Mason & Hamlin Pianos - A Guide to Piano Brands

Name of Piano Brand:

Mason & Hamlin, named after Henry Mason, a pianist and son of Lowell Mason (considered as the "Father of American church music"), and Emmons Hamlin, an inventor and mechanic.

Year Started:

Founded in 1854 in Boston, Massachusetts, they first worked on a new instrument called an organ harmonium.

Early Awards:

• 1867 - 1st prize at the Paris Exhibition for their American Cabinet Organ.

Notable People Who Used a Mason & Hamlin Piano:

Maurice Ravel

Sergei Rachmaninoff

Harold Bauer

Notable Models:

Mason & Hamlin started creating pianos in 1881, hiring designer Richard W. Gertz who is credited as the creator of the Duplex Scale, Tension Resonator and screw stringer. Mason & Hamlin pianos with serial numbers 1893 to 2699 were made in 1885.

Newer Products:

Player systems such as OPUS7, 228CFX and PianoCD. Acoustic pianos such as Model CC-94, Model BB, Model AA, Model A and Model 50.

Interesting Fact:

In 1930, due to economic problems, Mason & Hamlin became a part of the Aeolian American Piano Company. They started manufacturing Mason & Hamlin pianos in 1945 at East Rochester, New York, the location of the Aeolian American plant. The company changed ownership several times, filing for bankruptcy in 1995. A year later, Gary and Kirk Burgett, brothers and owners of PianoDisc, bought the company. The Burgetts now own and run the Mason & Hamlin piano company. Gary Burgett is a music educator and pianist while Kirk is a technician and piano rebuilder.

Did You Know?:

The onset of Worl War 2 brought the piano industry to a halt. Mason & Hamlin built airplane gliders until the end of WW2.

Company Website:

Visit them at MasonHamlin.Com