Original Piano Maker(s)
Since its inception, the Chinese Government owned the company. In c. 2012, Pearl River went public.
Date Established
1956
Original Location(s)
Guangzhou, China
Benefits & Features
- "World's Best-Selling Piano Manufacturer, Sold In Over 100 Countries"
- Grand piano rims made of walnut, permitting a lower tension scale design (for warm, rich tones and longer sustain)
- 100% close-grained spruce soundboards, tapered to improve flexibility
- "Seasoned" woods acclimatized to ensure reliability, reducing swelling & contracting
- Wet sand cast plates on all models, providing incredible strength to support string tension
- Cut-thread tuning pins for greater precision in tuning
- Vertically laminated maple bridges & multi-ply rock maple pin-blocks
Notable Dates
- 1980s — Pearl River obtains import/export rights.
- 1992 — Tong Zhi Cheng (born c. 1942) appointed Chairman of the Board; originally hired in 1958, he is one of the longest-term employees of Pearl River.
- 1995 — Joint venture with Yamaha to produce low-end Yamaha uprights.
- 1996 — Pearl River ends affiliation with Yamaha.
- 1999 — Pearl River acquires Ritmüller.
- 2000 — Pearl River begins manufacturing Ritmüller pianos.
- 2005 — Joint venture with Steinway & Sons to create Essex pianos, manufactured in Guangzhou.
- c. 2007 — Pearl River becomes the largest piano factory in the world.
- 2009 — Through the work of designer Lothar Thomma, Ritmüller becomes reinvigorated as a high-end piano in North America, along with Kayserburg in other parts of the world.
- c. 2012 — Built state-of-the-art, 1.2 million sq. ft. factory.
- 2013 — The Kayserburg Artist Piano introduced; they are hand-made pianos designed under Stephen Mohler, a protégé of Lothar Thomma.
- 2015 — MMR Dealers' Choice Award, Acoustic Piano Line of the Year.
- 2016 — MMR Dealers' Choice Award, Acoustic Piano Line of the Year.
