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- Jun 11, 2019 The serial number identifies the year an instrument was manufactured and is the key to all future warranty service and repair (if needed). Its location varies depending on the type of instrument. For Kawai grand pianos, the serial number is found on the iron plate under the music desk on the right side of the piano (near the tuning pins).
- OFFICIAL KAWAI TECHNICAL SUPPORT. Providing continuing support for Kawai owners and technicians in North America is a priority at Kawai. On these pages, you will find valuable information about our products, warranties, service department, parts availability and other service topics related to Kawai Acoustic and Digital Pianos.
Kimball Pianos. From its humble beginnings in 1857 as W.W. Kimball and Company, to the present mega company, Kimball International, the brand name Kimball has certainly gone through some interesting events over the decades. Kimball Pianos are some of the best known pianos in the world, and unfortunately, they are no longer produced as of 1996.
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The last Grand Piano made by the company is on display in their Showroom in Jasper, Indiana. On it you can see the autographs of all employees and executives of the company.
W.W. Kimball and Company (1857-1959)
What we know today as Kimball international has its roots in the corner of a jewelry store. There is where William Wallace Kimball founded the company as a piano dealership. He later moved to the Crosby Opera House from where he sold pianos made by other manufacturers, such as Chickering and Sons, the J & C Fischer Piano Company, Hallet & Davis, and others.
What we know today as Kimball international has its roots in the corner of a jewelry store. There is where William Wallace Kimball founded the company as a piano dealership. He later moved to the Crosby Opera House from where he sold pianos made by other manufacturers, such as Chickering and Sons, the J & C Fischer Piano Company, Hallet & Davis, and others.
It is important to note that at this point, Kimball was purely a dealership, not a manufacturer, although this would later change.
In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire wrecked havoc to Kimball's business, razing down all the company’s assets. Wallace Kimball did not, however, give up. He started working from home and gradually rebuilt the business.
In 1871, the Great Chicago Fire wrecked havoc to Kimball's business, razing down all the company’s assets. Wallace Kimball did not, however, give up. He started working from home and gradually rebuilt the business.
The first time that Kimball began making its own instruments was in 1877 when it started assembling reed organs. The company quickly grew as a manufacturer and by 1880 the organs they were selling were made wholly in-house.
The Kimball Company was officially formed in 1882 and at this time there was enough money to build a large factory for the production of reed organs. Production underwent a quick growth spurt and soon peaked at 15,000 organs per year. This meant that the company was the largest organ maker in the world.
The Kimball Company was officially formed in 1882 and at this time there was enough money to build a large factory for the production of reed organs. Production underwent a quick growth spurt and soon peaked at 15,000 organs per year. This meant that the company was the largest organ maker in the world.
Kawai Grand Piano For Sale
In 1887, the company broadened its manufacturing business to include pianos. A massive five story factory was built for that purpose. Over the next ensuing decades, superior piano quality and aggressive sales tactics made Kimball one of the top producers of pianos in the world. During this time they made different types of pianos including player and upright pianos.
In the early 1900s Reed organs were falling out of 'public favor' as pianos increased in popularity due to a number of factors, including economics.
In the early 1900s Reed organs were falling out of 'public favor' as pianos increased in popularity due to a number of factors, including economics.
So in 1922 after producing a total of 403,990 reed organs, Kimball halted the production of any more.
Subsidiary of Jasper Corporation (1959-1996)
Jasper Corporation was a contract manufacturer of furniture, founded in 1950 by Arnold Habig. The company grew from a small corporation making a little more than $100,000 in their first year to millions of dollars in later years.
Through Habig’s brilliant entrepreneurship, Jasper Corporation rose to acquiring other furniture manufacturing companies along the way. In 1959, Habig wanted to expand the company’s production scope to guarantee stability. In order to utilize the woodworking skills of the employees, the new expansion had to be something to do with wood.
Subsidiary of Jasper Corporation (1959-1996)
Jasper Corporation was a contract manufacturer of furniture, founded in 1950 by Arnold Habig. The company grew from a small corporation making a little more than $100,000 in their first year to millions of dollars in later years.
