In a message dated 5/6/99 3:42:31 PM !!!First Boot!!!, richardb@c2i.net writes: << I work with Petrofs daily. They are really "big" here in western Norway. This I believe is mainly due to the fact that they have a relatively nice round basic sound. There are at least three big problems with Petrofs. 1. The action. I dont believe Renner assembles it, and I question whether all parts are truly Renner. In any case You must expect to have to go through the entire action checking everything from basic geometry to allignment of whippens, hammers etc. etc. ad absurdum before you try and regulate the action. Otherwise you can expect a regulation that will be unstable and uneven. 2. The tunning block is often of poor quality and fitting to the plate leaves much to be desired. On more then one occasion I have been able to insert a tuning mute between the plate and the block so that it goes over an inch in. Amazzzing. Petrofs are famous over here for not holding tunings. A guy I know in Seattle automatically sets a Petrof grand out of the box on its side and starts pumping in epoxy to fill the gaps. 3. Bridge pin work is also very bad. Makes for a lot of false beats. My advice is buy a Samick. Still, if you must have a Petrof, and are willing to take care of the action problems and make sure the tunning block is reasonably well adjusted to the plate, you can live with the false beats, and like I said, they do have an ok sound. You can stand a few feet from a Petrof and hear it played and actually be a bit impressed. If Petrof combined japanese precision with what they already do right it probably would be en excellent piano. Unfortunatly they dont. Richard Brekne Sydneskleiven 1 5010 Bergen, Norway >> I can't believe we are talking about the same instrument Richard is descrbing. The Petrofs htat have come into my store were regulated, and in most instances, didn't even need tunign until they had been my store for at least 3 or 4 weeks. And then, even though I have only worked on them since January, I have not had any tuning stability problems. I am wondering if Petrof is making a different piano for marketing in America than they do in Europe? As I have mentioned, I have only started selling them since January, and the seem to be selling themselves. Either I am losing it as a technician, or I am going to be in for a big shock, if what Richard says is true. Willem Blees St. Louis
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