[pianotech] Tips for restoration of a 1926 Knabe grand?

[Roger Gable]

Et al,
Sorry about my negative comment about the Knabe. For some reason my mind was thinking Chickering instead of Knabe. My comment about the philosophy still stand.
Roger Gable
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Paul T Williams 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 1:16 PM
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tips for restoration of a 1926 Knabe grand?


  Hi Roger, 

  I was trying to respond to you privately, but your e-mail didn't want to go through.  Could you send me a personal message so I can. 
  Thanks! 

  Paul  pwilliams4 at unl.edu 


        From:  "Roger Gable" <roger at gablepiano.com>  
        To:  <pianotech at ptg.org>  
        Date:  10/08/2010 01:54 PM  
        Subject:  Re: [pianotech] Tips for restoration of a 1926 Knabe grand? 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------



  Nora, 
     I agree with Barbara and William that these pianos are not much to write home about. Over the years I find one underlying negative aspect to piano rebuilding; the customer is expecting more than the technician or piano can produce. This manifests itself when the technician is expecting more than is possible through naiveté or outright deception. Engaging in such practice can damage your reputation in short order. There was a well known PTG member in this area who engage in a "rebuild" of a turn-of-the-century Steinway "A". The job entailed a new action and restringing. When the job was completed, the customer -- a well to do client - was grossly disappointed with the $10,000 expenditure. Why? Any seasoned technician could easily tell that the underlying problem was that it needed a new soundboard. Subsequently, the customer sent the piano out to a well known rebuilding technician, yielding a greater than expected outcome. 
     Here in the Pacific Northwest, pianos live a much longer viable life than in areas such as the East coast or Gulf states. A 1926 Knabe may, in a long shot, be economically feasible if it lived in this area all its life. But I think, no matter how the economics spell out, that the end result could be disappointing. Nora, don't take this personally, but your asking the question suggests that you may have limited experience rebuilding. If so, be careful. 
    
  Roger Gable 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Barbara Richmond 
  To: pianotech at ptg.org 
  Sent: Friday, October 08, 2010 10:41 AM 
  Subject: Re: [pianotech] Tips for restoration of a 1926 Knabe grand? 

    
    
  hi Nora,

  How are the bridges?

  I'm not fond of those skinny/flattened balance pins.  IMO, there's too much contact surface between pin and bushing; it seems like they're either too loose or too tight--not just right.  Maybe using VS Profelt would make a difference in the final fitting.  

  Paying close attention to strike weight (ala Stanwood) made a huge difference in tone in the low tenor on the action I rebuilt.  I went with a fairly light-weight hammer to avoid touch weight problems.

  Barbara Richmond, RPT
  near Peoria, Illinois




  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "nora somer" <gurlieshop at gmail.com>
  To: pianotech at ptg.org
  Sent: Friday, October 8, 2010 11:50:39 AM
  Subject: [pianotech] Tips for restoration of a 1926 Knabe grand?

  Hello all, 
    
  Any hints, tips, FYIs, or sage words of wisdom for restoring a 5'8" 1926 Knabe grand? Is there anything special (inherent to this piano) I should look out for and address in the restoration process? 
    
  Philosophical question:  is it still a 1926 Knabe if little things unique to a Knabe of that time period are changed (i.e., replacing the center rail key pins and key buttons with modern ones)?  If it's not a flaw or poor design, I just think it would be cooler to have the original design, but what a hassle it would be for replacing key buttons and bushings!  What are your thoughts? 
    
  Thanks in advance, 
    
  Nora Somer RPT 
  SLC UT Chapter 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20101008/e8b79915/attachment.htm>