[pianotech] 1875 Wm Knabe

[Terry Farrell]

I don't consider myself an expert on old pianos, but I have seen and  
snooped around quite a few. I did a very thorough remanufacture on an  
1890s Knabe a few years ago.

 From what you write, it sounds like an original Knabe prior to 1890  
anyway. My only question is your characterization of the plate as  
"full perimeter". Was it open pinblock? And the "slanting up at the  
tuning pins" - I've never seen that on any piano after 1880 or so -  
that feature sure sounds old.

 From what you describe, I sure see no reason to believe the piano has  
been changed significantly since it's birth in 1875.

Maybe Jack Wyatt can comment on this.....

Terry Farrell

On Jan 13, 2011, at 7:58 PM, Robert Casper wrote:

> I just tuned a Wm Knabe today that the client had rebuilt last  
> year.  I've
> only be at this for 7 years now so there is a lot I haven't seen.   
> The S/N
> printed on the refinished soundboard is 19739.  I make that from  
> 1875-80.
> Some of the unusual features were:
>  - Legs were very ornate and look like they came from a Square Grand  
> but
> the case was very plane.  Very nicely refinished but plane.
>  - There were agraffes all to way to the top - 85 notes.
>  - It has a full perimeter plate and slanted up at the tuning pins.
>  - The is an intermediate bridge between the bass and treble bridges  
> that
> takes about an octave of wound trichords between the bass and plane  
> wire
> strings.
>
> My question is, should I believe that this is an original 1875 Wm.  
> Knabe?
>
>