Kemble minx mini piano + minx matching stool ~ sold
welcome to the aa piano tuners uk restoration centre
This Kemble Minx Upright piano + stool has completed a full-on refurbishment program, here in the AA Piano Tuners workshop. Although this piano is only 2ft 11 inches in height, it packs a punch for sound quality, having a full 85 note keyboard, and real bass + treble strings, spruce soundboard, laminated maple wrest plank, and a full action mechanism manufactured by one of the leading action makers "Herrburger Brooks" - originally from London, then moved to Derbyshire.
Kemble were established in 1911 by Michael Kemble, based in Milton Keynes, North London, and the Minx became a very popular model of the 1950s and 1960s, boasting many art deco features taken from the 1930s. Kemble also made pianos such as Rogers, Squire and Longson, and after their Royalty recognition, they had a joint-agreement with Yamaha to build many more pianos.
The name "Kemble" was taken over by Yamaha, and the name is still used today - manufacturing well over 300,000 pianos!
The piano boasts many features including a well-looked after cabinet; late art deco walnut and chrome. All the hinges, music clips, book rest, pedals and fixtures are still in perfect condition - just needed a polish. The cabinet had a few small scratches, and that has all been rectified during the refurbishment. The compact design and height of this piano is very attractive to some, as when closed up, it resembles an old writing desk. The strings are shorter than other standard pianos, giving slightly less quality in the bass (just my opinion), but overall, they produce a nicely rounded tone production, and easy to tune.
This particular model (Style C) - although not having box wood banding & parquetry work, it had all the original "workings" and fixtures for the old bakerlite down lights under the keyboard. Regrettably most of the original fixtures/ light fittings were missing and damaged, and mmmm 1950s wiring looked a bit suspect! .... so all of this has been fully rewired with bespoke modern LEDs and a safety 12 volt transformer. The on/off switch is under the keyboard, and the piano comes with a generous length of 2-core flex to plug into your wall socket.... all tested and working correct.
BUYING YOUR OWN KEMBLE MINX ?
If you are thinking of buying one of these pianos, the second hand value is around £200 - £300 (2019) mechanism has been fully renovated, then expect to pay more, but make sure that you are shown proof of the work done, and always bring along a fully qualified piano tuner / technician to check the work done, and mainly check the tuning stability (i.e. pin torque/ wrest plank). These pianos usually have a full cast iron frame to the top lid, so the wrest plank should be protected and in good condition.
Tuning wise...... easy to tune, like any other upright piano, except that your tuner will need to remove the small curved side panels at the top to gain access to the extreme bass and treble tuning pins. This model had each panel screwed on from the inside (2 screws each side), and while easy to access, the screw holes threads can wear with age.... so this piano was fitted with toggle brackets to easily snap the panels into place, like a tool box. Many Minx pianos of the 1960s have this clip-on design.
Repair wise...... NOT EASY to repair!! and very very time consuming.
If any repairs are needed such as re-pinning (slow-moving action parts), broken or perished bridle tapes/ leathers/ springs, or if there is a broken hammer or string/ pedal repairs, then the whole mechanism must be removed to gain access.
Any repairs like this requiring our services, then the WHOLE piano must be shipped to our workshop. Removing the mechanism is a big job, and cannot be done on the customer's living room floor!
These pianos have what is known as a "drop" action, and the mechanism is "submerged" partly or whole intob the bottom end of the piano (near the pedals). There are a series of complex levers and lift rods attached to the rear of the piano keys, that operate the mechanism, a sort of "lift & push" movement. Each lift rod is articulated and pinned in 2 places.
Here is a rough guide to removal of the drop action >>
1. Removal and disconnection of all piano keys/ pedal parts
2. Removal of the key frame / back touch areas.
3. Removal of all 85 lift rods - each one unscrewed carefully to avoid damage and numbered in the correct order.
4. Depending on repairs, removal of the lift rod rail and key bed.
5. Removal of the main mechanism (hammers, levers & dampers)
Depending on repairs, this work can take around 4-5 hours, just to get to the repair job, and would take a lot longer in a customer's home due to not having purpose-built work benches. Quite a bit of "thinking time" is also required in removing the lift rods, as some sections require removal in opposite sequence, narrowly missing next door parts.
