Petrof back

[pianoman]

Hi Jory,
The problem is , is that most people don't want to spend more money to make
their fine piano like it is supposed to be after they have just spent mucho
bucks.  That is the only problem.  There are a few like you, but not many.
James Grebe
R.P.T. of the P.T.G.
 St. Louis, MO.
Competent Service since 1962
                                        Caster Cup Center of the Universe
                   Home of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups
pianoman@inlink.com        

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> From: Jory A. Olson <jory@teleport.com>
> To: 'pianotech@ptg.org'
> Subject: Petrof
> Date: Wednesday, September 02, 1998 12:39 AM
> 
> I'm not a technician, but according to the technician that did the work
on my Petrof she didn't do anything to my piano that she didn't normally do
to the Steinway's to get them ready to be put on the floor.  According to
at least one source I've heard that most Steinways get an average of THREE
DAYS of prep work before going out on the floor.  You can argue that the
manufacturer should do the work, but it seems many including Steinway leave
the "fine tuning" to the dealer.  Besides, my piano was prepped.  Most of
the work done on it was what the technician described as "Concert Level"
work.  If you REALLY want to know what a "raw" Petrof sounds and feels like
visit Colton Piano and Organ in Santa Clara.  From what I can tell "dealer
prep" there consists of removing the keystick from the action and dusting
it.
> 
> I did not buy my Petrof because it was cheaper than a Yamaha.  I'm
fortunate enough to be able to afford either one.  I bought the Petrof
because I preferred the sound of the Petrof and knew from my experience
that about $200 - $400 worth of work would make it exceptional.  
> 
> Besides, even with the most favorable dollar to yen ratio in the past ten
years a Yamaha C3 still fetches $22 - $24K.  That's a huge difference. 
> 
> I can't figure it out.  If I was a piano technician I would view the
relative "roughness" of a Petrof to be the ultimate money making
opportunity.  Charge the customer $400 for a solid day's worth of
straightforward work (nothing exotic was done to my instrument) and bask in
the glow from the appreciative customer.
> 
> I encourage you folks to keep an open mind the next time you encounter a
Petrof.  Maybe they're not as horrible as you think.
> 
> Jory
> 
> Date:	Mon, 31 Aug 1998 17:31:04 -0500
> From:	"pianoman" <pianoman@inlink.com>
> Subject:	Petrof
> 
> Hi All, 	
> I'm a little late jumping in on this, but in my humble opinion, if a
piano is going to be called a fine piano and the instrument maker wants his
product to be known as a fine piano it should be a fine piano when it gets
through with the dealer prepping and certainly before delivery.  Jory's
piano may have BECOME a fine piano when it was finished by his own
technician but it was only a average piano before that.  It should not be
left up to the aftermarket technician to do what the manufacturer didn't
do.  If the reputation of the Petrof is going to rise it must be a fine
piano right out of the box, so to speak.
> Let me give you an analogy.  In the pipe organ field, Kilgen was one of
those manufacturers that turned them out like a cheese factory.  Many were
built and set up and Kilgen got a reputation for being a mediocre organ. 
They went under in the 1950's and since then, organ techs have been finding
that with some tinkering of wind pressures and voicing the same instrument
that was thought of as mediocre is suddenly a fine organ, now since someone
took the trouble to finish what the factory started.  It should not be our
job to finish what the manufacturer started.  If the maker want to get a
fine reputation he should provide FINISHED pianos, not pianos almost done. 
The Petrof may be cheaper than a Yamaha but how much after work do you have
to do on ANY Yamaha from the largest grand to the cheapest console.  The
answer you all know already.
> James Grebe
> R.P.T. of the P.T.G.
> St. Louis, MO.
> Competent Service since 1962
> Caster Cup Center of the Universe
> Home of Handsome Hardwood Caster Cups
> pianoman@inlink.com        
> 
>