Wednesday, September 18, 2024 by Mary O'Connor | piano

What's so neat about the Wing and Sons Piano?  Check out the five (yes, 5!) pedals.  Most pianos have 3, or sometimes 2 pedals.

Established in 1868, the Wing & Son Piano Company quickly became a masterclass in innovative marketing! Originally launched as Doan, Wing & Cushing, the company manufactured the usual square grand and upright pianos like many of its competitors. But in 1873, when Frank L. Wing took the reins and incorporated the business as Wing & Son Piano Company, things started to change – and fast!

Frank L. Wing believed that a piano should be more than just an instrument; it should bring the richness of an entire orchestra into the home. To fulfill this vision, Wing & Son introduced an exciting innovation: the 5-pedal mechanism. Unlike standard pianos, these pedals could imitate the sounds of various string instruments, including the mandolin, guitar, zither, harp, and banjo. This feature gave their pianos an edge, allowing players to explore new musical depths. The pedals, labeled Mandolin, Orchestra, Expression, Soft, and Forte, made these instruments a hit with musicians who wanted more than just a standard piano sound.

But it wasn’t just the piano’s features that made Wing & Son stand out—it was Frank Wing's marketing genius. Rather than relying on expensive showrooms or high-pressure sales tactics, Wing & Son took a unique approach. They published beautifully illustrated catalogs titled “The Book of Complete Information About Pianos.” These catalogs were designed to educate the average person on how pianos were made, demystifying the manufacturing process. Once the reader felt like a piano expert, the catalogs skillfully highlighted why Wing & Son pianos were superior. This soft-sell strategy worked wonders!

By selling directly from these lavish catalogs, Wing & Son eliminated the need for showrooms, keeping their prices competitive. They also offered free trials and flexible financing, making their pianos accessible to a broader audience—especially in rural areas, where the nearest piano showroom was often miles away.

Unfortunately, like many businesses, Wing & Son couldn’t withstand the economic downturn of the Great Depression, and by 1931, the company seemed to have faded away. But for decades, Wing & Son was at the forefront of both piano innovation and clever marketing, proving that a little creativity can go a long way in making a business sing.

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