Charles R. Walter pianos are absolutely beautiful, inside and out. They also probably have the narrowest customer base of all of today's piano manufacturers but for that customer, there is simply no other piano. Charles Walter does not have a complete product line of pianos. They sell one upright model, packaged two different ways. Here's what you need to know:
Charles Walter pianos are handmade in Elkhart, IN. Yes,
It is owned by the Walter family and they are lovely people. On paper, this company shouldn't even exist – a high-end piano, currently being handmade in the USA, by a family, at a time when almost all the world's pianos are being made in Asia or by small boutique companies in Europe that have been around almost as long as the state of Indiana.
But they're doing it. And what they build are studio pianos in traditional, hand rubbed lacquer finishes. They're ornate and beautiful. A little known fact about the piano industry is that almost every manufacturer – even the highest-end European manufacturers – have been using particle board in their cabinets for years. Some use it more than others, but it's there, under all the wood veneers and glossy finishes. Charles Walter pianos use only hardwoods in their cabinets and their veneers are so thick that they can be sanded again and again (without risking sanding through the veneer) if the owner (or heirs) ever wish or need to have it refinished.
Charles Walter pianos are also well-respected musical instruments. Musically, they are the highest-rated pianos in their category. This is because of their unusually long strings, which Walter was able to "fit" into his piano. Due to the unique angle of the stringing pattern, the #1 bass string length of the Charles Walter 45" studio piano is the length of most 5'8" grand pianos and is longer than most brands' 50-52" models.
Charles Walter pianos are not cheap. But for good reason. Walter pianos are made with only the highest grade materials and they're handmade in America. The only other company who can make this claim is Steinway and due to the costs, Steinway stopped making decorator console pianos decades ago. This leaves Charles Walter absolutely alone in the market for an heirloom quality, traditionally-designed console or studio piano.
One of the most endearing aspects of the Walter Piano company is their company brochure. One look at it and you’ll see that the Charles Walter piano designs are so traditional and timeless, there has been no reason to update the brochure...since, like, the ‘80s. The clothes and hair styles of the models in the pictures leave no doubt this brochure was printed in the 80’s! Seriously, though, the piano models haven’t changed in decades so neither has the brochure. This also explains why the resale value of Charles Walter pianos is unusually high.
If quality is more important than price, by all means check out the Charles Walter. Here is a link to our unique photo gallery of Charles Walter piano finishes and styles.
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