Estonia Piano Factory
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The Estonia Piano Factory was founded in 1893 by Ernst Hiis in Tallinn, Estonia. After the factory's decline in the early 1990s with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the firm was revived by Indrek Laul, who invested in the company and introduced its products to the United States. Although the Estonia pianos manufactured in the early 1990s were plagued by manufacturing defects, those made since about 2002 have demonstrated remarkable quality and a unique, sweet singing tone. Additional improvements made in the years 2003-2005 have placed the Estonia grand pianos in the highest or second highest tier of quality, based upon ranking systems frequently referred to in the piano industry, although such rankings are frequently also disputed.
Estonia pianos are performance quality acoustic grand pianos manufactured in the Republic of Estonia. Three models are currently (as of January 2007) offered for sale: the L168 Studio Grand (168cm, 5'6"), the L190 Parlour Grand (190cm, 6'3"), and the L274 Concert Grand (274cm, 9'0").
Estonia reports that it was founded in 1893 by Ernst Hiis. Early in the Soviet era it is reported that Joseph Stalin favored Estonia pianos (after having received one as a gift) and designated the company as the sole manufacturer of grand pianos in the Soviet Union. From 1950 to 1990 the company was state-owned and made two grand piano models (190cm and 273cm) for distribution throughout the Soviet Union.
The company languished after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and in 1993 the factory was privatized to its managers. In 1995 it was sold to Indrek Laul (at that time a doctoral piano student at the Juilliard School in New York), who took over control of the company. Since that time the company has exerted efforts to redesign and bring Estonia grand pianos to a world-class, professional level. Components and materials are now imported where appropriate, such as German Renner actions and hammers. In 2003 a new factory building was completed and opened.[1]. The majority of Estonia pianos are now sold in the United States.
