porco_rosso But they have been making very solid pianos for many decades, which have proven themselves in many living rooms, schools and piano teachers.
I think this is an important strength that's often neglected. In Sweden Schimmel pianos are quite common in peoples homes and I think there is a reason for that because it's instruments that are made for a home without sacrificing quality and beauty of sound. I mean, some people pay tenth, or even hundreds of thousand euro/dollars for prestigious concert grands that they put in small livingrooms or basements and then stuff them with pillows and blankets just to prevent it for being too loud (I know people that actually do so). Of course there are many other manufacturers that makes great instruments that looks and sounds good in small room but Schimmel seems to particularly cater towards that marked.
I once played on a theater play where they had a small Schimmel, I think it was a 112cm model. It didn't look much but that piano was very, very good. It had this most beautiful tone without being loud. It was a bright tone but not harsh in anyway, more bright in the sense of "light" in a similar way that Bechstein grands are bright (without opting for any other similarities). I would love to have that kind of instrument that has this exquisite tone without being too loud and not sounding as a typical small piano that many other typical small pianos sounds like. It also had this cool design for the note stand where you folded the fallboard and it became the note stand and it stretched all the way from left to right of the piano- perfect for a theater piano where you often have to have many sheets of music in front of you at the same time. It also had a really great (Renner) action that was very responsive and smooth (picture one).
One particular design you often see in peoples homes is this typical Schimmel model with built in lamps (picture no2). At the time those pianos were made I think they looked very classy in an home environment but you be hard pressed to see that design on a concert stage😊. May aunt actually has this kind of piano and it has a stunningly beautiful tone. The action is terrible though with an unbearably heavy touch which I've found common in this type of models. (picture No2)
I also have a friend that is an organist and vocalist/vokal teacher. She has a studio where she arrange small concerts and workshops for singers. In her studio she has a Schimmel piano where the top lid is designed as on a grand piano with the hinge on the short side. That piano sounds absolutely perfect for that space with a very nice tone and when you open the lid ot opens up and projects the sound beautifully towards the audience without being too loud (Picture No3).
All-in-all I think Schimmel can be very nice instruments, at least I have very good experiences with the brand (except for the heavy/sluggish action in some models. I don't think those instruments have Renner actions though). I also think, similar to Grotrian Steinweg, that it is through the uprights that Schimmel shines. The grand pianos I've played have been so-so, they might be great and I just haven't encountered one that is though.
Picture No1
Picture No2
Picture No3
