Knabe Ampico-Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

1926 5'3 Knabe Ampico A playing "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" from "Showboat"

I was playing with the new camcorder. This is recorded using the pencil eraser-sized built in mic, so it doesn't exactly sound live, but you get the idea. We are going to be doing some recordings with an external mic set up as well in the future.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• knabe
• ampico
• piano
• can't
• help
• lovin
• dat
• man
• showboat
• amica
• player
• grand

[aardvaark069]

I love this piano. It's doing everything it's supposed to do but you really ought to get a redirector for that heating and air vent that's blowing right into your pianos guts. Please!

[knabchic]

@aardvaark069 Thanks for the comment! And just to put your mind at ease, it's not a heater but an air purifier, set on low, and there is a small room humidifier behind that. The fringe is very light so it looks like a hurricane is blowing, but it's not. Believe me, coming from the Midwest, I know all too well the ill fate that befalls a piano placed next to a heat source. Fortunately, the Pacific Northwest is far more forgiving. The room is kept at a constant 70 degrees and 40 % humidity.

[aardvaark069]

@knabchic I feel better now. A re-cut or original roll? Perfect reproduction. I am in theprocess of having a 6'4" 1927 Knabe A restored. I'm gonna install a B drawer. It'll be a hybrid but it oughtta be fabulous. Now all I need is a roll collection. Thanks for this post.

[knabchic]

@aardvaark069 This is a recut. We are starting the restoration of a 6'6" Bush & Lane, Hepplewhite case with a Welte...WONDERFUL, over-built piano! The 6'4" Knabe scale is WONDERFUL too, and we definitely have our eyes and ears peeled for a 6'4. We have said if one comes up that is too good to resist, we probably won't resist :). The B drawer on an A piano is the best of both worlds in my opinion. Our Knabe has an electric roll drive, but still the original drawer.

[aardvaark069]

@knabchic Oh I forgot to ask. What outfit re-cut? Sierra or other?

[knabchic]

@aardvaark069 It's an older Keystone recut. I know what you are saying about the Knabe tone, and I have to agree. I ventured into this hobby without preconceptions, and ended up favoring the Knabe after listening to many reproducing pianos. We also have a 5'4 Chickering Ampico in the same room as the Knabe. We love both of our "children," don't get me wrong, but let's just say the Knabe is what gets played the most.

[aknabea]

Very nice and love the piano as well as the roll! Please post more. (Another Knabe lover)!

[aardvaark069]

@knabchic well....this child sings beautifully

[aardvaark069]

@knabchic sounds wonderful. I have a steinway xr 1933 late model with no junction blocks and electric roll drive. A nice piano but I'm an Ampico man and I personally find the Knabe piano to be the ideal piano for a reproducer. It just sounds more musical and less mechanical to me than any other piano with a reproducer. i haven't figured out why though.

[knabchic]

@Brandotuomikoski Thank you! Actually, they aren't any higher than a standard piano. You can play them by hand, as I do...poorly. Since the piano plays much better than I do, I usually just let the piano do the playing :).