"new" 1994 Kemble?

[heidi34]

Hi, I have the opportunity to buy a new Kemble upright K121Z from a very reputable dealer (of very high-end pianos) in Los Angeles, California, who had it sitting in their warehouse for 10 years. They say that they basically lost track of it because they sell mostly more expensive pianos and concentrate on several other brands. In fact they have discontinued to carry Kemble. The warehouse was large and concrete and in Orange County so it could get a little hot in summer, but was not heated in winter. The piano has not been owned or played. The dealer acquired it from Kemble in Oct 1994!
I have three questions.

Is it basically a new piano? Is it worth less than a new piano of the same model (actually the model number has now changed to K121ZT)? They want $5500 US for it. Was it as good in 1993-1994 as it is now? I could instead purchase a new K131 for $7300 US, but from a worse dealer who carries lesser pianos (Kemble is their best upright) and serves the large Korean community here and with whom I have trouble communicating.

Also, in the review of the Kemble Quantum in Diapason Oct 2000, the following statement was made. "Times have changed since the questionable Kemble of the past. ... Good publicity stunt to attract international attention and achieve a spectacular comeback." What and when were the "questionable Kemble[s] of the past"?

Finally, it has a nice sweet tone, but has the property you mentioned, Barrie, of muted notes above the bass-treble break, although they are not quite "dull or wooden", as you described them. Can this be fixed with voicing?

[Barrie Heaton]

Hi, I have the opportunity to buy a new Kemble upright K121Z from a very reputable dealer (of very high-end pianos) in Los Angeles, California, who had it sitting in their warehouse for 10 years. They say that they basically lost track of it because they sell mostly more expensive pianos and concentrate on several other brands. In fact they have discontinued to carry Kemble. The warehouse was large and concrete and in Orange County so it could get a little hot in summer, but was not heated in winter. The piano has not been owned or played. The dealer acquired it from Kemble in Oct 1994!
I have three questions.

What sort of guarantee will he give the piano will have been swing all over the place in that warehouse do you have air-conditioning at your place that may help to re stabilise the piano But I would be worried you may dry out the piano too fast

Is it basically a new piano? Is it worth less than a new piano of the same model (actually the model number has now changed to K121ZT)? They want $5500 US for it. Was it as good in 1993-1994 as it is now?

I think they changed the scaling and I would say the basses are better on the new ones they did change supplier for their bass strings they are now made in the good old USA $5500 seems a lot to me if it has just been stood there in that warehouse has it been tuned in the last 10 years

I could instead purchase a new K131 for $7300 US, but from a worse dealer who carries lesser pianos (Kemble is their best upright) and serves the large Korean community here and with whom I have trouble communicating.

You are buying a piano off him not marrying him if you are spending money he will communicate

The K131 is a better piano than the K121ZT the back for the K131 is the same as the Quantum and is an assume piano the case parts are a pain to take off on the Quantum but that is the only fault the K131 tone is a lot more balanced.

Also, in the review of the Kemble Quantum in Diapason Oct 2000, the following statement was made. "Times have changed since the questionable Kemble of the past. ... Good publicity stunt to attract international attention and achieve a spectacular comeback." What and when were the "questionable Kemble[s] of the past"?

Back in the 60 and 70 they tended to do more of the mast produced end the quality was middle of the road – nothing to shout about they then closed the factory re tooled and moved to the same production system used at Yamaha with lots of quality control

Finally, it has a nice sweet tone, but has the property you mentioned, Barrie, of muted notes above the bass-treble break, although they are not quite "dull or wooden", as you described them. Can this be fixed with voicing?

What I was referring to was the smaller Kembles like the Classic and Oxford mind you I tuned one of the new Oxford II last week and it was very nice piano for the size the pianos you are looking at are the Pro range and yes the bass treble change over can be masked with toning (voicing)

Barrie,

[heidi34]

Thanks very much for the reply.

I do have air-conditioning. It usually doesn't get that dry here, we're a few miles from the ocean. And I think the T121Z was tuned 4 times in the ten years, once recently, when they brought it out of storage.

Do you know when they changed the scaling on the T121Z? Did they change it before or after the T121Z came in second in those ratings by Conseur in 2001? The model number has been changed since then to T121ZT.

About how much do you think the T121Z has depreciated in value over almost 10 years?

The prices I gave above for the T121Z and the K131 from the two different shops are both 56% of the retail prices in Larry Fine's annual supplement to the Piano Book. Unfortunately, the Korean shop doesn't have the T121ZT, only an expensive 121 with a fancy cabinet. They seem to be charging more for the fancy 121's (Vermonts) than for the K131.

Barrie, you wrote "the back for the K131 is the same as the Quantum and is an assume piano." What is an assume piano?

And finally how long does voicing last, if you play 1 hour/day, not too hard?

[Barrie Heaton]

Thanks very much for the reply.

I do have air-conditioning. It usually doesn't get that dry here, we're a few miles from the ocean. And I think the T121Z was tuned 4 times in the ten years, once recently, when they brought it out of storage.

Do you know when they changed the scaling on the T121Z? Did they change it before or after the T121Z came in second in those ratings by Conseur in 2001? The model number has been changed since then to T121ZT.

?

When the product number changed 4 time in 10 years is not much, in a high humidity swing environment you would give a piano that many tunings in the first year

About how much do you think the T121Z has depreciated in value over almost 10 years?

?

That is a hard one as technically it is still a new piano, but one no longer in product as the model has moved on

Barrie, you wrote "the back for the K131 is the same as the Quantum and is an assume piano." What is an assume piano?
?

Aren’t spell checkers great when you don’t look at what you are doing Should have been Awesome

And finally how long does voicing last, if you play 1 hour/day, not too hard?

That depends on how deep the toeing is and the environment but normally a few years depending on the clients ears and taste

The T121Z could turn out ot be a good buy at a knock down price but it will take a few tunings to get the piano stable

Barrie,