Young Chang was founded in 1956 as a distributor of Yamaha pianos for Korea and other parts of Asia.: E–8 The company was founded by three brothers, Jai-Young Kim, Jai-Chang Kim and Jai-Sup Kim, as South Korea emerged as a major economy and producer of high quality goods. I have a young chang baby grand with a serial number of 116451 I have a young chang baby grand with a serial number of 116451 can you tell me what year it is? It is in extremely good condition it has one nick. Young Chang: Made in: Established 1956 Seaul, Korea: Made by: Young Chang: Rating (see Key) 45-60: Estimated Number In UK: 8000. About 85% upright, 15% grand: Year and serial number: Uprights: 1985- 01- 2113092 Grands: 1985- 0- 0093299.
The Young Chang company had, among other things, taken its own, Fender-endorsed build of the best-selling Squier Stratocaster, replaced the plywood body with solid alder, tinkered slightly with the headstock, and pitched in with an ‘own brand’ price. Pianos made by: Young Chang Co., Ltd., Incheon, South Korea; and Tianjin, China. In 1956, three brothers — Jai-Young, Jai-Chang, and Jai-Sup Kim — founded Young Chang and began selling Yamaha pianos in Korea under an agreement with that Japanese firm. Korea was recovering from a devastating war, and only the wealthy could afford pianos.
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CHAPTER THREE-- One of the most difficult questions a piano tuner has to answer is the one above. What's your tuner going to say? 'Madam, your piano is a piece of junk. It was made in Mongolia by fugitives from a wiener factory, and for $50 I'd be happy to haul it to the dump for you.' Don't laugh- I had one just like that in Michigan. The owner thought it was absolutely wonderful, and I had to try to rescue it from the destiny of the municipal dump, where it belonged. So, let's consider some principles in determining what is a good piano: First- Generally (not always) the longer the wire, and the more square inches of sound board, the better the sound produced. Older pianos, with greater mass, also may carry the sound better, and a massive harp (See Diagram) will hold tune better. If the harp frame fills the whole box of the upright monster or spinet, that is, all four corners in rectangular fashion, you have a real advantage in holding tune. Second- Exceptions abound. This is why there is no blue book for pianos. A medium sized Yamaha upright can beat out an old Cable Nelson grand or full size upright any day. The Yamaha may also beat out a middle line Baldwin grand in tone quality and in holding its tune. Steinway is making some lower quality pianos these days, and a top of the line Baldwin will beat them out in classy look and in low noise (inharmonisity) in the wires. In fact, a top of the line Baldwin has qualities that are now rare worldwide. Petrof of Poland made exceptional pianos in the past, and they are only getting better. Capitalism has been good for them. Shop carefully. Any Everett upright will beat out any Wurlitzer grand unless the Wurlitzer is old and well maintained. Anything is better than an Aeolian, except a Winter-- the one with the aluminum harp and the hammers that pop off. An aluminum harp on a piano is like mackerel in the moonlight- it shines and it stinks. If you cannot bear to take your Winter spinet to the dump, try plucking it with a guitar pick. Of the pianos made these days, which is the best? I vote for Yamaha for money's worth. Next Kawai, Young Chang, maybe Samick (because of warranty), and then Baldwin (top of the line only). Petrof is a very good piano, but prices have gone up in recent years. They are not cheap. Then comes Steinway-- It is not worth the high price, and parts ordering and help from the factory is lousy. Snobs is what they are- sorry, but it's a fact. I must say thought that the Steinway is the best piano you can buy-- It just is not worth what it costs. There is an Italian fellow in Boston making an exceptional grand-- par with Steinway or better, but he is unknown elsewhere. An eighty year old Fischer, which has been pampered, has more character than any Steinway ever made- personal prejudice- I'll admit it. A turn of the century Ivers and Pond is a massive over-built monster from Boston, and, in top condition, is worth more than 80% of the new pianos made today. It is so impressive inside that you can take the desk off, and your guests will be in awe of the workmanship. Poland makes a clever console competing with Yamaha, and the Germans make good pianos if you buy one there and the Deutch Mark is down. The legend of pianos is the Bösendorfer. If you can afford one of them, why are you reading this book? :-) Now, before you commit pianocide on your old Winter, or some other generic