170th anniversary. today, it is regarded as one of the big four piano makers and i ve come to take a peek inside its massive factory here in queens, in new york. this factory has been in operation for over 150 years and the processes they created all those years ago were so perfect and so ahead of their time that they still use many of the same techniques today. what s going on here? what are you up to here? i am key weighing. key weighing? balancing the keys. without the weights, you cannot play, the keys are too heavy, which would give you copper tone. you have 88 keys. every key is like me and you. every one is different. none are the same. this tells me how much weight. i have to find the right position, you see? then i have to check the return,
the steinway piano. you agree? yes, i do. ok, so he would know that s jay leonhart, a musician who has played with many of the greats across his remarkable career. believe it or not. my first real professional gig was forjudy garland, believe it or not. no way. stop it! in 1963, 64. but that s not all. tony bennett, paxson archer. peggy lee, sting. oh, my god. what do you think makes a steinway piano so iconic? well, we all think it s because it s handmade. we play all the other pianos and they play nicely but nothing sounds like a steinway. cheering and applause this year marks steinway s 170th anniversary. today, it is regarded as one
this year marks steinway s 170th anniversary. today, it s regarded as one of the big four piano makers, and i ve come to take a peek inside its massive factory here in queens, in new york. this factory has been in operation for over 150 years, and the processes that they created all those years ago were so perfect and so ahead of their time, that they still use many of the same techniques today. what s going on here? what are you up to here? i m key weighing. key weighing. key weighing balancing the keys. well, without the weights, you cannot play. the keys are too heavy, - which will give you carpal tunnel. now, you have 88 keys. every key is like me and you every one is different, - none of them are the same. so, this tells me how much weight that it wants. - i have to find the right position, you see? - then i have to check for return. then i mark.