Excellent guidance. It is a 5' 8" Knabe. Not a fancy case, but it will be a mahogany wood finish. I am in the Maryland/DC area and there are a few rebuilders with a lot of experience and are members of the PTG.
--- On Mon, 1/12/09, David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net> wrote:
From: David Love <davidlovepianos at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Rebuilding a early 1920's Knabe Piano
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Monday, January 12, 2009, 11:39 PM
With your other post in mind I should add that since you own the piano I would definitely consider having it done but you have to weigh it against the cost of a new instrument of non-Steinway type and what your goals are. In the right hands you will end up with and excellent piano. I would argue for considering a new board. It’s a shame to do all that work over a lousy old board. I am currently working on a 6’4” Knabe from 1924 with a Victorian case, new board, new scale, new action, new everything. I expect it will be an outstanding instrument when it’s done. Whether or not someone will pay what I think it’s worth is another matter, but I’m a patient person.
$10,000 - $12,000 would be high for refinishing unless it were a very ornately carved case with lots of repair.
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 8:27 PM
To: lmha60 at yahoo.com; pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Rebuilding a early 1920's Knabe Piano
Old soundboards are not necessarily better by virtue of being old. They’re just old. Substantial cracks means substantial damage probably not visible. The health of the soundboard can be determined by sound. The notion of whether you can find a soundboard as good as the one from the 1920’s is a false premise since the ones from the 1920’s are necessarily better to begin with. Anyway, you can’t find one that’s better, but you could have one made that would be better.
Shimming does little to recapture compromised tone so the choice of grains per inch is a cosmetic one.
You could sell the old soundboard if someone was fool enough to buy it, otherwise not.
Price for finishing varies regionally, by size (which you didn’t mention), the amount of repair work, type of finish, detail in the case. You need to have a finisher do an estimate.
Not sure what the price you mention is for. If you mean is $10,000 - $12,000 too much for a Knabe grand of unknown size with a lousy finish and, at best, questionable soundboard and probably questionable action, yes it is.
That being said, Knabes can make fine instruments when rebuilt properly. They have solid rims, good plates and the actions can be rebuilt. If you go the piano cheaply enough to have it fully custom restored it has the potential of being a fantastic instrument. Will you be able to turn around a sell it for the money you put into it? Only if somebody appreciates the musical instrument and not the implications of the fall board decal. Is it worth it? Probably not considering the time involved. But if you found a rebuilt Knabe of this type??? Well that’s another story altogether.
Have someone look at it and give a thorough estimate and assessment. Be prepared to pay them for it.
David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Lynn Hall
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 7:43 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Rebuilding a early 1920's Knabe Piano
I have a few questions about rebuilding a Knabe Piano:
1) I notice the soundboard has very tight grains, never has been replaced, but has at least 9 substantial cracks. If I decide to replace the soundboard instead of asking the re-builder to shim the cracks, will I be able to find a soundboard that is as good as this one is from the 1920's?
2) Or should I demand that it be shimmed to retain grains/inch?
3) Could I sell the old soundboard to offset the cost of replacement, since it would be a good soundboard to build shims?
4) The piano has a mahogany finish, but is in very bad shape due to the age of the piano. I want it to look very nice and last many years. What is a reasonable price to pay for this? Is between $10,000 and $12,000 too much.
Many thanks.
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