So when buying one of these pianos, please bear this in mind..
...............................................................................................................................
THE WORKSHOP ASSESSMENT (Before)
Several keys sticking.
Lift rod levers not all dropping and returning to rest fully
Mild damp on the hammers
Tuning - 1/4 tone flat, and mostly out of tune
Quite a bit of dust & debris inside
Images showing some removal + dismantling of parts/ general wear and tear.
Please refer to the diagram (top left) for cross reference to parts
DURING THE REFURBISHMENT/ REBUILD / NEW PARTS
All mechanism parts, pedals, cabinet etc. were fully dismantled and stripped down - this process took about 5 weeks.
"New toggle-buckles" ? (see centre photo: 2 rows up from bottom)
This often causes confusion about these "brief case" looking clips, however, originally the side curved panels were held in place with six screws (3 on each side). Later 1960s Minx pianos realised this may have been awkward for piano tuners to remove, so clips were fitted. The side panels must be removed prior to tuning in order to 1. Remove the fallboard 2. Access the tuning pins with a tuning lever.
Therefore we have upgraded the side panels fixtures with the later toggle - buckle clips.... 2 on each side. No more hunting for a small screw driver!
PIANO STRINGS + TUNING
The bass and treble piano strings are original, and still in very good condition, and produce a pleasing tone when played.
The tuning (wrest) pins are also in good condition, no rust, and have full torque.
To reduce the risk of any string breakages during the pitch raise + fine tuning (a 3 day process), we lightly lubricated all string to bridge contact areas of down-bearing, and lightly coated the pin coils with silicone oil, then wiped them dry - avoiding contact with the wrest pin bushes and cast frame, which are in excellent condition. The whole tuning process from start to finish was a success.
After purchase, we would recommend that the piano was tuned again after settling in the new home, then annually/ six monthly afterwards. The mechanism, keyboard and pedals have all been fully regulated.
AND FINALLY ......
This often causes confusion about these "brief case" looking clips, however, originally the side curved panels were held in place with six screws (3 on each side). Later 1960s Minx pianos realised this may have been awkward for piano tuners to remove, so clips were fitted. The side panels must be removed prior to tuning in order to 1. Remove the fallboard 2. Access the tuning pins with a tuning lever.
Therefore we have upgraded the side panels fixtures with the later toggle - buckle clips.... 2 on each side. No more hunting for a small screw driver!
PIANO STRINGS + TUNING
The bass and treble piano strings are original, and still in very good condition, and produce a pleasing tone when played.
The tuning (wrest) pins are also in good condition, no rust, and have full torque.
To reduce the risk of any string breakages during the pitch raise + fine tuning (a 3 day process), we lightly lubricated all string to bridge contact areas of down-bearing, and lightly coated the pin coils with silicone oil, then wiped them dry - avoiding contact with the wrest pin bushes and cast frame, which are in excellent condition. The whole tuning process from start to finish was a success.
After purchase, we would recommend that the piano was tuned again after settling in the new home, then annually/ six monthly afterwards. The mechanism, keyboard and pedals have all been fully regulated.
AND FINALLY ......
KEMBLE MINX PIANO STOOL (Box stool that opens to put music in)
Due to excellent previous ownership, the piano has its own original matching piano stool.
This is punched into the wood "K17" under the stool rim, and has been checked with Kemble/ Yamaha.
The stool was made specially for the Minx piano, reflecting the Queen Ann period legs.
Due to a previous customer upgrade, the stool was re-upholstered quite badly with "curtain matching" material!! .... in blue & yellow....
so after some research, we found a suitable pin-striped fabric and recovered the lid - as seen. The padding is still original.
Also due to many scuffs and scratches on the stool, this was fully stripped down, chemically cleaned, and re- French Polished.... the least we could do.
