Specifications and Features
Scale/Size: (Steinway-designed)
Steinway-designed Rim Shape: Essex grand pianos are wider at the tall than most other pianos of the same length. This allows a larger soundboard area, 6% larger, In fact, producing a richer sound.
Steinway-designed tension scaling results in longer sustaining tone and longer life of the whole piano. Steinway-patented duplex scaling adds harmonic dimension and longer sustain to the tone.
Soundboard: (Steinway-designed)
Solid (not laminated), premium grade, straight-grained spruce with a minimum of 8 annual growth rings per inch (3 per cm.) for proven superior tone quality.
Tapered, rather than uniformly thick, to vibrate more freely and provide more tonal volume. Specially designed closing rims make the upright soundboard irregular in shape (more like a grand), and improve its acoustical properties.
Soundboard ribs are of spruce and are fully let-in to a notched liner (uprights) and the rim (grands) to support the soundboard crown and prevent the piano from losing its tone.
Backposts and Braces: (Steinway-designed)
Computer-designed grand bracing system and upright back assembly provide a solid, stable platform for the soundboard. Radial bracing on the grands and staggered backposts on the uprights concentrate bending stiffness where the majority of strings are. The overall strength and mass of these systems create a solid foundation for the strength and beauty of the Essex tone.
Pinblock: (Steinway-specified)
Hard Maple, layered multi-directionally, grips tuning pins from several directions to assure a tight fit, uniform pressure, and smoother tuning.
Tuning Pins: (Steinway-specified)
Bass strings wound with solid copper, and Roslau treble string wire of the highest grade steel provide superior tone. "Overstringing" allows maximum speaking length of bass strings.
Strings: (Steinway-designed)
Bass strings wound with solid copper, and Roslau treble string wire of the highest grade steel provide superior tone. Steinway-patented overstringing allows maximum speaking length of bass strings and a smoother transition from bass to tenor sections.
Essex Piano Models
| Grands | Uprights |
EGP-155 5' 1"/155 cm EGP-161 5' 3.5"/161 cm EGP-173 5' 8"/173 cm EGP-183 6'/183 cm |
EUP-108 42 1/2"/108 cm EUP-111 43 3/4"/111 cm EUP-116 45 1/2"-46 1/4" EUP-123 48 1/2 "/123 cm |
Plate: (Steinway-designed)
Cast from gray iron to the most precise tolerances. "Over-engineered" to provide strength to support 20 tons of string tension.
Action: (Steinway-designed)
All wood (no plastic) for proven durability, and heightened responsiveness and control. Angled whippen heel for faster repetition.
Rosette-shaped, extruded aluminum action rails and flanges mean increased stability and less frequent regulation.
Steinway-specified hammers made with premium-grade felt and metal fasteners deliver optimum performance from the Essex piano scale design.
Piano keys are spruce, and are individually balanced (grands) and weighted.
Bridges: (Steinway-designed)
All wood used for making parts is naturally cured and kiln dried to the
precise moisture content specified, to assure precision and long life. Grand
piano rims and upright case components are laminated Philippine mahogany,
for stability, strength and long life. Computer-designed radiating grand
braces of laminated Philippine mahogany provide stronger, triangular support
compared to parallel designs. Uprights similarly employ staggered backposts.
This rigid support increases tuning stability, soundboard crown retention
and long piano life.
Structure: (Steinway-specified)
All wood used for making parts is naturally cured and kiln dried to the precise moisture content specified, to assure stability and long life.
Grand piano rims and upright back components are layered lauan and beech or walnut for stability, strength, and long life.
Other features: (Steinway-specified)
Cabinet parts finished in a wide variety of natural wood veneers with durable polyester, polyurethane or nitrocellulose lacquer top coats. The 161 and 183 grands feature locks.
Warranty: (Steinway-assured)
Steinway & Sons stands behind each Essex piano with a comprehensive warranty providing you with peace of mind for the future. Specific details vary by country. Consult your piano dealer for a copy of the warranty and service program that applies to you.
