As a Baldwin piano expert and a piano industry veteran of over 30 years, I’m here to help you learn the truth about today’s Baldwin pianos. Today, it’s actually quite difficult to find truthful information about Baldwin pianos… so that’s exactly what I am here to do.
Americans mourned the loss of yet another American product… and the internet did what it does. Technicians who loved working on a handcrafted American piano panned the decision to modernize the instruments. Baldwin’s competitors used this opportunity to denigrate the brand. Unfortunately, it also created a storm of misinformation. As you might imagine, such a significant restructuring of a beloved American brand created quite a stir. In 2006, Gibson opened a new Baldwin factory in China and, finally, in 2021, Gibson introduced the world to its new, state-of-the-art piano factory in Zhongshan, China (where all Baldwin models will be produced for global distribution). Gibson moved Baldwin’s headquarters to Nashville and began promoting Baldwin pianos at their 18 offices around the world. Their strategy was to reposition Baldwin from the shrinking luxury piano market (where it competed with companies like Steinway and Mason & Hamlin – who were also undergoing major restructuring around this time) to the broader mid-priced piano market (where it would compete with companies like Yamaha and Kawai). That same year, the Nashville-based Gibson Guitar Corporation purchased Baldwin’s assets and began a major restructuring plan. In 2001, the Baldwin Piano Company filed for bankruptcy.
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