Although the differences in cost make this comparison not entirely fair, those who wonder whether the less-expensive Wilhelm Schimmel models might suffice for their needs should find it valuable.

There I was also able to compare it to two similarly sized models from Schimmel’s Konzert series, developed to compete with the world’s finest instruments and costing twice as much as the Wilhelm Schimmels: the K175 (5′ 9″, $70,496 SMP) and the K195 (6′ 4″, $76,646 SMP). Recently, I auditioned the Wilhelm Schimmel model W180 ($34,130 SMP in polished ebony), a grand approximately 6′ long, at the trade show of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). Though designed by Schimmel, the Wilhelm Schimmels don’t have all the refinements and advanced features of the German Schimmel lines. Schimmel says that while the skill level of its Polish employees is high, the lower wages and other lower costs available in Poland result in a piano approximately 30% less costly than comparable German Schimmel models. The Wilhelm Schimmel line, named for the company’s founder, is assembled in a factory in Kalisz, Poland, using rims, soundboards, and strings from Germany actions designed by Schimmel and custom made by Pearl River, with Renner hammers and cabinet parts from Poland. Schimmel’s model line distributed in North America comprises four categories: Konzert (K) and Classic (C), both made entirely in Germany Wilhelm Schimmel (W), assembled in Poland and Fridolin Schimmel (F), made in China by Pearl River, Schimmel’s new owner.

Schimmel piano reviews