Through Habig’s brilliant entrepreneurship, Jasper Corporation rose to acquiring other furniture manufacturing companies along the way. In 1959, Habig wanted to expand the company’s production scope to guarantee stability. In order to utilize the woodworking skills of the employees, the new expansion had to be something to do with wood.
In comes the Kimball Piano Company, which was by now struggling to cope as a result of financial mistakes by Kimball Jr. It had gone from the top piano maker in the world to the seventh.
'Music for The Millions'
Mr. Habig purchased the company in 1959 and moved it to West Baden Springs in Indiana in 1961. In the period of around 10 years, Kimball underwent a period of rejuvenation and by 1969 had once gain regained its title as largest piano maker worldwide. The subsidiary company grew so successful that they shipped 150 electric organs and 250 pianos on a daily basis from the factory.
Kimball produced grand pianos ranging from 135cm (4' 5') in length, to larger 201cm (6' 11') pianos. Other piano types produced included small console and upright pianos.
In 1966, the Jasper Corporation [parent company to Kimball pianos] bought the prestigious Austrian piano maker, Bosendorfer. It remained Kimball's, before returning to Austrian hands, when purchased by the BAWAG PSK Gruppe in 2002.
On December 20, 2007, BAWAG signed an agreement to sell all stock in Bösendorfer to Yamaha, who owns the company to this present day (2017).
Kimball International (1974 to date)
Executives at Jasper Corporation noted that the Kimball brand name was more popular than Jasper. They decided to leverage its popularity to increase furniture sales. So in 1974 Kimball International was incorporated as a public company.
Executives at Jasper Corporation noted that the Kimball brand name was more popular than Jasper. They decided to leverage its popularity to increase furniture sales. So in 1974 Kimball International was incorporated as a public company.
In the 1990s, sales of pianos were plummeting. This was mostly due to the presence of other musical instruments in the market.
Things became so bad that the company was forced to close down the piano and organ arm of Kimball International in 1996.
As mentioned before, the last Grand Piano is displayed in a showroom in Jasper Indiana. Meanwhile, Kimball International has focused all its resources on the furniture business.
Kimball Pianos
Serial Numbers
1888 - 1 1892 - 13000 1899 - 66000 1900 - 69000 1905 - 140000 1910 - 211000 1915 - 279800 1920 - 322000 1925 - 360400 1930 - 383000 1935 - 406000 1940 - 438000 | 1946 - 480000 1950 - 517000 1955 - 562300 1960 - 604000 1965 - 661300 1970 - 764200 1975 - 951000 |
Kimball's production of grands stopped in early 1996, and vertical pianos in April 1996. Please reach out to us via our Appraisals Page for serial numbers and Kimball piano values, not contained on this page.
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Piano serial numbers identify the (1) age of your piano, the (2) piano's year of manufacture, as well as (3) the circumstances surrounding the production of your piano, including factory history, manufacturing processes, and company ownership and oversight.
You can look up a free piano serial number history search from this page (see list of manufacturers, below).
Piano Serial Numbers:
Location, location, location...
Piano serial numbers usually have five to seven digits, but may have fewer or more, depending on the manufacturer and age of your piano. Serial numbers may also include a letter as well.
Here are the TOP FIVE places to locate the serial number of your spinet, console, or upright piano:
Serial number locations are found:
1) On the piano’s cast iron plate. After lifting up the lid, look along the top front area of the plate. The serial number may be to the right or the left, or in the middle.
2) Under the opened lid on the ledge, stamped on a little plaque, to the right or to the left.
3) Stamped on the back of the piano; near the top of the wood frame.
4) Printed on one of the hammers, found on either end of the piano (newer or imported pianos).
5) Printed on one the keys - behind the nameboard, inside the piano (newer or imported pianos).
2) Under the opened lid on the ledge, stamped on a little plaque, to the right or to the left.
3) Stamped on the back of the piano; near the top of the wood frame.
4) Printed on one of the hammers, found on either end of the piano (newer or imported pianos).
