Because they asked me!

[Oorebeek A.]

Dear Horace and List,

I have recently written an email about Petrof piano's.
The same story good be told about F=F6rster, because these =
instruments are from the same factory, as is R=F6sler.
I have tuned and regulated these instruments many times and I feel =
right in repeating what I said before. Nowadays they are better than =
they used to be because of the use of Renner materials.
Before F=F6rster was annexed by Petrof in Checho Slowakia, when the =
original F=F6rster factory was in L=F6bau, the quality was much =
higher as was the quality of most other piano's.
After the change over, quality went down because of the east bloc =
(read communist) influence (low quality materials and too little =
personal commitment).
So gradually the quality went down untill of course, at a certain =
moment, it went up again.
When I started workoing in the piano business in the early seventies, =
it was still pretty bad.
Today, I think they will get better and better because the people in =
those countries have something to fight for. The same thing happened =
to automaker Skoda (taken over by VW) and other east bloccers (small =
cinque cento fiats being made in Poland etc.
One other thought I should bring forward, and this might be =
important: let us not forget that there >is< a difference in markets =
between the USA and western Europa. Don't forget that thousands and =
thousands of relatively cheap F=F6rsters, R=F6slers, and Petrofs were =
sold here in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, and not to forget all =
of eastern Europa.
It >might< be possible that the way of thinking about these piano's =
is different because of the influence of the former nearby Communist =
countries. Cultures differ.
The same thing could be said about Kawai, I just burned my fingers =
because I brought forward, without really thinking about the possible =
consequences, the general feeling I have for a piano that is just not =
so very popular in Holland. Kawai pulled back it's office from =
Holland amongst others because sales were down here. They closed shop =
and moved to Germany.
In France and Italy however, Kawai is much more popular.
At the same time, a new Kawai/Steinway product has emerged on the =
markets by the name of "Boston", as you know.
Now Bostons are being pushed aggressively through the Steinway dealer =
and his agents (here in Holland) and form a threat to other makes =
(like Yamaha).
Nothing wrong with that, it just shows how one name comes up, while =
the other takes a step or two back. So, maybe, in the US the name =
"F=F6rster, Petrof, R=F6sler" has another impact and the customers =
might have a total different  opinion, and so might the technicians =
who work on them. F=F6rster is still popular here, but especially =
also because the other foreign pianomakers had to raise their prices =
and lost out a considderable part of the market to more inexpensive =
ones like the east Europeans, the Chinese and the Koreans.
My personal feeling about the new Petrofs and F=F6rsters is: a lot to =
improve yet, but not too bad, and certainly a possibillity for =
improving, given money and time.
Some technical details F=F6rster (uprights) could improve on:
Making a correct key depth, the use of better damper felt, damper =
regulation in general, better regulation of the action, more =
attention to voicing.
In broad lines the same could be said about their grands. I recently =
inspected a Petrof Grand in order not to forget how "the others" are =
at the moment.
This particular instrument is brand new, needs a complete regulation =
and voicing session and is at this moment in such bad shape that it =
is a shame.

Horace and other colleagues, I think I could not tell you more about =
this matter.....If there is someone there who feels insulted by my =
sincere opinion, than I apologize, but I should be able to be honest, =
don't I?

>To get things back on track re: pianos, I am mosted interested in your
>analysis of (particularly) the Foerster.  The very few I have seen in the
>US have been, for their purchased purpose, adequate.  I remember a client
>of mine, who had been a student of Franz Rupp, telling me that many
>accompanists preferred the Foerster.  Certainly the (relative) clarity of
>the bass and usually clean tenor would have something to do with this.  My
>admittedly limited experience is that they were/are difficult to keep well
>regulated, in part because of the oddly designed back action.
>
>Any thoughts or suggestions you may have would be most welcome.
>
>Thanks!


Friendly Greetings from:

CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
email address: oorebeek@euronet.nl

=89 Where Music is no harm can be =89