First Annual Mason & Hamlin Piano Fest at Hollywood Piano

By John K. Adams

Would you give up breathing? How about food? Who needs it, right? Give up the piano? If you play, that is not a question to consider. To the player, their piano isn’t just beautiful furniture–a piano is no luxury–it is a lease on life. That is one of the reasons Hollywood Piano and CEO Glenn Treibitz are sponsoring the 1st Annual Mason & Hamlin Piano Fest at their Burbank store later in September and though Columbus day. The festival will feature a series of exclusive concerts, educational seminars and wine and cheese receptions celebrating the American made Mason & Hamlin Pianos. Not-as-well-known as the other hand built piano made in USA–Steinway–Mason & Hamlin makes what they have dubbed the “World’s Finest Piano” from their factory outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Hollywood Piano was proud to be honored as Mason & Hamlin’s Dealer Of The Year again earlier this year as the number one seller of Mason & Hamlin pianos in the country.

Treibiz said, “By any measure, Mason & Hamlin are superior pianos to other American brands – including Steinway. Mason & Hamlin uses the same quality materials to build their pianos as Steinway, but their piano frames have 30 percent more hard rock maple. And the cast iron plate that holds the harp is 25 percent larger, ensuring more solid tuning stability. These and other additional raw materials makes the Mason & Hamlin piano a more expensive instrument to build than the comparable sized Steinway piano.The superior quality of Mason & Hamlin is more remarkable once you understand you can purchase a Mason & Hamlin BB piano for about 40 percent less than an equivalent Steinway B.  Granted Steinway is the more famous name, but does name add up to value? You do the math on a Steinway piano that may be 70K, 80K, 90K or more. That’s a huge amount. But Treibitz insists that many pianists who compare both pianos prefer the Mason & Hamlin regardless of its lower price.

One reason for this is Mason & Hamlin’s patented Wessel, Nickel and Gross (WNG) action. Using exclusive carbon-fiber components, this action is one of the finest advances in piano technology in the past century. It provides a smooth responsive touch for even the most discriminating pianist. The WNG actions will withstand the ravages of changing temperatures and humidity that often wreak havoc on wood parts allowing Mason & Hamlin Pianos to retain their value and playability without having to be rebuilt far beyond the life of other brands.The Wessel, Nickel and Gross action is so dependable that dozens of the country’s top universities choose to upgrade their existing stock of pianos, including Steinway pianos, with this superior action. This saves the music departments money and extends the life of these pianos by decades. Treibitz adds, “This superior feeling action is not only a delight to play, the parts will continue to perform trouble free for estimates of 80 to 100 years!”

The Mason & Hamlin Piano Fest is Hollywood Piano’s way to expose the public to the beauty and incredible tone of these amazing pianos. Treibitz said as a bonus the Mason & Hamlin factory will be offering additional rebates on these top tier instruments during the Piano Fest. Making Piano Fest a great time to test one for yourself.

Hollywood Piano is located at 323 South Front Street in Burbank. They are open 10am-6pm, Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 12pm-6pm. For more information call (818) 954-8500 or visit HollywoodPiano.com.