 Testimonials.
. .
"My
First Piano"
Featured on Rosie O'Donnell Show
Cindy
Crawford -
stylish supermodel and supermom! - personally
hand-picks her favorite, fabulous finds to
share with you.
"MY FIRST PIANO" by Schoenhut Piano
Company
"We received one of these as a baby gift.
Presley loves having his own piano, and I
think it looks cute next to my bigger
one!" -Cindy Crawford |
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A
letter to the Schoenhut Toy Piano Company
Greetings!
My name is John, and I have been a
professional musician for 38 years
now...playing keyboards of various styles and
makes. About three months ago I was introduced
to the Schoenhut Toy Piano, and the excitement
of playing it is no less than that of playing
a top-of-the-line synthesizer or sitting
behind a precision Baby Grand. Did it bring
back memories of my childhood? You bet it did,
and that is the main reason for sharing my
thoughts with you. On my 4th birthday my
parents surprised me with a gift...a toy
piano...admittedly not a Schoenhut...but at
the same time...a gift that made my eyes open
wide...both at the sight of it...and at the
sound of it. I tinkered and tinkered with
delight; it was my favorite thing of all time
(all four years of my time)! I remember that
day as if it were yesterday...because that is
what propelled my interest in music...which I
would eventually make my career. Enough said
about that. The point I want to make to all
who may have interest in your product is this:
After playing the Schoenhut Toy Piano...I am
GREATLY impressed at the quality of
craftsmanship involved in its appearance...its
unrelenting durability...and most
importantly...its true musical quality. It is
second to none. I am convinced that the
Schoenhut Corporation has its priorities in
line as far as their product is concerned. I
am proud of the fact that they are primarily
concerned with the look on a child's
face...the sound that a child hears...and the
appreciation of music,
which will follow him or her through their
entire life. Of course...any business wants to
make a profit...and that is why in fact it is
a business...but in this case I TRULY feel
that Schoenhut has the public's interest and
well being at heart...above all else. A truly
great product...and a truly caring Company.
Oh
yes, and one other thing...54 years ago when I
saw that piano
on my birthday...my eyes lit up...and I had a
smile on my face. That
will never change...the same reaction
today...from any child at the sight of a toy
piano. The difference is this...mine wasn't a
Schoenhut...and only held up a short time.
Sure...it was long enough to create an
interest...but I sure wish it would have
lasted longer. Take my word for it...get a
Schoenhut...and your child won't have that
problem. :) Thanks Schoenhut...at age 58...I'm
a child again!
Sincerely,
John
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What
If A Child Never Touched A Toy Piano
My
name is Brad, and I have been a professional broadcaster,
vocalist, speaker and avid music collector for 48 years.
For
Christmas 1956, at the age of four, my parents presented
me with an Schoenhut Piano, having noted I would listen to
the radio and 45 records incessantly. Like Jimi
Hendrix’s dad, (who purchased Jimi’s first guitar, an
acoustic, from a pawn shop) they were not able to afford a
real piano much less lessons. But they were told that
Schoenhut produced a toy piano with 18 keys that was a
true miniature of a real piano with great sound.
I
know how corny it is to say a “toy” changed and
enriched a life, but this “toy” did it for me. Within
3 days I was replicating Debbie Reynolds’ “Tammy”
and Peggy Lee’s “How much is that “Doggie in The
Window” note for note on my piano. Neighbors and
friends would actually buy me the latest 45’s just so
they could watch me repeat them on the piano. Remember,
this was the mid 50’s and all most people had been early
television and movies, so I guess I was great neighborhood
entertainment on a dull Saturday night.
I
still had that toy piano, still in tune and working, until
1969, at age 17, when it was stolen. That piano got me my
first gig in radio at 16, as I used it as part of my
musical and sound effects for my first radio audition.
That
piano (and Ms Reynolds’ 45 and a cheap 45 player)
started a life long love of music that led to me becoming
a vocalist, radio personality and music collector
(currently at 7,000 + LP’s, 5,000+ 45’s and 600+
CD’s, much to my wife’s dismay!)
That
piano led me to meet and interview, on-air, in person,
hundreds of entertainers, from Peggy Lee to Eddie Vedder
of Pearl Jam, from Miles Davis to Billy Corgan of the
Smashing Pumpkins, from Ray Charles to Dolly Pardon,
Cher
, Merle Haggard and a many, many more. How did this
happen? I was the jock that could play any tune on a toy
piano after one listen! In addition, my knowledge of
popular music of all types (because of the collection)
made an impression on almost all of the musicians I came
across (You would be surprised how knowledgeable these
artists were of other artists works and genre. For
instance Ray Charles loved Smashing Pumpkins’ music and
we spent a half hour of an hour interview talking about
Corgan’s music rather than Ray’s!). I was also
comfortable with “stars” because we had a true thing
in common, a true love of music, regardless of its origins
or type (just people in love with a true love). Also,
having known at a young age that a crowd of listeners
hearing you perform confuse who you really are with
the music you create, allowed me to meet and talk
with these great artists as people rather than “stars”
That
piano led me to meet Ms. Reynolds at a Charity Ball in
Indiana
in 1987. She had given a performance that night and then
came out to dine after. After explaining to Ms. Reynolds
that she, Peggy Lee and an Schoenhut Piano started me on a
life journey and massive collection, she actually teared
up and kissed me!
That
piano led to paying my eldest daughters first 2 years
college tuition. How? The first 30 or so 45’s I was
given by neighbors between age 4 and 5, I kept. Many were
duplicates. Most of the duplicates were mint. 12 were sold
at auction in 1990 for a little more than $26,000!
That
piano (with my name engraved in the wood), if found today,
would be priceless to me. It changed everything.
This
piano has been around since the 1800’s and I know will
still be around another hundred years from now. Until I
ordered one this Christmas for my first grandchild, I was
unaware that these pianos are handmade in the
USA
by a very small group of dedicated people. It is not a
cheap Asian product. The quality is superb and MADE IN THE
USA
! This is a piano that happens to be of “toy” size.
So,
Do
you really want to risk your child never touching an
Schoenhut Toy Piano at a tender young age? For a small
price, you might, at the very least, change their life for
the better and maybe actually make music
history!
Toy
Pianos Forever!
Brad
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