Wurlitzer is the first American piano company to open the general, middle class, increasingly urban American public to the prospect of a well made, good sounding, sturdy, but small -- even portable -- piano that can fit in a smaller space, like a mid-town city apartment. And thus, in the mid 1930s, Wurlitzer hit the American piano market by storm with the spinet, a piano with a full-sized keyboard and a full set of strings, and yet, standing a mere 36 inches high.
Perhaps there's something magical about the sound of the name itself, but Wurlitzer is a name that has truly branded itself into the American imagination, and even the American dialect. The name conjures memories and day dreams about the big American city, its society life and the intense and masterful productions surrounding the spectacular pipe organs in the upscale theaters of city centers all across the United States. Wurlitzer is still easily associated with the great halls and spectacular musical events of a rapidly growing, prideful country. Indeed, especially for the Boomer age, in soda shops and formica tabled cafes all across America, the Wurlitzer Jukebox, looking more organic and alive than machine like, would collect our dimes and quarters for decades to come.*
These pianos were not in league, nor did they intend to be in league with the Steinways, the Mason & Hamlins, or perhaps even the Chickerings. The idea was to have a Wurlitzer grand piano, baby grand piano, upright, studio or spinet in every living room of every old and new home in the United States. The professional musicians and students would be using other, better built pianos to perform on, but most likely they would find their hands playing a Wurlitzer in a practice room or at a cocktail party from time to time. In this way, Wurlitzer pianos were good enough, made with wood and steel from the U.S. and built here, too.
The pianos made by Wurlitzer & Company have stood their ground over the years, and even though the Baldwin Piano Company now owns the Wurlitzer name, it is still respected enough for Baldwin to use the Wurlitzer name on certain lines.
Those humans fortunate enough to know a piano, and more to have fallen in love with a piano, will understand exactly what it means when it comes to experiencing the piano's mysterious hold over the human heart.