Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Played a 1903 Knabe with very fast repeated key speed

I hypothesized that the piano action is part of the solution for uber fast repeated Der Erlkonig octaves.

This Knabe was amazing - I never let the key rebound more than about 1/2 it's stroke - the key was around 1/2 stroke at the top of the cycle.

It was a 6' 6" for sale and it was not rebuilt - only hammers were ground. Dampers look gnarly. But it had a half decent tone (if I had this piano, I wouldn't be looking for another one.)

I had a 1902 6-4 Knabe until the block failed. It had the old type Knabe action with the springs on top. My tech told me that parts aren't available for that action.

Hammer weight is the predominant factor in the inertia felt when playing a piano action. Also, older pianos in general,(prior to WW2), had lighter hammers than most newer pianos. Lower inertia means the return speed of the action is faster. It is also faster to depress the keys as well so the static touch weight must be proportioned to the feel of the inertia to allow ease of pianissimo control. And of course the brilliance of the hammer felt can affect the pianists impression of ease at the start of the key motion.

Block failed, bummer. I looked up the Block on a generic action schematic and it appears to be wooden. Ultimately, any wooden part can be fabricated. Getting the proper kind of wood would probably be the hardest part.

Light hammers: this is very interesting. There is no doubt piano design evolves, however, from a high performance point of view, going to heavier hammers seems the wrong direction - at least for speed. A heavier hammer with more inertia would provide more feel and allow better volume control?

A friend who has a lot of pianos, gave me advice to NOT buy a piano UNLESS I really love it. I think this is a good idea since flipping a piano is difficult near Pittsburgh, nor do I have the space to have a newly acquired and the one I'm selling.

Heavier hammer provide a slower feel to the action. Thus finding out through your fingertips how fast the hammer is going takes a fraction of a second longer. Mass slow down the feel at all key speeds, and slows the keys return. The mass in the hammer, because of the leverage the action geometry contains, is the biggest factor in sensing the inertia of the action overall.

What are you referring to when you mention "block"? Tuning pin-block? If that is failing you will need the services of a rebuilder. Fitting a pin-block to a piano is not for the amateur.

Does the block have loose pins, or is it cracked?

If it's the former, it may be possible to breathe some life into it. Search on "CA Glue Treatment" here on PW.

If it's cracked, replacement is not a job for the faint hearted, but the popular Reblitz book (Piano Servicing, Tuning and Rebuilding For the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist) has instructions. If you're resourceful and courageous, you could replace it yourself. Pin block wood is available, just search online.


I always chuckle when I see your ID. It reminds me of some friends of mine who--when we were young--used to earn spending money by creosoting barns and fences. It was such dirty work that they never even tried to wash their clothes. They'd buy clothes at a thrift shop and just discard them when they were done wearing them.

That was my 1902 Knabe -- The block was de-laminating and chips falling down into the action. It was open an open block, more difficult and expensive to replace than the newer covered blocks. Hollywood Piano took it as a trade-in and I bought a new 1929 Knabe.

I like the idea of buying new vintage pianos