Schimmel also believes that precision is aided by controlling as much of the production process as possible. According to Schimmel, the combination of CNC machinery and handcraftsmanship leads to better results than handwork alone. The company has used its Computer Assisted Piano Engineering (CAPE) software to research, design, and implement virtually every aspect of making a piano, from keyboard layout and action geometry to soundboard acoustics and scale design. One of Europe’s most prolific piano makers, Schimmel makes about 2,500 verticals and 500 grands per year.Īmong European piano manufacturers, Schimmel has been a pioneer in the use of computer-aided design and manufacturing. In 2016, the Chinese piano maker Pearl River purchased a majority interest in Schimmel, in which the Schimmel family remains shareholders. The two World Wars and the Depression disrupted production several times, but the company has gradually rebuilt itself over the past 70 years while earning a strong reputation for quality.

Wilhelm Schimmel began making pianos in Leipzig in 1885, and his company enjoyed steady growth through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Pianos made by: Wilhelm Schimmel Pianofortefabrik GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany (Schimmel), and Kalisz, Poland (Wilhelm Schimmel) and Guangzhou Pearl River Piano Group Ltd., Guangzhou, China (Fridolin Schimmel)

Including Wilhelm Schimmel, Fridolin Schimmel, Vogel

Schimmel piano dealers