Piano Brands

Fazioli pianos is a premier high-end piano manufacturing company based in Sacile (Italy), producing around 100 handcrafted pianos a year from its single factory. The cost of these pianos ranges from $100,000 to as much as $300,000. Needless to say, Fazioli produces one of the top pianos out there, some argue that they're the best you can get.

The visionary

Born in Rome in 1944, into a family of furniture makers, Paolo Fazioli demonstrated from a very early age a gift for music and a keen interest in the piano. He consequently took up piano studies, which he continued all the way through high school and university. During his studies he developed an interest in piano construction technology, broadening his expertise by visiting manufacturing and restoration workshops and reading the most authoritative literature on the subject.

During this initial phase, Paolo Fazioli defined the basic characteristics of the piano that he wanted to build. He was convinced that, by introducing a number of design changes based on the latest research in acoustics and materials development, he would be able to build an innovative and superior instrument. At the end of the 1970s, Paolo Fazioli's expertise in traditional piano manufacturing, coupled with his engineering research, experience and creativity, finally brought about the establishment of a new business. The Fazioli Piano Factory was built within the Sacile furniture plant, about 40 miles north of Venice.

The factory

Founded in January 1981, it has since produced grand and concert-grand pianos. Starting with 2 pianos per month (1982), between 2007 and 2012 the production fluctuated between 120 and 130 units per year. The factory is also environment friendly, since June 2011, each Fazioli piano is built saving 1 tonne of carbon dioxide thanks to the use of electricity produced by the new photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the Fazioli factory.

The philosophy

In the pursuit for perfection the Fazioli philosophy was created which remains the same to this day: to produce exclusively high-quality grand and concert grand pianos, aiming to create an original sound combining traditional methods with the latest technological advances, with no concern for large production.

Construction and materials

Val di Fiemme forest (the wood provider for these wonderful instruments), is situated in the heart of the Western Italian Alps. In the 1800s, the celebrated violin maker Antonio Stradivari used the wood from this red srpuce forest for his violins. You can read (and even see pictures) about the whole meticulous process of crafting a Fazioli piano here.

Models

The first models produced by the company wereF183 , F156 and F278   (first prototyped in 1981). In the latter half of 1981, work began on the prototype of the F228 model. The demand for an instrument having even greater power and richness of tone, for use in large concert halls, inspired the concept of the F308 model, which is still the longest piano available on the market. Alongside this project, work began on a new model to complement the existing line, the medium-size F212 with a length of 212 cm.

The Fazioli is noted for its inclusion of a fourth pedal on the F308. This pedal brings the hammers closer to the strings, decreasing the volume while maintaining a normal tone, functioning just like the soft pedal on an upright piano. Other special models: Amboina, Chiocciola, Gold Leaf, M. Liminal, Macassar, Malachite, Marco Polo, Royal, Silver and Strauss. Here  you can find professional maintenance tips from the experts working at the Fazioli Company.