American Baldwin Upright Pianos

When looking for pianos, especially in the United States, you may come across instruments from the Baldwin brand. To help you determine if they are pianos worth considering, we’ll provide some facts about their history, quality, and models.

The Baldwin brand was initiated by Dwight Hamilton Baldwin, an American violin and organ teacher, who ran his music store in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was once the largest seller of keyboard instruments in the Midwest of the United States.

Over time, Baldwin desired to produce high-quality instruments of his own, starting with pianos, which were available from 1891. Four years later, the assortment expanded to include pianos and grand pianos in collaboration with John Macy, which were sold in Cincinnati. Unfortunately, Dwight Hamilton Baldwin passed away the following year, and his grand piano posthumously received the Grand Prix at the exhibition in Paris, making the brand recognized among piano manufacturers catering to concert artists.

Since 1901, Lucien Wulsin, who had previously collaborated with Baldwin, began to manage the Baldwin company. Soon, they began exporting Baldwin pianos and grand pianos to 32 countries worldwide, with the quality of these instruments being recognized once again, this time in London. The factory survived the Great Depression and during World War II, it was also used for building aircraft components. Lucien Wulsin’s son and grandson also left their mark on the Baldwin brand, continuing to lead the Baldwin factory. The Baldwin brand was appreciated by many composers, pianists, as well as U.S. President Harry Truman.

In 2001, Baldwin was acquired by the Gibson Guitar Corp. from Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2006, Baldwin’s production has been located in a Chinese factory opened by Gibson. Since 2011, North American Music has become the exclusive distributor of American Baldwin pianos.

What Models of Pianos Does Baldwin Offer?

Similar to other piano manufacturers, Baldwin offers pianos in various finishes, not just black with a high gloss finish, but also in walnut, mahogany, or cherry wood colors. The prices of new Baldwin pianos range from nearly $10,000 to just over $14,000, depending on the finish and piano model. The available Baldwin piano models include BP1, B243, studio pianos BP3, BP5, and concert grand piano B252. In the American market, especially, used Baldwin pianos are also available, providing an opportunity for those with smaller budgets to enjoy the quality of these renowned instruments. Baldwin also offers small upright pianos, known as consoles, including two models: the Baldwin B342 Acrosonic and the Baldwin B442 Acrosonic. If you are interested in these smaller pianos, be sure to read our Baldwin Acrosonic review.

In the secondary market, you can also find Baldwin pianos, especially in the USA, where this brand is very popular. These pianos will be priced significantly lower than new instruments from this manufacturer. We recommend carefully reviewing the offers and leaning toward purchasing from stores where you can also meet specialists who can inform you about the value and history of a particular Baldwin, including its serial number. They can provide professional services such as tuning and minor repairs that the instrument may require.