Vietnamese pianos

[PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.]

I just hope that Toyo's "made in Vietnam" pianos are better that their
"repaired in Vietnam"....

I saw one of those last year at their booth in the Frankfurt MusikMesse.
The pins had been taken out for cleaning, with about 20 of them replaced
by nickel-plated ones (the rest were blue/black ones). A few strings were
also replaced. Action had been cleaned and BADLY regulated...

It was very very weird to see that (specially since they had it in a
separate booth inside their booth) as TOYO does usually a good job on
their repaired pianos.


Patrick


>        I saw this today and found it interesting and would like to share
> it with you all.
>
>       Jack Houweling

> First made-in-Vietnam piano released
>
> The first Apollo brand piano manufactured by Japan-invested Toyo-APT Piano
> Vietnam Ltd. Co. in Ho Chi Minh City has been released.
>
> An Apollo piano made in Vietnam will be sold at US $3,400 as compared to
> US $3,900 for a similar one imported from Japan, said Seiichi Anzai,
> Deputy Director of the company.
>
> The Toyo-APT company, which is one of the leading piano manufacturers in
> Japan, built its factory at the Tan Binh Industrial Zone of Ho Chi Minh
> City in 2005, with a primary focus on repairing old pianos.
>
> This year, the company has focused on training technicians and making new
> pianos. With three Japanese engineers and nearly 30 Vietnamese
> technicians, it expects to make 100 pianos by the end of the year.
>
> Seiichi Anzai said Vietnam had a lot of skillful technicians for piano
> maintenance but that the supply was not sufficient. He stressed the need
> for a factory and facilities to produce standard pianos with the hallmarks
> of craftsmanship, rather than mass-produced ones.
>
> He appreciated the demand for pianos and potentials of maintenance
> services in Vietnam and in Ho Chi Minh City as the locals' living
> conditions have improved.
>
> The building of such a factory and the training of skillful technicians
> will pave the way for a new industry - the piano industry - in Vietnam, he
> said. (VNA)
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>


Patrick Hinves Ballesta
Afinador/Técnico 610442371
PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.