Estonia Piano Factory

Estonia is a piano factory wing based in Tallinn.

History

The history of piano-making in Estonia began in 1779, when the Bremen Piano and instrument maker Johann Friedrich Graebner ( 1753-1812 ) emigrated to Tallinn and there opened a workshop. He was followed by another Estonian and Baltic German piano maker.

1893 founded the Estonian entrepreneur Ernst Hiis ( 1872-1964 ) the forerunner of today's Estonia Piano Factory. He had previously learned piano making ( eg in Germany ) in Rathke, Steinway, and Blüthner. His pianos wore his name or the name Hiis ( Germanized ) Ihse.

With the Soviet occupation of Estonia, the company was expropriated. She was from 1950 under the name of Estonia as a state-owned company one of the most outstanding piano builder of the Soviet Union. Smaller Estonian piano factories were connected to her. Estonia offered two models of grand pianos (190 cm and 273 cm) for sale within the Soviet Union.

With the restoration of Estonian independence, the company was privatized in 1993. In 1995, she bought the Estonian pianist Dr. Indrek Laul, who had studied piano in America. Laul she built to a modern European company and improved the quality of the wings continuously. 2003 a new factory premises in Tallinn was opened.

Estonia today is about 400 leaves per year in handwork. The sound of an Estonia - wing is described as " warm, rich, deep and romantic ." It currently offers three models: L168 Studio wing (length: 168 cm), L190 Salon wing (190 cm) and L274 Concert Grand (274 cm). Shortly before launch is a wing of the high demand by pianists "B" size with a length of about 215 cm (as of mid 2011).

The housing of the wing is made ​​of birch, the catches of spruce and Siberian spruce soundboard. Pinblock, swirl, strings and hammers come from Germany.

Main market of the Estonia - wings are currently more than 90% to the United States.