5. 250 factory workers handcraft around 5 pianos per day
Every step of the Steinway piano-making process is by hand — from the rim bending, to installing the cast iron plates, to stringing, to mating the “action” (the part with the keys) to the piano base itself — so much so that the piano “factory” resembles more of a woodworking shop than traditional factory set up. The factory can output anywhere from 5 to10 pianos a day, or between 1,500 and 2,000 per year. From start to finish it can take up to 11 months to make one piano. It makes that six-figure price tag much more understandable.