<div> <font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">HI Ric,<br> <br> I'm wouldn't ever compare Petrofs to Steinways, Masons, Bluthners, Bosies, Seilers, etc.  IMHO, though, they offer an alternative to Yamaha and Kawai, just as the other Czech brand Bohemia does.  They are sweet little pianners for the $$ spent(as opposed to $$$$$ spent).   Not a great piano, but musical, and a good value.  <br> <br> As for durability, I suspect they might suffer under a heavy load of hard play in an institutional setting--but they aren't alone there, either.<br> </font></div> <div> <br> </div> <div style="clear: both;">Dave Stahl, RPT<br> Dave Stahl Piano Service<br> dstahlpiano.net</div> <div> <br> </div> <div> <br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Richard Brekne <ricb@pianostemmer.no><br> To: pianotech@ptg.org<br> Sent: Thu, 13 Dec 2007 11:11 am<br> Subject: Czech, please<br> <br> <div id="AOLMsgPart_0_6106f751-3056-41e7-9bad-8dce3004fd52" style="margin: 0px; font-family: Tahoma,Verdana,Arial,Sans-Serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> Hi Dave <br>  <br> Having done my first few years of piano work on Story and Clarks, Wurlitzers, Betsy Poss's and the like I was impressed #¤%&`\!~less when I first came across a Petrof 110 upright here in Norway. Since then I've come to realize that for the money... they do pretty well compared to the similiar priced competition..... especially when it comes to basic musicality. But I've also come to realize that for that money one has to expect that at least some significant corners have been cut. The ... wages in Czechoslovakia argument doesn't quite get it any more. I think you will find as time goes by, experience with higher quality pianos will temper your outlook on them abit. Still... like I say... I have this love hate affair with them. They can be made to sound and perform wonderfully... but IMHE they dont stay that way very long. <br>  <br> Cheers <br> RicB <br>  <br>   Hi Ron and Ric, <br>  <br>   I tune several Petrofs, and have found them to become quite stable <br>   tuning-wise over a period of time.? Three are uprights, and one is a <br>   grand.? The grand hasn't been in my care for a long enough time to <br>   offer long-term impressions.? <br>  <br>   I was not the first tuner for any of them, so I'm not sure if <br>   they've been voiced by the previous tech or not.? I like the soft <br>   tone them, though.? A nice piano to tune at the end of the day... <br>  <br>   Have not had huge issues yet, but little hardware nickle/dime things <br>   like rubber grommets on the mute rail (upright) and the screw that <br>   holds it in place etc.? <br>  <br>   They do well with home use, they might be hurtin' in an <br>   institutional setting. <br>  <br>    <br>   Dave Stahl, RPT <br>   Dave Stahl Piano Service <br>   dstahlpiano.net <br>  <br> </div>  <div class="AOLPromoFooter"> <hr style="margin-top:10px;" /> More new features than ever. Check out the new <a href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aolcmp00050000000003" target="_blank">AOL Mail</a>!<br/> </div>