The world's first glass piano: having built a thriving business restoring fine pianos, SAP of Poland is now turning its attention to creating unique instruments. Is an instrument with a crystal rim (no kidding!) unique enough?

SAP Piano of Poland has a well deserved reputation as one of the finest restoration operations in the world. A team of 45 craftsman, based in Kalisz, Poland, routinely give a new lease on life to hundreds of old Steinway, Bechstein, and Bosendorfer grands. SAP has a wide following among piano retailers throughout Europe, but, the quality of the company's work and its competitive pricing have earned it customers in the U.S. To date, the company has sold over 100 restored pianos to U.S. dealers.

While piano restoration is a viable business, SAP founder Krzysztof (Christoph) Skwarek has more expansive ambitions and recently created a "Stylization Department" to produce striking, one-of-a-kind pianos. To inaugurate the new division, he opted for a rather daring initial project--the creation of a grand piano almost exclusively out of glass and metal. The piano he had in mind would not just be an eye-catching piece of furniture, but a working musical instrument capable of satisfying discerning players. Two years ago, Krzysztof Sikorski, a noted Polish sculptor and designer was hired for the task of designing the instrument.

Grand piano design has changed little over the past century. The same can be said for construction methods. While the use of automation has steadily increased, a piano maker from the early 1900s would feel right at home in the rim bending, stringing, and regulation departments of a contemporary piano plant. However, when it came to building a piano out of glass and materials, Skwarek and his craftsmen had to go back to sqaure one and re-think traditional materials and construction techniques. "We spent days and nights researching different types of glass. Fortunately, Poland has a thriving crystal making industry, so we could tap into a lot of expertise," he explained. "The easy way out would have been to build the rim out of plexiglass. It would have looked the same and it would have been a lot cheaper, but it wouldn't give us the sound or feel we were striving for."

After trial and error and false starts with four different Polish glassworks. Skwarek finally was able to secure a glass rim that met his exacting specifications. He notes, ".After more disasters, that I would like to admit, we finally got it right--a glass grand piano with a unique sound."

To unveil the striking glass piano, Skwarek enlisted the services of Marek Pajlk, a noted Polish virtuoso, and staged a concert at the main concert hall in Kalisz. The instrument was enthusiastically received by a capacity crowd. "It is a modern masterpiece. The glass and metal grand fits in any modern interior," said Skwarek. "More importantly though, it is a beautiful musical instrument with a distinctive tonal quality all its own."

SAP's glass and metal piano will be on display at the NAMM show with a price of approximately $45,000. Skwarek hopes that it will be the first of many instruments to come out of the new SAP Stylization Department. He adds, "We are displaying this piano to show just how creative and original we can be. After building a piano out of glass, I think anything else will be easy."