<WBR>Bill<br> <br> I must disagree with your assessment of Kimball pianos, especially one of the vintage mentioned. Yes, Kimballs made in the 60's and early 70's should never have been put on the market. But by the time the company stopped making these models, they were actually pretty good instruments. The held their pitch, were reasonably good sounding, and didn't play that bad, either. That is why Larry recommended that as good entry level pianos. But to reject the entire brand, I think, is not warranted. <br> <br> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> www.pianotuning.com</div> <br> <br> -----Original Message-----<br> From: William R. Monroe <pianotech@a440piano.net><br> To: Pianotech List <pianotech@ptg.org><br> Sent: Wed, 28 Nov 2007 5:51 pm<br> Subject: Re: Kimball Question<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3> <STYLE>@#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 font-face { font-family: Bookman Old Style;}@#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 page Section1 {size: 8.5in 11.0in; margin: 1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin: .5in; mso-footer-margin: .5in; mso-paper-source: 0; }#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 P.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 LI.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 DIV.MsoNormal { FONT-SIZE: 12pt; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; FONT-FAMILY: "Times New Roman"; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 A:link { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; text-underline: single}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 SPAN.MsoHyperlink { COLOR: blue; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; text-underline: single}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 A:visited { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; text-underline: single}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 SPAN.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { COLOR: purple; TEXT-DECORATION: underline; text-underline: single}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 SPAN.EmailStyle17 { COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-style-type: personal-compose; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-ansi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 SPAN.SpellE { mso-style-name: ""; mso-spl-e: yes}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 SPAN.GramE { mso-style-name: ""; mso-gram-e: yes}#AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 DIV.Section1 { page: Section1}</STYLE> <STYLE> #AOLMsgPart_2_9735a635-c32c-4ca4-98a9-5b3307fe89a3 table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}</STYLE> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>Brian,</FONT></div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>You'll likely receive all manner of answers here, but if I had a client shopping for a piano and they said, "Kimball," I would encourage them to look elsewhere.  Console or otherwise.  There are exceptions, of course, but sight unseen, I'd never recommend a Kimball console for someone readying to learn a new language (music).</FONT></div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>To say nothing of the whole, "for a Beginner" phrase.  If someone wants their child to take piano seriously, they owe it to that child to be equally serious in selecting a piano.  Selecting a piano that won't be too big a loss if they quit, is absolutely the most wrong-headed approach one can take IMNSHO.  As an associate of mine said to me, "I can guarantee that I can get your kid to stop taking lessons, just let me pick the piano."</FONT></div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>As far as value, if the piano is what I would expect for a Kimball console (musically inadequate), I would recommend against its purchase, no $$ value needed.</FONT></div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2>William R. Monroe</FONT></div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <div><FONT face="Bookman Old Style" size=2></FONT> </div> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <div class=Section1> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">According to <SPAN class=GramE>Larry</SPAN> Fine’s book, a 1990 Kimball console is a pretty good piano for a beginner. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Does anyone have any first hand experience with a Kimball model 433? <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><SPAN class=GramE>Any inherent problems with this model?</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></FONT></div> <div class=MsoNormal><STRONG><B><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-no-proof: yes">Brian P. Doepke</SPAN></FONT></B></STRONG></div> </div> </BLOCKQUOTE></div> <div class="AOLPromoFooter"> <hr style="margin-top:10px;" /> More new features than ever. Check out the new <a href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aolcmp00050000000003" target="_blank">AOL Mail</a>!<br/> </div>