Hardman Pianos
Hardman is a New York piano name that goes back to 1842—one of America’s distinguished piano makers, with instruments once chosen by the Metropolitan Opera. We’re one block from Lincoln Center. This brand feels like a neighbor.
Hardman pianos were built for reliability, tonal clarity, and long service life. Instruments from the company’s peak era have turned up in schools, studios, and homes across New York more than a century after the company was founded. That kind of durability isn’t accidental—it’s engineered.
THINKING ABOUT BUYING? That’s normal.
Most people researching pianos plan to buy. The smart move? Rent first, decide later. The right piano reveals itself after weeks of playing—not from a spec sheet.
Hardman: A New York Name Since 1842
Hugh Hardman established his piano company in New York in 1842. By the 1880s, the firm had grown into Hardman, Peck & Company—often known simply as Hardman-Peck—and had earned a reputation for instruments that combined tonal purity with genuine durability.
Hardman developed several patents, including innovations in player-piano mechanisms, and produced a full range of uprights, grands, and player pianos. The company’s instruments were known for what period descriptions called “purity and delicacy of tone” alongside robust construction and artistically styled cabinetry.
The accolades followed. Hardman became the official piano of New York’s Metropolitan Opera Company. A Hardman was placed in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt White House. For a stretch of American history, Hardman was one of the names you encountered in every serious musical institution in the city.
During the Great Depression, the Aeolian company acquired Hardman, Peck & Company and continued building pianos under the Hardman name into the late 20th century. The brand has changed hands since, but the instruments remain—and the ones that were built well are still playing. All of our Hardman pianos are made in China at the Beijing HsingHai piano factory - one of the oldest piano factories in China. In fact, our founder, Jerry Binder, traveled there in 1979 as a guest of the Chinese government to advise them on producing pianos.
These are solid, well made pianos that will last forever.
What Makes Hardman Different
Hardman’s character comes from its history as a builder of institutional-grade instruments—pianos that needed to survive heavy daily use in schools, studios, and professional settings while still sounding refined enough for the Met.
Tone: Historical descriptions emphasize purity and delicacy—a clear, articulate sound rather than a heavy or overpowering one. Hardman pianos tend toward a classic American tonal aesthetic: warm but defined, with good projection.
Build: Hardman’s reputation was built on durability. Surviving instruments have been found in New York public schools and teaching studios decades after they were built—still playing, still in service. That kind of longevity speaks for itself.
Cabinetry: Hardman cases are often praised for artistic detail—pianos that were designed to be furniture as much as instruments. If you appreciate a piano that looks like it belongs in the room, not just in the corner, Hardman delivers.
PLAYED IN PIANOS — Why "Previously Rented" Is a Feature
New pianos are stiff. They can need up to 4 tunings in the first year just to settle. That's why professional musicians prefer played-in instruments—a piano develops its character over time. You wouldn't run a marathon in brand new shoes. Our rentals are already played in and arrive at your home ready for practice.
Hardman at PianoPiano
We rent two Hardman models: a 44” upright for daily practice and a petite baby grand for players who want the sound and feel of a grand in a smaller footprint.
Hardman 44” Studio Series
A 44” upright with the build quality Hardman is known for. At 44”, it sits just above standard console height—a bit more instrument in a still-compact footprint. It also has the look of a standard upright, as it has front legs. All in a Compact case, with more "design."
This is a piano built for daily use. Hardman made its name in schools and studios where instruments took a beating and needed to keep performing. The Studio Series carries that same philosophy: straightforward, durable, and musically honest.
Hardman 4’8” Petite baby Grand Piano
A petite grand for players who want the look of a grand--the open-lid projection and horizontal string layout--but don’t have the space or the budget for a full 5’ or larger instrument. At 4’8”, it fits rooms that most baby grands won’t. These bring elegance and sophistication to any room.
The Hardman petite baby grand gives you the visual and musical experience of a grand—the open soundboard, the responsive action, the way the sound fills a room from the top rather than bouncing off a wall—in the smallest footprint we offer for a grand piano. At $225/month, it’s also the most accessible way to have a grand in your home.
WHY OUR PIANOS LAST
We’re a rental company. We buy pianos we want to own forever—so our grandkids can rent them to your grandkids. You can purchase if you want, but that’s not our goal. We just want you to play it, love it, and send it back when you’re done so we can find a new home for it. That’s why we only buy quality instruments that will last forever.
Why Hardman Makes a Great Rental
Hardman is the kind of brand that rewards renting—because you get to experience a piano with real character without taking on the risks and uncertainties of buying one yourself.
Play a piece of New York history. Hardman pianos carry a documented pedigree and design lineage. When you rent one, you’re not gambling on “just an old piano” from a random seller—you’re playing a curated instrument from a name that meant something in this city.
We handle the maintenance. Every piano in our fleet is stabilized, voiced, and maintained by professionals. That matters with any piano, but especially with a brand known for durability—proper care is what keeps a Hardman performing the way it was built to. You just play it.
Try a grand at a fraction of the commitment and a fraction of the size. The petite baby grand at $225/month is the lowest-cost way to find out whether a grand piano can be in your home. If it can, keep it. If your needs change, we pick it up. No 500-pound problem in your living room.
Switch anytime, no penalty. Start with the upright, switch to the petite baby grand—or to a Yamaha, Weber, or Young Chang. As many times as you want.
Your monthly price never goes up. Your rate locks in for as long as you rent. No increases, ever.
100% first-year credit toward purchase. If you fall in love, apply your rental payments toward buying that piano—or any other in our inventory of equal or greater value.
RETURN
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PURCHASE
Explore Hardman at PianoPiano
Curious what a Hardman feels like? Whether it’s the studio upright for daily practice or the petite grand for a room you want to fill with sound, we can help you find the right one.
Browse Hardman Rentals | Contact Us
Questions? We’ve been renting and selling pianos since 1975. No pressure, no haggling—just straight answers.
We provide reliable delivery from Boston to Washington, D.C., and from Santa Barbara to San Diego—including all cities and towns in between.
Learn About our Other Piano Brands
Albert Weber | Avery Bond | Hardman | Kawai | KPOP™ | | Samick | Weber | Yamaha | Young Chang |