advice about used Knight

[Ric Brekne]

Hi Alan

I think you will find the sling on the butt spring type has no worse 
failure rate then any other type of spring of comparable size and 
material. As for the application (i.e. hammer return) perhaps it is a 
little less vunerable to damage caused by folks sticking diverse sorts 
of tools in the action for adjustments.  I prefer them myself.. but I 
know a lot of stateside techs who prefer the rail.  The strings they 
hook onto can break from time to time... tho the repair is quite quick 
and easy. Replacing the springs is not really difficult either... every 
bit (if not more so) then replacing a single broken spring on the rail 
type of solution.

As for Knight parts... Measuring part allow you to find reasonably close 
matches through Renner at least. 

Cheers
RicB


 Hi List,
 
A client had me look at a Knight upright.  It's about 30 years old, has 
been played very little, and aside from some minor cracking at the bass 
bichord bridge pins (which are pinned with the opposite lean direction 
as the monochords), appears to be in very healthy condition.  I have 
limited experience with Knights and would appreciate your consult on two 
questions:
 
1) The hammer return springs are the sling-on-the-butt-flange style.  
Has anyone out there seen these fail with age and/or used a la Yamaha?  
If so, is there anything different about the replacement procedure?
 
2) Knight is now out of business.  The action parts look a bit unusual.  
Does anyone know if replacement parts are available, should we need them 
down the road?
 
Thanks, and Happy labor Day,
 
Alan Eder