Essex EGP-173 Grand Piano with QRS PNOmation Player System - Polished Ebony | Piano Gallery, Idaho Falls
This Essex EGP-173 grand piano in Polished Ebony is a rare find: a Steinway-designed 5'8" salon grand with a factory-installed QRS PNOmation player system, purchased new in 2020 and now available in very clean condition at Piano Gallery in Idaho Falls. Designed by Steinway & Sons and built to Steinway's exacting specifications, the EGP-173 delivers genuine pedigree tone and touch at a fraction of Steinway pricing. The QRS PNOmation system is one of the most sophisticated and widely respected player piano systems in the world, and this piano performs beautifully whether someone is sitting at the keys or not. A padded bench is included.
Product Overview
The Essex piano line was introduced by Steinway & Sons in 2001 as a way to bring Steinway's most significant design innovations to a broader range of buyers. Every Essex piano is designed in Steinway's New York headquarters, built to Steinway's documented specifications, and inspected by Steinway-trained technicians before leaving the factory. The EGP-173 is the flagship of the Essex grand line, a 5'8" salon grand that incorporates several Steinway-exclusive design features, including the wide-tail soundboard design that adds approximately 6% more soundboard surface area compared to conventional grands of the same length, giving the instrument the tonal presence and projection of a noticeably larger piano.
The EGP-173's outer rim is constructed from European Maple, the same species used in Steinway grand pianos, while the inner rim uses laminated European Beech. Together they form a resonant, rigid structure that supports the solid spruce soundboard and transfers vibrational energy with exceptional efficiency. The soundboard itself is tapered, thicker in the treble and thinner in the bass, following Steinway's approach to enabling freer vibration across all registers and resulting in rich tonal volume and a responsive, singing quality at every dynamic level.
The action features all-maple parts with no plastic, following Steinway's Accelerated Action geometry for quick, accurate repetition and a touch that rewards technical refinement. Essex hammers are specified by Steinway and made by Imadegawa in Japan from premium German felt, contributing to a warm, full tone with natural dynamic range. The gray iron plate is designed by Steinway and engineered to bear approximately 20 tons of string tension, with long-fiber cast iron that resists energy absorption and yields a fuller, more sustained tone.
The QRS PNOmation Player System
The QRS PNOmation system installed in this piano transforms it into a fully self-playing acoustic grand while leaving its performance as a concert-quality instrument completely intact. QRS Music Technologies is one of the oldest and most trusted names in player piano technology, and PNOmation is their flagship system: wireless, network-connected, and controlled via any smartphone, tablet, or web-enabled device.
The system plays back from the industry's largest music library, spanning classical, jazz, pop, and contemporary titles, with superior dynamic execution that captures the full range from the softest pianissimo to the most powerful fortissimo. Playback sources include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, and internal memory. The PNOmation engine integrates directly into the piano's mechanism with no external box hanging under the keyboard, and the solenoid rail uses fully encased, Teflon-impregnated plungers for stable, accurate key control that resists corrosion and requires no ongoing lubrication. Purchased new in 2020, this instrument represents a well-settled installation in a very clean piano, ready to entertain from day one.
Ideal For
- Home entertainers and music lovers who want the joy of a live-sounding self-playing grand without sacrificing acoustic quality
- Advancing pianists and intermediate players who want a Steinway-designed instrument at pre-owned pricing
- Families seeking an instrument that works for both serious practice and effortless home entertainment
- Music educators or teaching studios looking for a dependable, prestigious salon grand with demonstrated Steinway design lineage
- Buyers in Idaho Falls and beyond searching for a used player grand piano with a clean history and modern wireless technology
Key Features
Steinway Wide-Tail Design
The EGP-173 incorporates Steinway's patented wide-tail design, which expands the soundboard surface area by approximately 6% compared to a conventional grand of the same length. This gives the piano a larger tonal footprint with more resonance, more projection, and a fuller sound than its 5'8" size would otherwise suggest.
Steinway-Designed Solid Spruce Soundboard
The tapered solid spruce soundboard follows Steinway's specification, thicker in the treble for brightness and definition and thinner in the bass for freer vibration and deeper resonance. Premium straight-grained spruce with a minimum of 8 grains per inch ensures structural integrity and even vibrational distribution across the full width of the board.
All-Maple Action with Steinway Accelerated Action Geometry
The EGP-173's action uses all-maple parts with no plastic components, assembled to Steinway's Accelerated Action geometry for faster repetition and more consistent response. Hammers are specified by Steinway and made in Japan by Imadegawa from German felt, voicing the piano with warmth and tonal depth appropriate to its pedigree.
QRS PNOmation Player System
The factory-installed QRS PNOmation system provides wireless self-play capability controlled from any Wi-Fi or Bluetooth-enabled device. The system accesses the industry's largest player piano music library, executes a full dynamic range from pianissimo to fortissimo, and integrates invisibly into the piano's mechanism with no external box or visible hardware disrupting the instrument's appearance. The piano remains a fully functional acoustic grand at all times.
European Maple and Beech Rim Construction
Following Steinway's own approach, the EGP-173 uses a European Maple outer rim and laminated European Beech inner rim, both thicker than comparable instruments in this price range. This construction provides the structural rigidity and acoustic coupling that underpins the piano's rich, resonant tone.
What's Included
- Essex EGP-173 Grand Piano in Polished Ebony (purchased new 2020, very clean condition)
- QRS PNOmation Player System (factory installed)
- Padded bench
- Ask us about our white glove delivery and in-home setup service
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Essex (Designed by Steinway & Sons) |
| Model | EGP-173 |
| Type | Grand Piano with QRS PNOmation Player System |
| Originally Purchased | 2020 |
| Size (Length) | 5'8" (173 cm) |
| Finish | Polished Ebony |
| Soundboard | Tapered Solid Spruce, Steinway Design |
| Outer Rim | European Maple |
| Inner Rim | Laminated European Beech |
| Action | All-Maple, Steinway Accelerated Action Geometry |
| Hammers | Imadegawa (Japan), German Felt, Steinway-Specified |
| Plate | Gray Iron, Long-Fiber Cast, Steinway Design |
| Player System | QRS PNOmation (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, Internal Memory) |
| Pedals | 3-Pedal System (Sustain, Sostenuto, Soft) |
| Condition | Very Clean |
| Bench | Padded (included) |
Experience This Player Grand Today
This Essex EGP-173 with QRS PNOmation, purchased new in 2020 and kept in very clean condition, is available now at Piano Gallery in Idaho Falls. Steinway-designed acoustic performance meets 21st-century player technology in a piano that is ready to go home with you today. Come in and play it yourself, or sit back and let the QRS system perform for you. Contact Piano Gallery to confirm availability, ask about the player system's library and controls, or arrange delivery.
