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Like all Fridolin pianos, the smallest model is based on a long-established original Schimmel construction.
The experience of Schimmel, as the inventor of the so-called “small upright piano”, is particularly beneficial to this model. Despite its low height, it has an enormous sound power and can easily be compared with larger pianos.
Classic Konzept (Fridolin): Dieses Design wurde ursprünglich von Arno Wilhelm Schimmel in den 1930er Jahren entwickelt, mit der Idee, eine neue Kategorie von Klavieren zu bauen. Das Tonvolumen der großrahmigen Konstruktionen sollte erhalten bleiben, aber das Erscheinungsbild sollte wesentlich graziler werden. Die Konstruktionsidee war damals revolutionär und wurde mehrfach patentiert. Durch den Erfolg dieser innovativen Idee entwickelte sich Schimmel schnell zum größten deutschen Klavierhersteller. Die Konstruktion wurde kontinuierlich verbessert und mithilfe der im Jahr 1980 selbst entwickelten Computersoftware CAPE perfektioniert. Das Ergebnis sind zeitlose Instrumente in Klang und Spielgefühl.
These designs are carefully simplyfied in detail ,material and manufacturing process compared with the Classic designs, still remaining the main characteristics.
Our hammer heads are made from highly elastic merino felt with high flexibility and low damping properties. The felt is made from the highest quality merino wool in a traditional fulling process in Germany. For the hammer cores, we use hardwoods in combination with tension-regulating under felts. The result is a great richness of tone colours in the different dynamic levels, as well as long-lasting tones due to low damping effect on the strings (short contact period due to highly elastic felt).
The "Dynamic Sound Bar" is clamped to the soundboard during the production of the soundboard. This regulates the flow of energy in the soundboard when playing at different volumes, thus ensuring a wider range of sound characteristics depending on the attack and volume. This is what we call high tonal dynamics. Depending on the size and shape of the soundboard, we use either one or two dynamic sound bars to achieve the best possible result. (see table)
We use pin blocks made of thin hardwood layers so that the instrument keeps its pitch optimally and is easy to tune. These pin blocks were developed by Schimmel in the 1950s as so-called "tropical climate resistant" pin blocks and have proven themselves over the decades.
Schimmel offers an extended manufacturer's warranty through its network of appointed dealers. Because we trust and stand by the quality of our instruments.
As early as the 1980s, Schimmel worked with computers to improve the design of its instruments, making the company a pioneer in the piano industry. Since then, the use of computers for research and development has been constantly further developed and today, under the name CAPE (Computer Assisted Piano Engineering), it represents a unique and all-encompassing software solution into which decades of development work and research results have contributed. On this basis, new ideas and designs are constantly being created that set standards in the industry.
On this basis, the use of CNC machines for the production of precision parts has been promoted since the 1990s. These are then added to our instruments exclusively by hand and are a prerequisite for achieving the highest quality.
Environmental protection and sustainability have been part of the company philosophy at Schimmel since the company was founded in 1885. This starts with the quality of our instruments. With a Schimmel instrument, you are purchasing a durable product that will be used for many years, often for generations. Which industry can say that it repeatedly receives requests for spare parts for its products that are more than 100 years old? Durability conserves resources. In addition, we manufacture our instruments from predominantly renewable raw materials - domestic wood from certified forestry and wool - and our cast iron plates are made in an elaborate process from recycled scrap metal. Wood leftovers and shavings from production are used to heat production in winter, and we generate solar power on the roof of the factory. Biofilters and a modern heating system complete our production. And of course, we produce according to high German environmental standards. This is true not only in our manufactory in Braunschweig | Germany, but also in Kalisz | Poland. In China, the production of our Fridolin instruments is environmentally certified according to ISO 14001 to ensure our high standards of environmental protection and sustainability here as well.
| Model series | F 116 |
| Model | Tradition |
| Height (cm | inch) | 116 | 46″ |
| Width (cm) | 148 |
| Depth (cm) | 59 |
| Weight (kg | lbs) | 230 | 507 |
| Finish | Ebony high gloss | White high gloss |
| Standard hardware | Brass |
| Optional hardware to order | Ebony high gloss also with chrome gloss |
| Manufacturer | Guangzhou Pearl River Kayserburg Piano Co., Ltd. |
| Country of origin | Guangzhou | China |
| Action | Schimmel action |
| Keyboard | Production Guangzhou |
| Keyboard coating | Polymethyolmethacrylat / Bakelite |
| Number of keys | 88 |
| Approx. keybed height from floor to underside keybed / keytop (mm) | 639 | 724 |
| Pedals | Piano Pedal (left) | Moderator/twintone (middle) | Tone control (right) |
| Installation of self player possible | no |
| Installation twintone ex works | retrofit at dealer's workshop* (*from year of manufacture 2019) | yes | yes |
| Steel strings high performance spring steel with precise partial tone development | High-performance steel by Pitthan | Germany |
| Bass strings | exclusively made for Schimmel |
| Box frame construction with solid hard wood liners inlaid in mountain grown spruce. Combines high stability against bending forces with high energy reflection | yes |
| Three-dimensional crowned and tension loaded soundboard | Parallel ground |
| Dynamic soundbar for definition see product details | one |
| Bridge: solid beech capped by 5 layers of maple wood crosswise glued | standard bridge |
| Cast iron made traditionally | yes |
| Piano lid design | horizontal and vertical |
| Glider/castor as standard (exchange to glider / castor is possible upon request) | Castors |
| Soft close fallboard as standard | yes |
| High gloss finishes are made of premium piano lacquer by layering process and hand polished | yes |
| Manufactured according to following standards | ISO 14001 |