advice on Rieger Kloss R123

[Paul McCloud]

Patrick:
    We have been selling these for the past year or so.  They are
beautifully made, with well matched veneer.  Quality is good, but I
personally have a few bones to pick.  One is that there are no screws
into the bridges from the back of the soundboard, and I have seen some
with gaps in the ribs where they were'nt glued and clamped properly, and
there were buzzes.  I also  don't like the agraffes all the way to the
top- there are quite a few false beats everywhere with zings and such.
Seating strings helps a lot, but I don't like the noise in general.
    They just got bought out by Bechstein and will be produced as
Hoffman ? I heard today.  Prices will go up dramatically, so the present
prices will seem like a bargain when this happens.
    Overall, I think they are good, but if your customer is picky about
the tone (as above) you might find a problem.  Check all the glue joints
and listen for any buzzing carefully.
    By the way, if you need replacement case parts, they have to be
ordered custom from the factory.  The case parts are NOT
interchangeable.   Check carefully the finish especially on the
fallboard and cheek blocks.  I have seen separations of the veneer and
finish cracks in the polyester in these places.
    Best,
    Paul McCloud

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