piano, cheer up-- if you have been tuning the piano faithfully, and if it has never been stored in the barn, you probably have a pretty acceptable piano anyway. You are way ahead of the poor guy in Fremont, Michigan with the 70 year old Steinway he inherited from granny which was indeed stored in the barn with the hogs. I had to give it the last rites and walk away. If you question the wisdom of keeping your little runt spinet, go price some new pianos. Aside from being expensive, new pianos often have problems that take years to iron out, and they need numerous tunings in the first three years to get the stretch out of the wires. Piano salesmen will not tell you that. So go home, call a tuner who has a positive attitude about life, and ask him to bring your old relic back the best he can. You will be surprised what can be done. If the tuner tells you to haul it to the dump, call me. I shall try to find a fellow for you with a better attitude. There are a few snobby tuners (most of whom worked in the Steinway factory at one time or another) who think you are paying them to be a piano critic. Run the scoundrels off please. You always have the option also of restoring and tuning it yourself. We have many customers doing just that. So, when your tuner gets there, don't ask, 'Do I have a good piano?' Get him a cup of coffee and a piece of pie (in Nogales, AZ, hot tamales, and in Grand Rapids, MI, oli bolin), and sit back and enjoy the art of bringing back the music. If the tuner does some amazing wonder with your piano, please write to me and describe it. In future editions of this book (And in Updates and Forum) I hope to compile a recommended list of really helpful tuners world wide. HERE ARE SOME LISTS OF PIANOS ACCORDING TO QUALITY You need to understand that this list does not take into account Exceptional quality
Better than average
Useful though not exceptional
Junk
On to Chapter Four |
| Industry | Musical instruments |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1956; 64 years ago |
| Founder | Jai-Young Kim Jai-Chang Kim Jai-Sup Kim |
| Headquarters | , |
| Worldwide | |
| Products | Pianos, string instruments, and wind instruments |
| Revenue | US$281 million(1998)[1]:3–1 |
Number of employees | 3,817 (1998)[1]:3–1 |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Website | youngchang.com |
HDC YoungChang (Hangul: HDC영창) is a South Korean manufacturer of pianos and industrial wood working machinery, headquartered in Incheon, South Korea. Young Chang currently holds 50% of the South Korean piano market. The company is among the largest and most automated of the world's piano manufacturers.
Operations[edit]
Young Chang had four manufacturing facilities as of 1999, three producing pianos and the fourth a sawmill producing wood for export from the United States. The sawmill was located in Tacoma, Washington and was established in 1991. Piano manufacturing took place in plants in Seoul and Incheon, South Korea, both established in 1964, and Tianjin, China, established in 1995. The company also maintained a research and development facility in Waltham, Massachusetts. The company's Tianjin manufacturing site is run through subsidiary Tianjin Young Chang Akki Company, Limited, while the Tacoma sawmill is managed through subsidiary Young Chang America Timber, Incorporated.[1]:E–8
As of the late 1990s, Young Chang, at the time known as Young Chang Akki Company,[1]:3–1 was among the largest of the world's manufacturers of pianos, alongside Samick, Yamaha and Kawai,[1]:xiii and one of five multinationals producing pianos.[1]:3–1 Young Chang reported sales in the United States, China, Canada, Korea and the European Union under its own brand.[1]:5–14
The company also produces pianos for other companies. For instance, it began producing Cline pianos for Cline Piano Company of Belmont, California in 1992; and began producing Knabe pianos for Music Systems Research of Sacaramento, California in the late 1990s.[1]:E–8 Young Chang produced pianos for Nakamichi of Hamamatsu, Japan until 1998; the units were modified by Nakamichi before export to the United States.[1]:E–9 The company had at one time produced Wurlitzer pianos for United States-distribution by Baldwin Piano & Organ, but this relationship was terminated prior to the late 1990s.[1]:E–9
The company also markets under an alternative brand, Weber, held by subsidiary Weber Piano Company established in 1986. This brand was established specifically for English-speaking markets where a Korean brand name, as opposed to a German or American name, might be a disincentive to purchase.[1]:E–9
History[edit]
