Kimball La Petite

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Bdshull@AOL.COM wrote:

> Bob and Conrad:
>
> While the petite is an example of a price driven product,  the action only
> needed a stable, regulatable jack rest.  A regulating screw resting on a
> rubber square made no sense.  The action might have almost worked except for
> this.  I don't think these things worked in the factory.   If the cabinets
> were ugly we could catupult these pianos and charge a fee commensurate with
> our time and labor to build the catupult - but unfortunately the angry,
> regretful customer who would otherwise pay for this cannot afford it (which
> is why she bought the piano in the first place....) She needs the bucks when
> she buys a better grand.
>
> Bill Shull
> University of Redlands, La Sierra University
> Loma Linda, CA

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The actions did work except for that.  With those ridiculous rubber things
replaced with hard leather and a couple of the regulating screws replaced with a
type having a larger bearing surface, they had quite good feel and stability.

Along with just a bit of rescaling and they could be made to sound reasonable --
at least consistent with their size.

Why Kimball didn't make at least that much effort is beyond me.  It wouldn't
have raised the cost at all but would have at least given the customer something
that could be played and, within its limitations, enjoyed.

Del