New Petrof 52" upright"

[Delwin D Fandrich]

So.  Let's see if I have this right.  Petrof builds a piano that Richard
(along with a few others) point out could be built somewhat better than is
being done.  At the same time more than a few folks say sounds pretty good.
And, in spite of its various assembly and structural flaws, it sells quite
well and the owners seem to like them.  What a unique concept.  Could it be
the music....

Del

----------------------------------------


----- Original Message -----
From: Richard Brekne <richardb@c2i.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: New Petrof 52" upright"




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