| The majority of piano companies began in foreign | | | | doing their part for the American war effort. This |
| countries, such as Japan or Germany. Baldwin Pianos, | | | | wasn't a bad thing, however, since the techniques used |
| however is a 100% American company, founded right | | | | to make wooden wings for aircraft ended up teaching |
| here in the US. | | | | Baldwin better techniques that would later be used to |
| From Humble Beginnings | | | | improve the construction of their pianos. |
| In 1862, a music teacher named Dwight Hamilton | | | | Once World War II ended, the economy was robust |
| Baldwin began a small retail company in Cincinnati. The | | | | and Baldwin found itself in the middle of a rush of |
| Baldwin company sold pianos and organs, but at the | | | | orders for organs and pianos. Churches were looking |
| outset, was only for retail. However, all that changed in | | | | for new musical instruments after years of frugality |
| 1973 when Baldwin formed a partnership with one of | | | | and people wanted pianos in their own homes. It was |
| his employees, Lucien Wulsin. Together, the two men | | | | an excellent time to be one of the few piano |
| expanded the company, setting up little shops in | | | | manufacturers that had made it through the |
| various cities. | | | | Depression. |
| By 1980, the partners weren't satisfied with simply | | | | As time progressed, the company moved production |
| selling other manufacturers' instruments and began to | | | | further south, establishing factories in Arkansas and |
| design and plan their own. A year later, the first | | | | Mississippi before moving down into Mexico where |
| Baldwin upright piano appeared on the market and four | | | | costs were cheaper. New electronic organs were |
| short years later, they had also come out with a grand | | | | being produced now, as well and the company was |
| piano. | | | | doing very well. But it wouldn't last for long. |
| Moving On | | | | In 1961, Lucien's grandson, Lucien Wulsin III, took over |
| In 1899, both Baldwin and his wife died. They left their | | | | the company from his father, Lucien Wulsin II. It would |
| share of the company, 80%, to a church, but it was | | | | mark the beginning of a roller coaster ride for the small |
| quickly bought up by Baldwin's business partner, Lucien | | | | business that nearly ended in bankruptcy in 2001. |
| Wulsin. Under his leadership, the Baldwin Piano | | | | Despite this, Baldwin pianos has bounced back and |
| Company thrived and a year later, a Baldwin grand | | | | today is stronger than ever. They've produced over |
| piano garnered the Grand Prix award. | | | | 1,000,000 vertical pianos over the years, established |
| Despite the fact that radio appeared and the Great | | | | various patents, won awards for their fine piano |
| Depression hit causing many piano companies to go | | | | construction and are bounding into the future with high |
| bankrupt, Baldwin not only managed to continue on | | | | hopes. Famous Baldwin Artists have included Liberace |
| thanks to an emergency fund that had been gathering | | | | and composer Aaron Copland and it has been |
| for years, the company actually began to do sound | | | | remarked that if Beethoven had the option of playing a |
| research. With the help of the University of Cincinnati, | | | | piano, music would have changed drastically. |
| Baldwin worked on investigating new techniques for | | | | Continuing to produce handmade pianos, Baldwin is |
| sound-production. | | | | proving that it can stand the test of time. An all |
| Pausing for the War | | | | American company that has worked hard to maintain |
| Like other factories, Baldwin stopped producing pianos | | | | its original standards of high quality and constantly |
| and focused on aircraft production, instead. It was | | | | improving and expanding, Baldwin Pianos is certainly |
| something that many businesses were forced into, | | | | not giving up any time soon. |