Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum My latest piano adventure...

I've read some pros and cons about the influence the Kimball/Bosendorfer relationship had on the Kimball grands of that era. Not sure about all the debate, but I like the big sound holes in the plate, which does resemble the Bosendorfer plate.

Anyway, I did some cleaning, adjusting and hammer filing on the Kimball today, and it is sounding and playing even better. As has been mentioned already, it was not out of tune all that much, even though it hasn’t been tuned in years, according to the pastor of the church I purchased it from. It sounds very similar to the 6’7” Kimball Viennese model I played a few years ago when I was looking for a 7 footer. The low bass is not as rich as the 6’7” model, but the rest of the piano sounds very similar.

It’s been fun tinkering with it so far, and some of my relatives want to buy it from me already. I gave my sister my old Conover upright I just refurbished, and now she wants the Kimball.

Rick

There was a 10 ft 1 inch 1984 Kimball Olympic Commemorative concert grand advertised on Pianomart last month for 3k dollars which looked new in the photos. I didn't know they made them that big .

This one? It does not look to be 10'-1" in the photo, not even 9', which I think they made, or had made by Bösendorfer.

Ed, which visuals lead you to this conclusion?

Oh-Oh -- Is PAS genetic?

Hi Mark,

Maybe Ed will chime in again in response to your question, but I have also heard Del Fandrich mention that these models (Kimbaldorfers as Glenn put it) had laminated soundboards. I'm not quite sure how to tell. It is my understanding that they made 2 different models of this Viennese editions from the late 1970's until they stopped making pianos in the early 90's, the 5'8" and a 6'7". They do look similar in style and plate design.

What has surprised me so far, is how nice the action feels.

And Marty, I'm not sure if PAS is genetic or not, by my sister has two old uprights now...

Rick

I recorded a short video of me playing the Kimball this morning. It sounds a little brighter in the video than it does in real life, but the mic on cam-corder is not the best.

Kimball 5'8" baby grand 1977 model

Anyway, you can get an idea of what it sounds like. It still needs some serious regulation, hammer voicing and fine tuning, but I'll get to that later.

Happy Labor Day!!

Rick

Nice video Rick, I'm still working on mine, the cam-corder just doesn't do it justice... The sad part is the church is exactly where that piano should be and yet they would rather have the latest "keyboard", bleach. The older larger Kimball's were to my understanding very good pianos on par with Knabe, Baldwin, and such.

Rick, thanks for posting the pictures and the story. I have one of the 6'7"s from that same time period, although not the Viennese version. I believe the 5'8 and the 6'7 used the same Schwander action; is that what yours has? I've wondered how similar (or different) that action is compared to mine since mine is not the Viennese.

I'm still very interested in doing some additional things to mine, especially some that Del mentioned, but I just haven't gotten the time to do so.
Please keep up posted on what you find and do on yours---it might give me additional ideas for mine.

Interesting that my serial number is similar to yours. Mine is A97100, but mine is clearly not a Viennese version and not one of the Bosy versions (to the best of my knowledge). Hmmmm......


Edited for typo.