New Petrof 52" upright"

[Richard Brekne]

Wimblees@AOL.COM wrote:

>
>
> This is interesting. You have been in Bergen 18 year, servicing Petrofs.
> Apparently, the Petrofs have been selling throughout Europe all this time.
> They have only been available in the US for about 5 or 6 years, and I have
> been selling them since January. Alan Vincent gave a one day technical for
> our chapter last October, and he told us that Petrofs did have some problems
> until he came to Geneva, (the US importers). With his help, the factory
> started making some dramatic improvements in the way the pianos were being
> produced.

We know all about this move, which is part of the reason many builders left
Petrof to start a new Czech make .. the Bohemian. (Basically a Petrof remake)
Czechs can be very proud... grin. Petrofs have been available here for a very
long time. Turn of the century or something like that.

>
>
> With that said, perhaps there is a difference between the Petrofs I have been
> selling and the ones you have been servicing for the last 18 years. I would
> like to ask that you visit the Petrof dealer, and look at some of the new
> models, and see if there is an improvement over what you have experienced.

I really dont think so Willem, but it may be that the Petrofs sent to the US are
screened better then the ones Europe gets. But like I said, I had three years in
Seattle where I came in contact with them and I saw no difference then. Listen..
Dont get me wrong, there are things I like about Petrofs, given the money one
spends and compareing that to other pianos in the same price range. Its just that
I "screen" for the problems I have mentioned to avoid pointing a customer towards
a badly built piano. Petrof is still old world in many ways, and the factory and
work force have 40 years or so of heavy duty socialism to work their way out of.
As far as new ones here are concerned, I see them weekly along with the Bohemian,
and the Wienbach and the Røsler. They sell well, but require lots of prep and
every month at least one goes back to the importer because its just too under
par.

>
>
> Willem

Richard Brekne
I.C.P.T.G. N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway