American manufacturers of alternatively sized keyboards
Currently, David Steinbuhler in Pennsylvania (USA) is the only manufacturer with many years experience with 5.5 inch octave (approx 7/8) keyboards (DS5.5®) and 5.1 inch (DS5.1®) for acoustic upright and grand pianos. David, and his grandson Alex, also make 6.0 inch octave (DS6.0®; approx 15/16) keyboards. In the case of keyboards for retrofitting grand pianos, careful measurements of the particular piano are required. They can be supplied with a new alternative action to allow for easy interchangeability or mounted on the old action. During 2018 the former Steinbuhler & Company was converted to a non-profit Foundation, the DS Standard Foundation Inc. (http://dsstandardfoundation.org/) however keyboard manufacturing remains an ongoing activity of the Foundation.
New Hailun HU1P upright pianos with DS5.5 or DS6.0 keyboards made by David Steinbuhler of the DS Standard Foundation are available through a partnership with Hailun USA: https://www.hailun-pianos.com/my-size-keys/. See also: Retail stores and pop-ups
New upright pianos manufactured by the Walter company (USA) (www.walterpiano.com) can be ordered with a DS keyboard installed.
Cunningham Piano of Philadelphia (www.cunninghampiano.com) now offers new “Matchless Cunningham” pianos with narrower keys (made by the DS Standard Foundation) on request.
Steinway & Sons USA will provide a narrower keyboard in new Steinway grands, or as a retrofit into an existing Steinway piano, on request. Please contact Hannah Reimann for further information: http://www.hannahreimann.com/stretto
David Rubenstein, from Los Angeles (www.pianosrubenstein.com) is willing to make alternatively sized keyboards and welcomes enquiries. dr@pianosrubensteinstein.com
Jim Watson, from San Marcos, Texas (www.watsonpianoworks.com) is willing to make alternatively sized keyboards and welcomes enquiries. Watsonpianoworks@gmail.com
European manufacturers of alternatively sized keyboards
In Germany, Kluge (owned by Steinway) will make alternatively sized keyboards and welcomes enquiries from pianists. https://www.kluge-klaviaturen.de/keyboards_components.html?fbclid=IwAR1sQn7IjUtak1McjDG_48E1SeLBv5eKoUnJ55uCfsq53HWn82Gt92vuLJI
Also in Germany, Steingraeber & Sohne will make 6.0 and 5.5 inch octave keyboards for upright and grand pianos on request. https://www.steingraeber.de/en/
The UK manufacturer Pinkham Pianos will make alternatively sized keyboards for their range of upright and grand pianos at no extra cost compared with a standard keyboard. Pianos with any size key can be made according to the customer’s hands. Black key shapes and key coverings can also be varied to suit individual customer needs. The company will also make keyboards for other makes of pianos. For further information, see:
www.pinkhampianos.com/pinkhampianos.nsf/Pianos/CustomMadeSmallerKeys and contact the manufacturer. Prices of the range of Pinkham pianos are available on the company website. Rental arrangements are sometimes available. clive.pinkham@pinkhampianos.com
Digital keyboards
While some of the major manufacturers of digital keyboards (such as Yamaha and Korg) sell ‘mini’ keyboards with fewer than 88 keys, they are mainly designed for small children. They have unweighted keys which are often considerably shorter than normal.
There are no 88-key digital keyboards with semi or fully weighted keys currently on the market, although there are two under development by small firms – one in the USA and the other in Europe.
The European company, Kaduk Musical Technology, is using innovative approaches to action and keyboard design in its ‘Respons’ keyboard. It will be possible to have keys of any width, down to 3/4 of the conventional keyboard (6.5 inch octave). http://www.kaduk.nl
An American company is developing the first narrow key (5.5 inch octave) 88 key digital keyboard. http://narrowkeys.com. You can see a prototype played here by Linda Gould: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ja8as9HpPA. To express interest and follow up for more information as it becomes available, please contact Linda here: https://www.playpianochordstoday.com/contact-narrow
The DS Standard Foundation can retrofit Kawai MP11SE keyboards with DS keys (5.1, 5.5 or 6.0) on request. Contact David Steinbuhler on dskeyboards@tbscc.com
Monitor ‘Latest News’ on this website, or via PASK social media, for updates!
Second hand narrow keyboards for sale
Petrof 125 upright piano with DS5.5 keyboard is available – Boston area, USA. US$8000, negotiable. Contact: Kathy Strauch: mail@klstrauch.com
Further information: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/918560436166495/?rid=6342434449120681&ad_id&rt=1&refID=0&refType=0&referral_code=commerce_attachment
Disclaimer
The above listing of providers does not imply any review or judgment of the quality of their products – it is simply a list of available options. As always, pianists will need to do their own investigations to ensure a particular piano/keyboard meets their needs and expectations.
Technicians for alternatively sized keyboards
These Facebook pages aim to facilitate discussion and collaboration between piano technicians, share information on technology relating to keyboards with narrower keys (both acoustic and digital), and expand the supply options for pianists around the world:
A community page accessible to all: www.facebook.com/TASKPiano/
A closed group restricted to piano professionals: www.facebook.com/groups/TASKPiano/
For further information, contact Kathy Strauch: taskpiano@gmail.com
What size do I need?
3D Printed Models can help you work out what size you need. These can be made quite cheaply by anyone with access to a 3D printer. See this page to read more and access the computer files: Resources-and-links
This interactive chart allows you to select your hand span and vary the width of the keys so you can get an idea of how many keys you could reach on a keyboards of different widths: https://www.desmos.com/calculator/lm1ffmeajo?fbclid=IwAR2u62NNR2vgJGqGqAKtJ_4FyTi9aclsLP8IY5FC0Qh6S8oplKWuB0b-_68
To try out a real piano or keyboard with narrower keys, see what the options are in your own part of the world: Where to try these keyboards
References
Brown, Richard (2016). Alternate keyboards for the world: The Donison-Steinbuhler standard, Piano Technicians Journal, December. https://paskpiano.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Steinbuhler-article-Dec16-PTJ.pdf
Fandrich, Del (2016). A modern flat-strung piano, Piano Technicians Journal, December. https://paskpiano.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Fandrich_A-Modern-Flat-strung-Grand_Dec-16.pdf
Fandrich, Del (2017). Practical keyboards for normal people, Piano Technicians Journal, January. https://paskpiano.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Fandrich_Practical-keyboards-for-normal-people_Jan-2017.pdf
