Schimmel K256 Semi-Concert Grand Piano

Product Overview

Schimmel’s Konzert lineup of grands and uprights are new to the market over the past few years, and has successfully brought this historic German manufacturer to new levels of industry recognition and prosperity.

While the Classic series are undoubtedly excellent handmade instruments, the investment in new computer aided design technology and cutting edge CNC machinery which gave birth to the Konzert series has raised the bar.

Every inch of the piano was considered, and using the K280 concert grand as the prototype, Schimmel has successfully incorporated several advanced new design features into their Konzert series which has trickled down throughout the rest of the lineup.

The K256 is the second largest grand piano of the series, but adopts virtually all of the same advanced features as the K280, including the same extended-length concert grand action, despite being 9 inches shorter in length.

A technologically advanced, musically brilliant semi-concert grand, the K256 should be considered by all institutions looks for a truly fine instrument just shy of full concert size.

Action

The K256 uses the exact same concert length action featured in the K280, which is already extended 6 cm beyond a traditional length concert grand action to offer a level of control few other grand pianos can match.

The action design is brand new and unique to the Konzert series, and was developed by Schimmel’s most advanced engineers. Actual building of the action is done by Renner, also in Germany.

The white keys use a blend of minerals to replicate the feel of Ivory, and the black keys use genuine ivory.

With extensive factory regulation, this action is a joy to play out of the box. If touch is of primary importance and your space can’t accommodate a full length concert grand, the action in the K256 alone makes it a very compelling option.

Tone

Warmer and lusher than the Schimmel’s of the past, the K256 also boasts a bass register that makes many 9 foot pianos sound weak. Thunderous, yet clear and not over the top.

Schimmel incorporates their unique triplex scaling into the mid and treble ranges, which creates a wider palette of harmonics for the pianist to work with. There’s full rear duplex scaling, and both the triplex and duplex scaling are fully tunable.

Schimmel has also incorporated a new light mass laminated bridge design which allows the soundboard to vibrate more freely, leading to truly magnificent sustain.

Hammers

Wurzen makes the hammers for the K256 to Schimmel’s precise standards. The hammer are made with a mahogany core and double felted for fast response and next to no distortion.

Soundboard

The painstaking attention to detail the Konzert series grands are made with is readily apparent when it comes to the soundboards, both in material selection and design.

The K256 uses a Triple A Bavarian White Spruce soundboard from select, high altitude mountain ranges, reserved for Schimmel by the Bavarian Forestry Service.

The soundboard is approximately 15% larger than similarly sized grands, allowing for greater volume and distribution of tone, and receives precision tapering prior to installation.

A dynamic bar is attached to facilitate greater dynamic range, and the soundboard is crowned in “3D” method unique to Schimmel, which contributes to the generation durability of the instrument.

Cabinet/Rim

To make room for the larger soundboard, the rim on the K256 is angled in an unorthodox fashion.

Materials used in the rim are alternating laminations of quality beech and maple, and the thickness is simply staggering. This instrument is built to last a very long time.