Buy Ritmüller
Used and new Ritmüller uprights and grand pianos
Origin & History
Ritmüller was founded in 1795 in Göttingen, where Johannes Brahms himself once visited the company house. After bankruptcy in 1890 and several changes of ownership, production ended in 1933. Since 1997 the brand name has belonged to the Chinese manufacturer Pearl River, and today’s Ritmüller instruments are built in Guangzhou, sharing nothing but the name with the historical Göttingen workshop.
Positioning
As Pearl River’s premium brand, today’s Ritmüller sits in the upper mid-range, above Pearl River’s main line. Historical pre-1933 German-built instruments are a completely different, far rarer category.
Sound character
Modern Ritmüller aims for a warm, rounded tone, distinct from the historical Göttingen workshop with which it shares nothing but the name.
What to check
Always check whether you’re being offered a modern, Chinese-built Ritmüller (post-1997) or a historical instrument from the Göttingen workshop (pre-1933), both carry the same name but have nothing to do with each other and differ hugely in value. More on buying used in the piano buying guide.
Known series
Current production is organized into the Ritmüller Classic Line, Superior Line and Premium Line.
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