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MODEL K

Professional Upright

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Model K Overview

The longest bass string in the Steinway K upright is longer than the longest bass string in the Steinway Model S (5’1”) grand, at 46 3/8” on the K versus 45 1/2” on the S. This is why this piano is often called the “upright grand”. It requires 12 months to craft a Steinway grand, 10 months for the K-52, employing precisely the same materials and superb workmanship as the grands. It is the only upright with a solid laminated maple closing rim to configure the soundboard into the shape and sound of a baby grand.

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Available Model Ks

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The New Model K Customer

Who's it for?

  • The K52 is for those without the space for even the baby grand model S (5’1”) yet who want the rich sound of a grand.
  • It is a first choice for serious students and professionals who insist on the best sound and touch available in an upright design.

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Who's it not for?

  • Not for those with limited budgets looking at upright pianos.  

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Model K Specifications

Introduced in 1903, this piano features a larger soundboard than many grands, for a more resonant voice. The choice for professional players seeking an upright instrument — and perfect for all sizes of homes and apartments.

Dimensions

Height 52″ (132 cm)
Width 60 3/4″ (154 cm)
Depth 26 3/8″ (67 cm)
Net Weight 600 pounds (273 kg)

Braces

Posts: 5 full-length tapered solid spruce braces with a volume of 3,600 cu. in. (58,993cm3): assures that backframe will remain straight, promoting stable and consistent tuning. Strategically positioned with bottom ends tenoned into birch foot-piece for positive vertical alignment. Spruce fill-blocks between posts at top of backframe capped with solid birch backing board for positive horizontal alignment.

Scale

Overstrung; twenty-six note bass/tenor break. Treble duplex. Tension: 37,500 lbs. (16,875 kg)

Ribs

Made from durable, resinous sugar pine to assure strong and constant support of string down-bearing on the soundboard. Rib ends are hand-fitted into their mounting surfaces virtually locking in the important soundboard crown.

Tuning Pins

Premium blued steel; rust-resistant, nickeled heads

Strings

Treble: Ten whole & one-half sizes from high-tensile Swedish steel. Bass: Swedish steel core wire wound with pure copper. Longest, pressure bar/bridge: 46 3/8″ (118 cm)

Hammers

Premium wool top felt over premium wool under felt; treated to resist insects and moisture. Compression-wired to retain permanent shape. Hard rock maple hammer moldings and shanks.

Dampers

Vertical-cut premium wool for effective dampening. Hornbeam heads for endurance.

Action

White, quarter-sawn hornbeam parts are bushed with specially treated wool action cloth for freedom from friction. Parts are anchored in hard maple rails. Dependable, Direct-Blow design permits ALL parts of the action to lie above the brass capstan screws.

Keys

European spruce, individually weighed-off. Chip-proof, stain-resistant coverings for naturals; slip-proof, delicately abraded ebonized sharps. Tough, durable Linden wood buttons reinforce keys over balance rail permitting maximum tonal power with every strike. Longest: 16 1/8″ (40.9 cm)

Keybed

Made from planks of stable, quarter-sawn poplar. Horizontal planks are freely mortised together, while their ends are permanently mortised into vertical planks made of birch, presenting a vented system for humidity escapement while allowing for necessary expansion and contraction. Hand-milled to be flat and true correlating with keyframe for snug fit. Strong, rugged construction provides a solid mount for keyframe and action allowing for precise and prolonged action regulation. Thickness: 1 3/4″ (4.45 cm)

Pedals

Heavy, solid brass. Soft, sustaining, and full sostenuto.

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