of encasement is the result of undeviating adherence to the conviction that in piano making there is no detail that does not deserve the closest attention and care. This policy is accepted as a trust by craftsmen who consider it a privilege to add their skill to the creation of pianos worthy of the Schneider prestige.
Philosophy and Values
Schneider pianos are handmade, limited production pianos created in the finest tradition of the 300 years of piano crafting. Production pianos have their place in the world of music. They are tonally consistent and durable, but they lack the “soul” of a handcrafted instrument. Each handmade Schneider has its own personality. When you play a Schneider, you will sense the difference.
From the carefully hand-laid, tapered solid Bawerian spruce soundboard, to the carefully selected oak and maple that is hand bent into the finest and strongest rim in the piano industry, to the final touches of the master technicians that regulate the premium German action and hammers, every step in the creation of this marvelous instrument is the work of master craftsmen.
Each Schneider rim, once bent, is braced with laminated spruce bottom beams and secured with hardwood dowels. The beams terminate at the “belly rail” into a cast tone collector. This structure is designed to hold every part of your Schneider grand piano in place for over a century of use and 40 tons of pressure exerted by the strings.
Warm As The Human Voice
Listen to the tone of today’s Schneider. No piano in the world has a voice quite like it. So distinctively mellow, so warmly melodic, it is often compared to the lyric richness of a glorious human voice. Schneider tone is no accident. It is the result of superior low-tensionscale design created to the uncompromising standard of leading artists.
The Right Materials Are The Ones We Use… Regardless Of Cost
Only woods, metals, glues or natural fabrics best for each particular purpose are ever permitted in the schneider. For example, the only wood used for Schneider pin planks is winter-cut, quarter-sawn, northern hard rock maple for added strength and holding power. For other woods, we search the globe…17 areas in all…for the rarest varieties to provide the specific grain and texture required for each application.
Superiority You Can Actually See And Touch
Run your hand around the rim of today’s Schneider grand. Then try the same on other grands. The sweep of your hand tells you that the Schneider is much larger in proportion to its length. This greater area of sound amplification is equalized on either side of the treble bridge. Coupled with the soundboard taper and the Low Tension Scale the result is a fuller, richer, balanced tone with more dynamic range. Or ask to look inside a Schneider console. Every surface is completely finished.
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN WARRANTY SERVICE:
Warranty service will only be provided for defective products within the Warranted Area. Schneider Acoustic Pianos require in-home service. Contact your local authorized Schneider dealer who will advise you of the procedures to be followed.
Product(s) must be accompanied by a detailed explanation of the problem(s) requiring service, together with the original or a machine reproduction of the bill of sale or other dated, proof-of-purchase document describing the product, as evidence of warranty coverage. Should any product submitted for warranty service be found ineligible, an estimate of repair cost will be furnished and the repair will be accomplished only if requested by you and upon receipt of payment or acceptable arrangement for payment.
LIMITATION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND EXCLUSION OF DAMAGES:
ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE SHALL BE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE APPLICABLE PERIOD OF TIME SET FORTH ABOVE. SCHNEIDER SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR FOR DAMAGES BASED UPON INCONVENIENCE, LOSS OF USE, DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER EQUIPMENT OR OTHER ITEMS AT THE SITE OF USE OR INTERRUPTION OF PERFORMANCES OR ANY CONSEQUENCES. SCHNEIDER’S LIABILITY FOR ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT IS LIMITED TO REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE PRODUCT,
AT SCHNEIDER’S OPTION. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
This Warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. This is the only express warranty applicable to the product specified herein; Schneider neither assumes nor authorizes anyone to assume for it any other express warranty.