5) Printed on one the keys - behind the nameboard, inside the piano (newer or imported pianos).
If you cannot find the serial number in any of the locations listed on this page, please watch the video below, to help find more piano serial number locations.
Grand Piano Serial Numbers
Where Are They Found? ...
Here are the TOP FIVE places to locate the serial number of your BABY GRAND or GRAND piano:
(See this link for a detailed picture of where to look)
Note: You may have to remove the (1) music desk first and then (2) gently clean out any dust from your piano's plate [using a soft dry cloth + vacuum hose] before these numbers can be found.
Serial number locations are found:
1) On the piano’s cast iron plate, near the tuning pins, as you face the keys. Look to the right or to the left.
2) The Capo d'astro bar. Located on the right, this acts as a 'bridge' to the 'beams' of the cast iron plate.
3) On the piano's soundboard (see link above for a diagram).
4) On a metal plate underneath the piano's top lid, near the strings and soundboard.
5) Immediate interior [front]: On the back of the [a] keyslip (long wooden ledge, runs along the front/bottom of the piano's keys. The serial number is often hidden and stamped on the other side, facing the keys). On the front of the [b] action frame (after the keyslip is removed), or stamped on [c] one or both of the cheek blocks, viewed to the right and left of the piano's keyboard.
On older pianos, you may find 3-5 screws, underneath the keyslip, that will need to be removed (or, simply lift up, if no screws are present) to view the action frame. The serial number may be stamped on the front of the frame's wooden base, immediately under the keys.
To the right and left of the keys are two end cheek blocks, which are each secured down with a giant bolt or screw, which passes through the piano's keybed, both of which must be removed, to access the interior of the piano (see video, above).
Caution: When unscrewing and removing the cheek blocks, do not mistake the piano's leg screw/bolt, with the cheek block's screw/bolt.
Also, be careful not to drop the cheek blocks once they are removed, which can gouge and permanently damage the piano's case, and the block's delicate condition.
To recap: the piano's serial number may be hidden on the back of the piano'skeyslip (immediately in front of / below the keys), on the action's frontkeyframe, on the cheek blocks (each side), or within the action itself, once removed from the piano.
Scroll down below to find the (1) manufacturer of your piano, and then (2) click on the link to find the serial number.
(Please be patient as we are updating this page on a daily basis. We invite you to SUBSCRIBE to this page, and to use the search box above, as serial numbers are being updated and added on an ongoing basis.)
Baldwin Bluthner Bosendorfer Broadwood and Sons C. Bechstein Cable-Nelson Chickering and Sons Estonia Everett Hallet and Davis Hobart M. Cable Kemble | Sohmer Steinway and Sons Story and Clark Vose and Sons Weber Wm Knabe Wurlitzer Yamaha Young Chang Zimmermann |
Thinking of purchasing a Yamaha Piano? Visit our Grey Market Pianos page to find out more before making that purchase!
The Pierce Piano Atlas, 12th Edition now in hardcover format, provides a wealth of information about the piano manufacturing industry. Over 12,000 piano names are included, some dating back to the early eighteen hundreds. This guide provides references to serial numbers, dates of manufacture, factory locations, a brief history of many manufacturers and other pertinent information.
The Piano Book is the bible of the piano marketplace. An indispensable resource to buyers and owners of pianos, amateur and professional pianists alike. This book evaluates and compares every brand and style of piano sold in the United States.
Kawai Grand Piano Serial Numbers 2017
Information on how the piano works, ages, and the difference between different piano brands is discussed in great detail. There is also a wealth of diagrams of parts, information on manufacturing, maintenance, moving and storage, inspecting new and used pianos, the special market for Steinways, and sales gimmicks to watch out for.
Playing Piano for Pleasure is a practical guide to learning and playing the piano for fun! Includes material from the author's interviews with master pianists, artists, and writers. The result is a book that should be cherished for years to come.
Playing Piano for Pleasure is a practical guide to learning and playing the piano for fun! Includes material from the author's interviews with master pianists, artists, and writers. The result is a book that should be cherished for years to come.
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Kawai Grand Piano Serial Numbers 1
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