J M O N Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 It's disappointing that the "Who was Paul Wilbur Klipsch?" placard makes no mention of Belle Klipsch, PWK's first wife. Had she not taught school during the early lean years at Klipsch & Associates to keep food on the table, we would not be experiencing this great forum and the legacy of PWK. I suspect the text of the "history" would read differently if PWK were still alive. How does the museum explain the naming of the Klipsch Belle? Yeah, I'd have to guess that it is because this is also the Valerie Klipsch museum. It is possible that some of the materials posted on the walls mentioned Belle, but I didn't have the time to look through everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 I'd like to know more about Ms. Belle Klipsch, the first wife of PWK. He obviously had some affections for her, naming a speaker for her. I'm also curios to know why the Belle speaker was "dumped" in favor of the decidedly less visually appealing LaScala? Perhaps someone that knew her or her story can chime in(?) As mentioned above, there very well could've been mention of Belle in some of the materials that were posted on the wall. There was quite a bit of material and photos posted. Although the museum isn't very large, I can see spending a good hour in there looking at everything. In the back room they did have Klipschorns, Cornwalls, La Scalas, and Heresies connected to a Sony amp via a speaker switch for auditioning. In the front entrance the was more Sony components near the Jubilees but they seemed to not be connected at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 Outstanding photo's... Thanks for posting. Interesting that PWK earned a Doctor of Laws degree from NMSU in 1981 Go Aggies.... Thanks! It was actually an Honorary Doctorate degree that he received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 26, 2014 Author Share Posted April 26, 2014 (edited) I'd like to know more about Ms. Belle Klipsch, the first wife of PWK. He obviously had some affections for her, naming a speaker for her. I'm also curios to know why the Belle speaker was "dumped" in favor of the decidedly less visually appealing LaScala? Perhaps someone that knew her or her story can chime in(?) I too share your interest in Belle. I believe that the answer to your query lies in the plaque shown in post 25. There should only be one name not two. I expect that you can imagine what happened. I have chatted with a few who were around who said much changed when Valerie came on the scene. Best regards Moray James. Yeah, that would also be my guess. Edited April 26, 2014 by JMON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beeker Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Thank you so greatly for sharing...These pics should be archived somehow on the forum for future reference. Thank you for sharing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 How did you find out about this... I was unaware it existed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LonestarBlues2 Posted April 26, 2014 Share Posted April 26, 2014 Marvelous photos JMON. Thanks for posting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 You would also have an opportunity to try out some of the local New Mexican style food, which in my opinion is the best Mexican food available anywhere. This is where it all started... FYI... mexican food didn't start in new mexico as coming from someone that is married to a mexican national Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 How did you find out about this... I was unaware it existed. I've known about this place for years. In fact I tried to see it on multiple occasions in the past but each time I went school was closed so I was not able to go inside. I can't remember how I learned of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) You would also have an opportunity to try out some of the local New Mexican style food, which in my opinion is the best Mexican food available anywhere. This is where it all started... FYI... mexican food didn't start in new mexico as coming from someone that is married to a mexican national "This is where it all started..." was not in reference to Mexican Food but Klipsch speakers. If you get a chance, go to NM and try some New Mexican food. I think you and your wife will love it. Just a word of caution, it can be spicy sometimes. The famous Hatch Green Chile comes from Hatch, NM, which is only about 30 minutes North of Las Cruces. Oh, don't forget that the whole Southwestern U.S. was once part of Mexico. Edited April 27, 2014 by JMON Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Warren Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 (edited) I find it very odd that there's no mention of Belle in the bio shown in the first few photos (or did I miss a sentence somewhere???) Belle went to Chile with him, funded his graduate school work and basically kept the company afloat financially during the early years. Reading that bio you'd never know she ever existed. Do they have any Belles on display? Nice job with the photos, btw!. Edited April 27, 2014 by John Warren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toolz Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 JMON, Thanks for the tour. Very interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J M O N Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 I find it very odd that there's no mention of Belle in the bio shown in the first few photos (or did I miss a sentence somewhere???) Belle went to Chile with him, funded his graduate school work and basically kept the company afloat financially during the early years. Reading that bio you'd never know she ever existed. Do they have any Belles on display? Nice job with the photos, btw!. Thanks! See post #12 for a photo of a Belle. There was a lot of material and photos posted on the wall. There could've been something there about Belle but I don't know as I didn't look at everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TasDom Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Next time you're passing thru Albuquerque give me a heads up. I'll take you to a great mexican restaurant where us locals go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcmusic Posted April 27, 2014 Share Posted April 27, 2014 Yes great pic's thanks for sharing!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 (edited) Notice that there are three Jubilees. I'm almost positive the lone model is the same one that sat in her dining room with her piano in Hope. A small group of us had the privilege of being invited into her home on one of our visits to the factory down there. Anyways, that speaker was in a complete state of disarray, and it took me and Dr. Who almost an hour to get it working again. The only electronics we had access to were some 80s era low budget Kenwood gear, and when we finally fired it up, it was pretty disappointing - especially considering what we had just experienced at the factory with the K-402 Delgado Beast Version. There is a possibility that the Rosewood Klipschorns came out her living room, and would have been PWKs personal Klipschorns. I'm almost positive about this. Valerie Klipsch is engaging, intense, and very much the perfect hostess. She's also humorous, but I honestly don't know if she knows this or not. There is a persistent rumor that she may have a degree of legal control over the Heritage Line. I was told that Klipsch cannot make any drastic changes to the speakers, and that they must essentially stay in the form PWK designed them. The Belle Klipsch was dropped when they "beautified" the LaScala into the LaScala II. I really don't want to speculate as to whether Ms. Valerie had any involvement with this or not. Edited April 28, 2014 by DeanG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moray james Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Dean: that was a wonderful opportunity and experience and an honor I am sure for you and the others to visit Ms.Valerie and to work on one of PWK's personal loudspeakers. If you have read the biography on PWK which was commissioned by Ms. Valerie you can easily see that Belle Klipsch has be almost totally excluded. Best regards Moray James. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 (edited) Here is THAT Jub in Valerie's piano room. Might be the same one........or even its mate. Also........somewhere on the planet is the "tool" (mold) for those injection molded versions of the K-403. Not the best sounding horn. But if you wanted a Heritage sounding Jub..........that's what did it. I would still like a pair of those for the heck of it. Edited April 29, 2014 by mark1101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 ........or even its mate That makes sense. Good observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schu Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 what horn is that? it's not a 502 is shorter than that ins't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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