It is a rare day in the piano industry where a manufacturer comes along who can challenge the status quo and redefine how far your money can go when seeking to purchase a piano based on value.

Introducing the Palatino piano -- the most "cosmopolitan" piano in the world. A piano is always more than the sum of its parts, but in this case, the Palatino houses some of the best components from around the world.

 

The Palatino factory is located in Shanghai, China. There are more piano manufacturers in China today than there are in all other countries combined. These pianos have been pouring into North America since 2002, but most of them haven't met the standards of discerning teachers, technician and pianists. Palatino on the other hand immediately broke away from the pack.

Even the author of "The Piano Book" indicated that the landed quality of the Palatino pianos he inspected "arrived in excellent condition, needing hardly any preparation". Any piano retailer would laugh at the notion of a Chinese (or otherwise!) piano arriving needing hardly any preparation. That is, any retailer who isn't a Palatino dealer. At Chicagopianos.com, we were shocked when we uncrated our first Palatino. The action was regulated and it was even in tune -- after its trip half way around the world! Subsequent pianos have arrived in the same condition. How can this be?

First of all, Palatino isn't new to musical instruments, they're just new to pianos. They've been making string instruments for a long time. The skilled labor and experienced management at Palatino created a great foundation for quality pianos. But without high quality components and precise machinery from all over the world, the Palatino could have easily been another nameless, faceless, Chinese piano.

Some piano manufacturers make everything from scratch or purchase parts from the lowest bidder, and that certainly has its place in the piano industry. Palatino however, IMPORTS high quality components and manufactures their pianos using costly, highly efficient and precise Japanese and German
machinery: Keyboards and solid spruce soundboards are from its mother country of Italy; Roslau steel string come from Germany, Mapes string are from the U.S., state-of-the-art Toyo machinery was brought in from Japan and German CNC routers were shipped over. And there is hardly a country in the
world with a greater history in casting iron than China, who have maintained foundries since the 15th century. The resulting sound of the Palatino is warm, rich and complex combined with a precise action which should be the envy of piano manufacturers twice the price of a Palatino.

Another advantage to the Palatino: the price. Chinese-made pianos are not taxed as highly as Japanese pianos when imported. As one of our employees has said: The Toyo machines don't know or care whether they're in China or
Japan! The 49" upright is an unbeatable value and the newly arriving grands have been no less impressive.

PALATINO STORY FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR #1:
In the north suburbs of Chicago, there is a husband & wife teaching duo, both of whom have their masters degrees in piano performance from Northwestern University. They became familiar with Cordogan's / chicagopianos.com when of one our 6'3" Estonia grands edged out a new Steinway model L as their new teaching instrument. More recently, they came back to purchase a second instrument -- a vertical piano for their studio. The Palatino won hands down, over several other more expensive pianos from renown makers.

PALATINO STORY FROM THE SHOWROOM FLOOR #2:
A well known pianist / teacher from Northbroook, IL came in to our showroom in search of a piano for one of his students. He was sat down at a Palatino and asked what he thought. He loved it, but was naturally concerned that it must be waaaay too much money for his student, who he said wanted an "entry
level" piano. Actually, what the teacher meant to say was that his student wanted an entry level PRICE. And to his surprise, the Palatino fit that price range -- but his student surely didn't get an entry level PIANO! Neither will the teacher who has made arrangements to purchase a Palatino for himself as well!

For more information about Palatino pianos, please contact us at info@chicagopianos.com or call 630-584-5000.

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