Young Chang was founded in 1956 as a distributor of Yamaha pianos for Korea and other parts of Asia.[1]:E–8 The company was founded by three brothers, Jai-Young Kim, Jai-Chang Kim and Jai-Sup Kim, as South Korea emerged as a major economy and producer of high quality goods. The first Young Chang factory was built in Seoul in 1964.[2]
Young Chang Serial Number Location
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Young Chang manufactured Squierelectric guitars and basses for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, and also manufactured acoustic, acoustic/electric, electric guitars and basses under their own 'Fenix' brand.[3] However, because of the similarities to the Fender brand and instruments, Young Chang could not sell the Fenix instruments due to licensing issues with Fender, and production stopped.[citation needed]In addition to guitars and pianos (vertical and grand varieties), Young Chang produced in the late 1990s harmonicas, reed organs and industrial woodworking machinery.[1]:E–7
In 1986, the company established Weber Piano Company, which sells pianos under the Weber brand name, which it had purchased rights to use after the demise of the Aeolin Piano Company in 1985. Young Chang subsequently sold this subsidiary to Samsung America in 1987.[1]:E–9
In 1988, Young Chang established a foundry for production of piano plates in Tianjin, China, to supplement production of this key component, also produced in Korea. The success of this facility was one factor leading to the 1995 establishment of a piano manufacturing facility in Tianjin.[1]:E–9
In 1990, Young Chang purchased Kurzweil Music Systems, a maker of high end electronic and digital musical instruments.
In 1991, Young Chang invested US$32 million to establish a subsidiary in Tacoma, Washington, Young Chang (America) Timber, to cut and process North American spruce and maple for export to its Asian manufacturing sites.[1]:3–5:6–11:E–8
In 1995, Young Chang opened a new US$40 million factory in Tianjin.[1]:2–11:5–5 The Chinese facility allowed Young Chang to start serving the low-end markets, part of a long-term strategy involving shifting production from Korea to China.[1]:4–12 The quality of pianos produced by this new plant was initially high, but dropped sharply after technicians who had helped set up the production returned to Korea, which had a significant impact on their ability to complete sales.[1]:4–15:6–12
Joseph Pramberger, a former vice president from Steinway & Sons (head of manufacturing) and an experienced piano designer, joined the company in 1995. Pramberger brought many innovations to piano design, including the 'Platinum Touch Action' and the patented asymmetrically tapered soundboard. The Pramberger Platinum series, introduced in 2001, was Young Chang's top-of-the-line for three years. These models incorporated some German materials including Renner action parts. Joseph Pramberger died in 2003, and the following year, his estate sold the Pramberger name to Samick, but his patents and innovations are still exclusive to Young Chang.
The year following the opening of the Tianjin, China factory, in October 1996, Young Chang entered into bankruptcy, emerging in August 1998.[1]:5–12 Young Chang has more than 2,000 full-time workers, designing and building its upright and grand pianos, and also the electronic Kurzweil Music Systems.
In 2004, Samick Musical Instrument Co. acquired a 48.13% stake in Young Chang, gained a controlling interest through a capital increase, and took control over management of the company. However, the Korea Fair Trade Commission blocked the acquisition as it would create a monopoly and ordered Samick to dispose of its shares in Young Chang. Following the Fair Trade Commission's decision, Young Chang went bankrupt on September 21, 2004.[4]
Hyundai Development Company acquired Young Chang in 2006. The company was renamed to HDC Young Chang in 2018[5].
Young Chang Pianos Serial Numbers
See also[edit]
Young Chang Serial Number Search
References[edit]
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstLundy, David; Dominque, David; Pogany, Peter; Sastrum, Carl; Watkins, Ralph (May 1999). Pianos: Economic and Competitive Conditions Affecting the U.S. Industry (Publication 3196)(PDF) (Report). U.S. International Trade Commission. Investigation No. 332-401. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
- ^Palmieri, Robert, ed. (2003). Piano: An Encyclopedia (2. ed.). New York [u.a.]: Routledge. p. 442. ISBN0-415-93796-5.
- ^Blue Book Of Electric Guitars 9th Edition Zachary Fjestad, Edited by S.P. Fjestad ISBN1-886768-57-9
- ^Korea Fair Trade Commission, Acquisition of Young Chang Co. by Samick Musical Instrument Co., Decision No.2004-271, Lee, Min Ho
- ^'Company History'. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
External links[edit]
Young Chang Serial Number Lookup