fini Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 From forum member willjam's photos of the original Klipsch Fan Club Tour, back in Feb. '01. Man, what would you give to have been there? Talk about hospitality! This is in Paul & Miss Valerie's home! Rest in peace, Mr. K! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damonrpayne Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I'm jealous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Reed Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 It truly was a "special" time. Makes me want to go back through my pictures of the event. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierceb Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thanks fini, good pic. You should have posted this pick a while ago when HornEd was bugging you about getting your Khorns in corners! -PB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 For those who wish to read about it: http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=16160&forumID=74&catID=19&search=1&searchstring=&sessionID={8E6C265D-E20F-484D-88C5-FEE20DBA01CB} Links to more photos in that thread, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougdrake Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Mr Fini!! Hooray! In the second photo, that handsome gentleman in the blue shirt, directly opposite PWK, is yours truly, in case you cared! Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artto Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Thats quite amazing. I always wanted to visit Klipsch & meet PWK. I was "out of the audio scene" for about a decade. I knew PWK was getting up there in his years (if was still alive, I really had no idea), & always felt weird about calling and attempting to arrange a visit. I mean, like what do you say? "Is Paul still alive? I'd like to meet him." I wish I'd joined the Forum sooner! I would have been in those pictures too. You lucky dogs you!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawk92 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Tony set up an almost equally special time for a few of us forum members the next year at Mr. Paul's book signing. I wasn't able to make the Hope Pilgrimage, so when this opportunity to travel to Hope came up, I jumped at it. After the "official" event in downtown Hope finished, Tony said a few of us lucky forum members could come over to "the house" and get to meet Mr. Paul and Miss Valerie. It was quite an experience, and we all got to chat with Mike and Maureen (the authors) about all things Klipsch. Mr. Paul was pretty tired from all the day's events, but Miss Valerie was an outstanding host, opening up her home to total strangers, though admirers of what Mr. Paul had accomplished. I was reintroduced to Klipschorns there, and even got to play a snippet of one of my CDs on HIS Klipschorns. That set in motion, my year-long quest for a pair of K-horns, which ended when I got my '68 KBWO pair from a fellow forum member in New England. Quite an experience for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandi Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 I grew up in Hope and I remember one of the first Watermelon Festivals or some big event, and Klipsch had provided the sound set up for the indoor area at the fairgrounds. Here comes Paul walking through wearing earmuffs, complaining of the music being too loud. I thought it strange, at that time of my life that is what I thought Klipsch was all about, BEING LOUD. I left Hope around 81/82ish and that was the last time I had seen Paul or his wife, who by the way taught me French in High school. I have some cousins that work at Klipsch in Hope. Wow, this picture has got me reminiscing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1stcav Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 What an experience that must have been. Having the opportunity to meet and actually spend time conversing with PWK in his own home...talking about his favorite subject! I envy everyone who had the chance to experience the man and his ideas, and to share in our appreciation to his creations. There'll never be another man quite like him! Thanks for sharing the pics and for the thread, fini! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champagne taste beer budget Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 That would have been an incredible weekend. I too am green with envy. To talk to THE man, get his perspective, his views, quite the conversation I'm sure. Some of you were very lucky. God Bless you PWK, not only for what you're done for the speaker industry, but for your brilliant insights that resulted in the yellow and black button. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorjen Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Just wanted to share this memory from a post I submitted some time back, thought you all might enjoy it once again. After seeing these photos, I deeply regret not taking photos during my week in Hope. From 1978 to 1989 I owned an independent audio dealership in Merced, Ca. Our premier franchise was Klipsch, would not have opened the doors without it. Back in 1982-83, during a fantastic week long stay in Hope for training at the Klipsch facility("The Compound" they liked to call it back then), myself and four other gentlemen had the great honor and privelage of being invited to lunch at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Paul W. Klipsch. We had an incredible afternoon with PWK as we spent quite some time talking model railroading, which was a great passion of Mr. Klipsch. He would travel extensivley, find a train that he liked, take photographs of it and upon returning home, he would set out on the task of re-creating the train in a working scale model. I remember at the time, he had a lap type swimming pool(long and narrow)in the backyard. He had a train setup in the train house that was made up primarily of flat cars, he would put soft drinks, beer, etc., on the flat cars in the train house and run the train out along a track adjacent to the pool to deliver these beverages to waiting guests, we all laughed our rear ends off when he showed us. But, with all the respect, reverance and admiration I had and still have(always will)for Mr. Klipsch, that afternoon it was Mrs. Klipsch(Valerie)that stole the show. A gracious hostess to say the least, she was truly a wonderful person. What will always be etched in my mind is that she took considerable time out of her day just to give the five of us a memorable lesson on the differences between the Steinway and Bosendorfer pianos. She had both Pianos setup in the same room. She played a lovely song for us, first on the Steinway and then the Bosendorfer just so that we could hear/appreciate the difference between these two equally great pianos. She was not in the least worried about spending too much time with us five yahoos! A very unselfish act by a most gracious hostess, one which I will always remember with great fondness, respect and admiration. From the bottom of my heart, Thank you Paul and Valerie for being committed in your efforts to giving myself and everyone here a lifetime of entertainment, enjoyment and grand memories. Respectfully, Jordan Jensen, Jr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WMcD Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 It was indeed a very good time. I think that is me off in the back of the first one. BTW, that is Roy DelGatto off right near the globe. He worked closely with PWK on the Jubilee. They had a close working relationship on the Jubilee. Many thanks to the people who set this up. There was some effort to limit it to a small size of true believers. I infer that this came to fruition as a result of a turf war between Ms. Valerie and "Klipsch Inc." Having met Ms. Valerie, I'd say the outcome was inevitable. When we hear in The Highlander, "There Can be Only One", Ms. Valerie is like that. I'm reminded of something my uncle said. It is very easy for a rich man to invite you to dinner. But if a poor man invites you to dinner, then you are being fed by a King. The point is that PWK was suffering the effects of a long life. Ms. Valerie was trusting of us when PWK was in poor health. Naturally, we all sat as his feet. Gil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edwinr Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 What an honour to meet Mr. Klipsch. That would be something you would treasure for the rest of your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 ---------------- On 6/25/2004 2:24:15 PM jhawk92 wrote: I was reintroduced to Klipschorns there, and even got to play a snippet of one of my CDs on HIS Klipschorns. That set in motion, my year-long quest for a pair of K-horns, which ended when I got my '68 KBWO pair from a fellow forum member in New England. ---------------- Do you know what year the Klipschorns were built that are in the picture? Good accounts, everyone, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 ---------------- On 6/25/2004 2:29:24 PM mandi wrote: Here comes Paul walking through wearing earmuffs, complaining of the music being too loud. ---------------- Great visual! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 Unrepeatable moments, indeed! Wish I'd been there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coda Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 enjoyed the close-ups and slide show, nice find Fini.. KFC 2001 Part 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted June 26, 2004 Share Posted June 26, 2004 All of these comments are very telling. Model realroading isn't cheap. Both a Bosendorfer and Steinway! Don't even ask. Money was obviously really no object for Paul and his wife, and yet, they were still just 'normal' folks in so many ways. They didn't flaunt what they had. Perhaps a humility we should all have or desire. Thanks for all the pics and comments. I see those same traits from most of the members of this forum as well. That's what makes it so great. Marvel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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