Pianos made by: Schulze Pollmann s.r.l., Borgo Maggiore, San Marino

Schulze Pollmann was formed in 1928 by the merger of two German piano builders who had moved to Italy. Paul Pollmann had worked first with Ibach, then with Steinway & Sons (Hamburg), before opening his own piano factory in Germany. He later moved to Italy, where he met Albert Schulze, another relocated German piano builder. Pollmann managed the combined firms until 1942, and was followed by his son Hans, who had managed the piano maker Schimmel before returning to his father’s firm. Recently, the company relocated a short distance to San Marino, a tiny city-state entirely surrounded by Italy.

In North America, Schulze Pollmann offers three series of pianos: Masterpiece (grands), Academy (verticals), and Studio (verticals). The Masterpiece Series pianos, available only by special order, are made entirely in Italy and San Marino, and contain Delignit pinblocks, Renner actions and hammers from Germany, and Ciresa solid red-spruce soundboards from the Val di Fiemme, in Italy. The Academy Series, also made in Italy, uses Renner hammers and Ciresa soundboards, and has the same level of cabinetry as the Masterpiece Series. The company uses both sophisticated technology and handwork in its manufacturing. All soundboards have finger-jointed construction to optimize stability and prevent cracking. Many of the cabinets have beautiful designs and inlays. The Studio series is partially made in Asia and finished off, including deluxe cabinetwork, in San Marino.

The uprights are well built and have a warm, colorful sound with a good amount of sustain. The treble is not nearly as brittle sounding as in some other European uprights. Schulze Pollmann grands are likewise very nicely crafted and arrive at the dealer in good condition, needing only solid preparation to sound their best.

In 2005, Italian auto manufacturer Ferrari Motor Car selected Schulze Pollmann as a partner in the launch of its new Ferrari 612 Scaglietti series of automobiles. For the occasion, Schulze Pollmann crafted a limited-edition version of its 6' 7" model 197/G5 grand piano, still available, with a case that sports Ferrari’s racing red and a cast-iron plate in Ferrari gray carbon, the same color as the Scaglietti’s engine. The car and the piano have been exhibited together in cities around the world.

Warranty: 10 years, parts and labor.