Quality of Pianos

[Richard Brekne]

Delwin D Fandrich wrote:

> Richard Brekne wrote:
>  Petrofs do have a pretty nice basic sound. I dont think I know anyone who
> will dispute that when it comes down to it. But after servicing several
> hundreds of these through the years I have become familiar with some typical
> Petrof problems and I have seen Petrofs in the US with these same.
> You may buy a Petrof and be very pleased with it, but it is my experiencehat
> Petrofs are a more risky bet then say a Schimmel, a Sauter, a Yamaha, or
> other such pianos I typically hear them compared too.
> ------------------------------------------------------
>

To which Del commented

>
> The problem, of course, is that piano buyers don't evaluate pianos the way
> piano tuners and technicians do. Most piano buyers--at least those who play
> well enough to form their own opinions about piano tone--really don't care
> all that much about precision manufacturing, the specifics of the materials
> used, tunability, etc. And, let's face it, Schimmel's, Sauter's and Yamaha's
> don't sound like Petrof's--their precise construction, wonderful materials
> and great tunability notwithstanding.

This is very true. At least to the point where manufacturing problems begin to
get in the pianists way. If I have said it once I have said it a thousand
times... if you could just combine that basic sound Petrof has with a bit of
Japanese precision you'd probably end up with a very nice instrument indeed.

>
> There is a point here I think many piano technicians and piano manufacturers
> are missing. Pianos are supposed to be, first and foremost, musical
> instruments. Not just monuments to some manufacturers ability to build
> something with great materials and precision.

Yes..... but I think we are also in aggreement that in order to be musical
instruments there are certain technical matters that need to be satisfactorily
delt with. We end up with a balance. In the end it doesnt matter how nice it
sounds if you cant play it, nor does it matter how well its made if it sounds
like .... well you know...:)

>
> If increasingly larger numbers of piano buyers end up buying Petrofs instead
> of some other, possibly better crafted pianos, because those Petrofs sound
> better to them, surely that should be telling us something. Perhaps we
> should all be spending more time listening to the end result and less time
> evaluating the choices of materials and admiring the manufacturing precision
> used in assembling those materials.

I think we should be doing both..... and I think that is basically what you are
saying here.  And I think that applies to pianists as well. Perhaps it is true
that many technicians place to much weight on the technical side of things...
but then perhaps in the same breath one should point out that pianist know way
to little about these same things ??

>
> Gosh, wouldn't it be nice to have both...

amen.. some instruments approach that.... its just that they generally cost a
bit more.

>
>
> Regards,
>
> Del

I like måte

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no