The piano also comes with its own original brown bakerlite castor cups X 4 to protect all floor coverings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions:-
Height: 2ft 11 inches (90cm) Depth: 1ft 11 inches (59cm) Length (width): 4ft 4 inches (132cm)
Weight: c. 180 - 200 kilos
Date Stamp Label: 8th November 1950 (start of manufacture in Derbyshire)
Serial Number: #85625 (ink stamped behind bass strings, and punched into soundboard near pedal lift rods) 1951
Mechanism: Under-damped dampers with bridle tape/ spiral jack spring action (Herrburger Brooks) Drop action
Full cast iron frame with hard rock maple wrest plank & wrest pin bushings / spruce soundboard
Stringing formation: Over-strung
Pedals: 2 -- left soft pedal / right sustain pedal
Cabinet: Late art deco Walnut with detachable side curved panels for tuning / Chrome trims.
Refurbishment starting date: Friday 22nd January 2016. Completion date: Friday 4th March 2016 (6 weeks)
LIGHTING SPECIFICATIONS (2016)
15va Transformer for 12 volt LED lights - low voltage
MR16 type bulbs / 5 watt (equivalent to 35 watts) "warm white" 53 X 50mm 12 volt.
Dimmable: NO (requires dimmer switch + dimmable MR16 LED lights - not included)
Energy rating: A+ Lumen Rate 346 (spare box inside piano stool)
LED Lifetime: 25,000 hours
Thank you for viewing this restoration blog.
Next project: Chappell Upright Piano (May/ June 2016)
To see our level of restoration work, also view our previous work & restoration pages.
Including: Erard Grand (2015),
Bechstein (2013),
Lenz of Berlin (2014) and more.
This piano has been sold.
<<HOME
Due to excellent previous ownership, the piano has its own original matching piano stool.
This is punched into the wood "K17" under the stool rim, and has been checked with Kemble/ Yamaha.
The stool was made specially for the Minx piano, reflecting the Queen Ann period legs.
Due to a previous customer upgrade, the stool was re-upholstered quite badly with "curtain matching" material!! .... in blue & yellow....
so after some research, we found a suitable pin-striped fabric and recovered the lid - as seen. The padding is still original.
Also due to many scuffs and scratches on the stool, this was fully stripped down, chemically cleaned, and re- French Polished.... the least we could do.
The piano also comes with its own original brown bakerlite castor cups X 4 to protect all floor coverings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions:-
Height: 2ft 11 inches (90cm) Depth: 1ft 11 inches (59cm) Length (width): 4ft 4 inches (132cm)
Weight: c. 180 - 200 kilos
Date Stamp Label: 8th November 1950 (start of manufacture in Derbyshire)
Serial Number: #85625 (ink stamped behind bass strings, and punched into soundboard near pedal lift rods) 1951
Mechanism: Under-damped dampers with bridle tape/ spiral jack spring action (Herrburger Brooks) Drop action
Full cast iron frame with hard rock maple wrest plank & wrest pin bushings / spruce soundboard
Stringing formation: Over-strung
Pedals: 2 -- left soft pedal / right sustain pedal
Cabinet: Late art deco Walnut with detachable side curved panels for tuning / Chrome trims.
Refurbishment starting date: Friday 22nd January 2016. Completion date: Friday 4th March 2016 (6 weeks)
LIGHTING SPECIFICATIONS (2016)
15va Transformer for 12 volt LED lights - low voltage
MR16 type bulbs / 5 watt (equivalent to 35 watts) "warm white" 53 X 50mm 12 volt.
Dimmable: NO (requires dimmer switch + dimmable MR16 LED lights - not included)
Energy rating: A+ Lumen Rate 346 (spare box inside piano stool)
LED Lifetime: 25,000 hours
Thank you for viewing this restoration blog.
Next project: Chappell Upright Piano (May/ June 2016)
To see our level of restoration work, also view our previous work & restoration pages.
Including: Erard Grand (2015),
Bechstein (2013),
Lenz of Berlin (2014) and more.
This piano has been sold.
<<HOME
