L.A Dealer Hollywood Piano Finds Ritmuller Turning The World Of Pianos Upside Down
When the world’s largest piano maker teams up with one the world’s preeminent piano designers the out come is bound to be something pretty spectacular and that’s exactly what happened when the New Ritmuller line of fine pianos designed by Lothar Thoma hit the market.
The Ritmuller piano tradition starts in 1795 in Germany where important piano innovations by Ritmuller became standard features in all pianos including the modern soundboard which produced the first pianos with a long sustaining tone. (Pictured below is the largest piano factory in the world where Ritmuller is made.)
It Started With A Steinway Piano Contract
How did this venerable icon of pianos get transformed into the new darling of the modern piano world? The world’s largest piano maker, Pearl River received a contract from the legendary Steinway Piano Company to make a new line pianos for them called Essex. It’s true the same company had been in a joint venture with Yamaha prior, but Yamaha is considered at a different level of prestige compared to Steinway. It was quite an achievement for a company that had been known for entry level pianos to have Steinway contract them to build a new line. When they received the contract from Steinway it presented a slight dilemma to the chairman of the company who said , “we’re not going to make the best piano we’re capable of for Steinway, we’re going to make it for ourselves”.
Why Hollywood Piano Loves Ritmuller
- 1. Sound Aesthetic Of High End European Pianos – For what you might pay or less for the Indonesian or Chinese made Yamaha or Kawai you can have piano that offers the musicality of a fine European made piano with long lasting treble decay and rolling bass. Even compared to higher end Japanese made Yamaha or Kawai uprights & grands (which these days can be as much or more than certain European pianos) costing considerably more than a Ritmuller are often outclassed by the Ritmuller’s warm long lasting tone. Case in point compare the Ritmuller UH132 to a Kawai K800 or a Yamaha U3 Or Yamaha U5 and you will be amazed at how much longer the sustaining tones are on the Ritmuller European design. A more musical and satisfying tone and a savings of thousand of dollars.
- 2. Louus Renner Hammers from Germany – Renner hammers are considered some of the very best in the world. They are the element that crates a piano’s characteristic tone. Renner hammers give the Ritmuller pianos their warm round singing tone. Piano technicians particularly like Ritmuller hammers for their ease of voicing. Not too hard and not too soft factory team ritallowing refined and accurate voicing from note to note.
- 3. Ebony Wood Black Keys – For pianists there is nothing that beats the feel of real wood sharps beneath your fingers. Real allows you to have a firmer “grip” of the keyboard because of its porous nature
- 4. Hand Workmanship – one of the things that separates the Ritmuller/Kayeserberg level pianos from the other pianos the company makes is not only the materials but the degree of hand work and attention to details. When you visit the factory as we have, you notice there is a higher degree of care, more steps done by hand and some processes done completely separately from the other products of Pearl River overseen by Lothar Thomma’s full time team in China headed by Stephen Mohler. This is ensuring the consistent high quality of the entire Ritmuller line as the best the company makes. About Stephen Mohler
Ritmuller Deserves To Be On Everyone’s Short List When Shopping Pianos In Los Angeles
What Mr. Thomma has done with the new Ritmuller pianos is revolutionary. Why? For the first time ever he’s given the piano buying public an original Thomma design using European parts (in the most crucial places producing a European tone quality) for a fraction of the price of a piano fully made in Europe. The musicality of these pianos overshadow some of the most famous Japanese branderd pianos regardless of their origin. Today the Pearl River company ( the parent of Ritmuller) builds 3 distinct lines of pianos. At the bottom is the entry level Pearl River brand. Above the Pearl River brand is the Essex brand built for Steinway.
We invite you to come down and audition the amazing new Ritmuller pianos for yourself. The Ritmuller piano is offering performance and sound quality of pianos costing 2 to 3 times it’s price.
