A Steinway carries up to 46,000 pounds of tension from its strings. The piano rim supports this tension while simultaneously supporting and enhancing the acoustical properties of the soundboard. Steinway’s patented one-piece continuous bent rim generates its strength by bending single laminations of premium, straight-grained rock maple in an unbroken curve to form the rim of the piano.

The process of bending our rims completely by hand has taken place in our factory for over 140 years, and recent developments in that process have produced a vastly improved piano rim. Within the last ten years, we have made improvements to our rim presses and the conditioning process for these hand-bent rims: new reinforced clamping cauls improve the curvature of the rim; new pneumatic wrenches guarantee the proper amount of glue between laminations; and new stabilizers are inserted after the rim has been bent to ensure our rims maintain their optimal shape. Additionally, our rims are placed in new Programmable Logic Controlled Conditioning Rooms that ensure impeccable curing of the wood and glue.