Many people who are considering buying a piano are definitely looking at older piano brands that will give them top quality. Some of the earliest piano manufacturers are still around, though they may have changed hands several times over the years and are still turning out great quality instruments.



With many of these older companies, the instruments are being built in the same way as they were 100 years ago .. . with careful attention paid to the type of wood and age that goes into each piano. The amount of work required to manufacture a great piano that will last is something that these companies all have in common.

Sauter Pianos

Sauter is the longest standing piano manufacturer around. They began in 1819 and continue to produce pianos to this day, making them the oldest existing piano manufacturer. The company was the brainchild of Johann Sauter who combined the technology of the US piano manufacturers and the more traditional values of the Viennese manufacturers to create a piano that was at once unique and popular. The sound principals haven`t changed much since then and still produce a superior sounding instrument.

Steinway Pianos

Steinway is one of the most popular piano brands in existence and it also happens to be one of the older piano manufacturers, as well. Started by the German cabinet maker, Henry Steinway, Steinway Pianos officially began in 1853, though Steinway had previously built over 400 pianos in his home in Germany, as well as his Manhattan home.

This piano company is by far the best known of all the older piano brands. They have a reputation for turning out top quality branded instruments.

Bösendorfer Pianos

This piano brand is considered to be one of the oldest that is still producing. Established in 1828 by Ignaz Bösendorfer, these pianos have several unique characteristics. They are available with not just the standard 88 keys, but also 92 and 97 keys options.

The pianos produced by Bösendorfer are renowned for their sound, which is fuller than most other pianos. Though the company stayed in the family for two generations, it was eventually sold to another family and is now in the process of being sold to Yamaha. However, the actual style of piano is still of top quality. In fact, the process for selecting just the wood for the soundboard is so precise that only 2% of the wood provided is actually accepted! This makes for the best quality of sound available and Bösendorfer pianos are definitely among the top in the world.

Petrof Pianos

This is a European brand of pianos that was founded in 1864 and is one of the oldest companies in Europe that still makes pianos. The Petrof piano is known for its wider range of tones and the care with which these pianos are built. The soundboard is built of aged spruce, cut in one piece and left to dry for 5 years to ensure the clearest sound possible.

The Petrof pianos are not only still being manufactured, they are also still built by hand. Skilled and trained craftspeople work hard to create these instruments that are truly a work of art. They have been around for many generations and will most likely continue to be produced for years to come.

There are many piano manufacturers that have long since gone out of business, but their instruments are still in existence. The businesses mentioned in this article are all still running and still producing pianos for sale. Most of them are quite pricey, due to the high quality produced after 100+ years of experience in the industry.