You’ll be glad you did. You may just find you could own a Steinway-designed piano.
If you are looking for a piano that is built well, sounds and feels great while staying within your budget, the Steinway Designed Essex is the best piano in its class.
Although there are some design differences between manufacturers that make them unique to themselves, there are several construction features most all agree upon when it comes to producing their highest quality piano.
The pictures & videos below show features of Essex pianos which are removedby most other manufacturers and reserved only for their higher priced pianos.
Duplex Scale
Duplex scaling allows the treble side of the piano to perform and sound its best.
Least expensive model with duplex scale design
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha GC1 – $23,999
Kawai GL20 – $19,095
Vertically Laminated Bridge
A vertically laminated bridge transfers music from the strings a great deal faster than a solid bridge.
Least expensive model with vertically laminated treble bridge
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha C1X – $37,999
Kawai GX1 – $36,195
Radial Bracing & Backposts
A thick rim adds stability and helps produce a better and more powerful tone.
Radial bracing is the best structure for tone and stability.
Most of the tension on an upright piano is in the treble. Steinway & Sons uprights are large and staggered to give the best stability over the life of the piano. This is a picture of a Steinway-designed Essex upright. It is patterned after the Steinway & Sons upright pianos.
Least expensive model with radial bracing
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha GC1 – $23,999
Kawai GL40 – $34,895
*Yamaha nor Kawai offer larger staggered backposts on uprights.
Maple Piano Rim
Maple rims are used to provide stability and power to the tone of all the finest pianos in the world lead by Steinway & Sons.
Least expensive model with maple in the rim
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha S3X – $77,999
Kawai GX1 – $36,195*
*Kawai never specifies the wood in the rim but in the GX series they begin using the term “blend of distinctive hardwoods”
Tapered Soundboard
Sound travels through the grain of the soundboard. A tapered soundboard allows the vibrations to move more freely and sustain longer as the energy weakens towards the edge of the soundboard.
Least expensive model with tapered soundboard
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha C1X – $37,999
Kawai GL10 – $14,999
Hammers with underfelt
Essex EGP155 vs Yamaha GC1
Least expensive model with underfelted hammers
Steinway-Designed Essex EGP155 – $14,300
Yamaha C1X – $37,999
Kawai GL10 – $14,999
Steinway & Sons is proud of the quality of all their pianos. The Essex specifications are easily obtained.
Outer and inner rims are laminated maple & beech. Wide tail design (similar to Boston). 22 mm outer rim width, 38 mm inner rim width.
Braces/Posts
Steinway-like radial bracing. 3 braces.
Pinblock
Laminated multi-directional Maple. Thickness: 36 mm.
Soundboard
Solid Spruce. Linear taper. Vibrating area: 1.07 m2 (1,657 in2)
Ribs
Ribs notched into inner rim (no floating ribs). Ribs made of spruce and staggered/graduated. Number of ribs: 11
Bridges
Vertically laminated maple base with solid maple cap.
Scale
Designed by Steinway. 17,661 kg (38,854 lb) tension.
Plate
Cast iron, painted with Steinway Gold.
Tuning Pins
Carbon steel nickel coating.
Duplex Scales
Front and rear duplexes Designed by Steinway.
Strings
Roslau wire. Number of sizes of treble strings: 14. Lowest tenor note: 27. Number 1 speaking length: 112 cm (44.0”)
Hammers
Designed by Steinway. Weight of topfelt: 7 kg (15 lb).
Action
Designed by Steinway. Angled whippen heel. All wood (no plastic) for all moving parts. Extruded aluminum action rails with Steinway rosette shape
Keys
Steinway design. Spruce.
Keybed
Spruce.
Pedals
Brass. Full Sostenuto.
Features
Slow-fall Fallboard. Fold-down Fallboard Lip available on most grand models.
Dimensions
Height:
100 cm (39 ¼”)
Length:
155 cm (5’ 1”)
Width:
151 cm (59 ¼”)
Net Weight:
289 kg (636 lb)
Encasement
Furniture:
Classic Cases Designed by Steinway & Sons. Furniture Cases designed by William Faber.
Finish:
Ebony and white finishes over an outer substrate of phenolic resin. Natural finishes over authentic wood veneers. Polyester (polished finishes) or hand-rubbed nitrocellulose lacquer (satin luster finishes).
