Knabe piano

[Delwin D Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robb Fowler" <rafjr@cbcso.org>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 26, 2001 6:18 AM
Subject: Knabe piano


> He also found another piano for us to consider.  It is a new Knabe 7'   KN
> 700.  Any thoughts on this piano?  Any specific information or experiences
> you can provide will be most helpful.

This may or may not be an appropriate piano for your church and I can't help
you much there--I'm not familiar with your church and its needs, and this
question would probably be best directed to your regular tuner/technician
whose relationship you've been nurturing over the years. (You have, haven't
you?)

It's just that when I see the words "new Knabe," I rather wonder...just what
is a "new Knabe" these days? Is this a new piano that was designed by old
Wm. Knabe? Well, no, the piano you're looking at doesn't qualify there. I'm
afraid old Bill didn't have anything to do with the design of this "new
Knabe." Well, perhaps it's built to the same standards of materials and
workmanship as the old Knabe that we all know and love? No, I'm afraid
not--anything beyond the most cursory examination will show it's not.
Perhaps it is built by some part of the original Knabe company that has
survived over the years. Perhaps the workers are using a Knabe screwdriver
or a Knabe hammer in building this "new Knabe." Well, no, can't be that
either--there aren't even any paper clips left over from those days. Even if
there were, they'd be Aeolian, not Knabe, paperclips. So, then...what's
Knabe about this piano? Not much, I'm afraid. They both have three legs and
88 keys. And any real similarity between the piano you're looking at and a
real Knabe is purely coincidental. And It will have to be evaluated on its
own merits--whatever those may be--not on any heritage or on any
relationship with a real piano that may be claimed for it.

Perhaps a better wording would be, "It is a new, rather generic and
character-less, Korean built piano (I think...perhaps now it's Chinese? It's
hard to keep up with this game of musical chai...--er, pianos), with the
Knabe name applied to the fall board in an attempt to confuse us into
thinking it has some relationship with what used to be a really nice
U.S.-built piano of some decades back."

Rather like announcing, "We're having the Apostle Paul here to speak to us
next week" when you're planning on having the pastor from down the street.
He may or may not be a great speaker, but he ain't Paul.

Del