John, the serial number in your photo dates it to 1925 according to Pierce. It should be your basic decent grand piano. Wurlitzers made in DeKalb, in general, were manufactured to pretty excellent standards. No offense to Mississippi, but the quality went down appreciably when manufacturing moved there, and even further when Baldwin took over. Were there any grands made in MS? What Baldwin gained most from buying Wurlitzer was a new way of attaching the key cover in their verticals, IMHO. Vertical DeKalb Wurlitzers had lots of _interesting_ case designs after WWII, like genuine naguahyde covered case wood, and the flat-top buffet side table, but the action performance and sound of these was still very good for their spinet size.
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[Dwight][Denzer][RPT]
[Dwight's Piano Works]
[Springfield][IL]
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-01-2019 02:40
From: Willem Blees
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
As I mentioned, the Wurlitzer factory was in the same town as my alms mater, NIU. After I graduated I got a job teaching music in a small town not too far from DeKalb. For three years in a row I took a music class to the factory for a tour. The kids and I liked it, for no other reason than it was a day not teaching. Lol.
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Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
Original Message:
Sent: 11-01-2019 02:09
From: Steven Rosenthal
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
One photo on the Wurlitzer page is rather curious, it seems to be in their harp factory and the caption asserts the worker "could be working on 14,000 pianos and one time."
Wha????
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Steven Rosenthal
Honolulu HI
808-521-7129
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2019 23:02
From: James Kelly
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
Check this link
https://11482217.weebly.com/dekalb.html
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James Kelly
Pawleys Island SC
843-325-4357
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2019 22:35
From: John Formsma
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
I was aware of that since I see MANY Wurlitzers in my area. There used to be two manufacturing plants here in MS.
The piano is about 100 miles away. I'm trying to find out any information since I've never seen one.
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John Formsma, RPT
New Albany MS
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2019 21:31
From: Willem Blees
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
I've never heard of a DeKalb piano, but the Wurlitzer factory was in DeKalb, Illinois until about 1980. Perhaps it was a short lived model of theirs. Also home of my alma mater, Northern Illinois University.
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Willem "Wim" Blees, RPT
Mililani, HI 96789
Original Message:
Sent: 10-31-2019 20:46
From: John Formsma
Subject: Dekalb grand piano?
Anyone have any other info about these pianos other than what Pierce has? Pierce says they were made by Wurlitzer.
Looking for an approximate age because it's located out of my service area, and I want to avoid driving a long way just to charge a service call because of loose tuning pins.
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John Formsma, RPT
New Albany MS
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