Help Please!

[munson12]

I have a Knabe piano that was played in the Metropolitan opera house in 1926(it has a plaque on it that says that) and it is real, and i was wondering how much it is worth any help would be greatly appreciated!

[jeffb]

Hi Munson -

posting the model of the piano would help - and the serial number if you have it. Model will tell the size, and the serial number should identify the age.

The fact that this piano was selected for the MOH isn't a huge plus here. Means the piano was a taxi cab, and used to death. Now that it's more than a quarter of a century old, it's in need of a full rebuild.

So in short, if the piano is all original - it's not worth very much (wholesale to a piano dealer might net you $500). A rebuilder could buy it to restore to new condition, but the only pianos that truly get the $$ out of a A+ rebuild are Steinways and other Tier 1 pianos with a hot name. Knabe isn't one of those.

My advice would be to hire a knowledgeable  piano tech (find one at ptg.org, or talk to your local dealer) and have them check the piano over.

[munson12]

Thanks jeff, i can post the serial and model numbers tomorrow, and the piano is not broken or in bad shape, it still looks nice and sounds great, but i really dont know that much about them.

[general disarray]

Here's a link to a technician and appraiser in NYC who's a friend of a friend.  His name is Peter Favant and he's a total whiz and a great guy.

If you're not in NYC, he might be able to refer to a tech in your area.

https://keyboardtech.home.att.net/keyboardtech.htm

p.s. these old Knabes can be really great pianos.  My very first teacher when I was s teeny kid had one and it was a wonderful instrument.

p.p.s.  jeffb raises a good point about the piano's worth as an instrument given its age adn the abuse it suffered in god-knows-how-many opera rehearsals.  That said, if you say it sounds good, it may have been rebuilt, so . . . that's good.  Also, opera buffs are real fanatics about stuff and I could see a bidding war over it on eBay with its Metropolitan Opera history no matter what shape it was in -- given the case, lid, ivories etc. are presentable.