~ More piano names and brands are added (and in some cases discontinued) every year, making this list incomplete.



~ These are my personal rankings which stem from my professional experience as a performer and technician.  Thanks in large part to living in France for nearly two decades, my familiarity with the more exotic and high quality European pianos is evidenced in this list.



~ Certain pianos are more difficult to rate due to a great inconsistency in production quality, in a given year or across the decades.  These and others may leave the factory in poor condition, requiring much skilled work to make them into their intended ideal.  (NY Steinway, Baldwin...)



~ All pianos leave their factories at a certain % of their true potential; that level of completion deemed acceptable within company vision (budget).  The better pianos are very close to perfection while most pianos are far from their inherent musical and mechanical potential.



~ This list deals only with new grand pianos, but it can generally be assumed the their upright pianos will be of comparable quality.