Janssen was Re: Kimball Whitney

[tune4u@earthlink.net]

I owned a 50's Janssen upright was-a-player. Was thrilled to get $300 for it
last year. The guy who bought it is one of those buy-it-over-the-phone guys
who then sells-it-over-the-phone (sort of) out of the back of a truck. Maybe
he sold it to someone in my area and it will come back to haunt me as a
customer's piano. I could never make that thing sound very good.

Interesting historical note. The Conn Instrument Company (great trombones)
bought Janssen (in the 60's) I believe. Charles R. Walter was an exec in
that department for them. In  1969, he bought the piano biz from C. G. Conn
and built Janssen's until 1981, doing a lot of experimentation and research,
so they say. Anyway, he started making the Charles R. Walter line in 1975.
They only make a few hundred each year and I've never seen one, but my
understanding is that he's going for quality over quantity.

Anyone service a Walter? Hope it's a big step up from the Janssen.

Alan Barnard
Salem, MO

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 7:17 PM
Subject: Re: Kimball Whitney


> I just made an appointment today to service a 1940s Janssen (or Jensen)
grand piano. The dude just bought it for $750. No doubt quite a gem. His
wife (who had 9 years of lessons) said that "it didn't seem to play like I
remember pianos playing". Da. Should be a fun one.
>
> Did Janssen or Jensen ever really make a grand piano - or at least one
with horizontal strings - I'm sure there are some Janssen spinets laying on
their backs with horizontal strings in the dump!
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Avery Todd" <avery@ev1.net>
> To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 4:52 PM
> Subject: Re: Kimball Whitney
>
>
> > Clyde,
> >
> > In all the years I've been a piano tech, I've never seen a Whitney
grand!
> > I don't even "think" I've seen a Whitney console. Have I missed
something
> > or is it just old age! :-)
> >
>
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