PianoTech Archive

From Frank Weston <waco@ari.net>

During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
the kind of work I like to do.  

Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does distribute
Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?

Thanks in advance,

Frank Weston

From Kent Swafford <kswafford@earthlink.net>

Frank Weston wrote:

>During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
>number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
>that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
>impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
>the kind of work I like to do.  
>
>Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does distribute
>Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Frank Weston
>

Frank,

I believe the Petrof is distributed in the USA by Geneva International 
Corporation, 29 East Hintz Road, Wheeling, IL, 60090, phone 800-533-2388.

Petrof has been discussed in the past on pianotech, mostly quite 
favorably; these discussions should be locatable in the pianotech 
archives.

Kent Swafford

From "Clarence Zeches" <czeches@toccoafalls.edu>

Frank:  In addition to Kent's reply, Cooper Music Co. in Atlanta GA is a
dealer in Petrof Pianos.  I have three that I tune and maintain regularly
and all are nice instruments.  We have had Alan Vincent do programs for us
at the Atlanta Chapter.  You can call him at the phone number Kent gave you
for Geneva International.                                                  
                                                   Clarence.

----------
> From: Frank Weston <waco@ari.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Petrof pianos
> Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 11:17 AM
> 
> During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
> number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
> that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
> impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
> the kind of work I like to do.  
> 
> Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does distribute
> Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
> Frank Weston

From lesbart@juno.com (Leslie W Bartlett)

On Sun, 12 Oct 1997 15:52:55 -0400 "Clarence Zeches"
<czeches@toccoafalls.edu> writes:
>Frank:  In addition to Kent's reply, Cooper Music Co. in Atlanta GA is 
>a
>dealer in Petrof Pianos. 

There's a Petrof dealer in Dallas, Tx. Kaan's or Kahn's, I believe. Steve
Porritt would know.

Leslie Bartlett

lesbart@juno.com

From "Glenn" <rockymtn@sprynet.com>

>During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
>number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
>that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
>impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
>the kind of work I like to do.
>
>Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does distribute
>Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Frank Weston

I went to a Petrof dealer hosted wine and cheese bash.  Two factory reps
(Americans) gave a slide show presentation.  I was impressed by the slide
show but not at all by the pianos.  They hired a pianist to play their top
model.  The poor thing sounded like it just couldn't get the sound OUT of
piano.  It had no richness of tone, no power, just noise that resembled a
piano just a little.  To be fair I checked all of the models there and they
were all the same or worse.  I inquired on the preparation and was told they
were tuned and voiced just for this presentation.  This dealer also sells
Baldwin.  The Baldwins sounded so much better that I started feeling bad for
the two guys making the presentation.  Even the hired pianist was disgusted
and left early.

Too bad.  I wanted to like them.  I was shopping for a piano for myself back
then.  Great finishes, solid construction.  If you want furniture only,
Petrof is the way to go.

I keep checking every one I run across and I have concluded that they all
suffer from the same affliction.  I liked the Estonia's this dealer had
better.

Glenn.

From "Howard S. Rosen " <hsrosen@emi.net>

I only serviced one Petroff and I had tuning instability problems with it.
You could fit a battleship between the pinblock and the plate flange.

Howard S. Rosen, RPT
Boynton Beach, Florida

----------
> From: Clarence Zeches <czeches@toccoafalls.edu>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Petrof pianos
> Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 3:52 PM
> 
> Frank:  In addition to Kent's reply, Cooper Music Co. in Atlanta GA is a
> dealer in Petrof Pianos.  I have three that I tune and maintain regularly
> and all are nice instruments.  We have had Alan Vincent do programs for
us
> at the Atlanta Chapter.  You can call him at the phone number Kent gave
you
> for Geneva International.                                                
 
>                                                    Clarence.
> 
> ----------
> > From: Frank Weston <waco@ari.net>
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Petrof pianos
> > Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 11:17 AM
> > 
> > During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
> > number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
> > that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
> > impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
> > the kind of work I like to do.  
> > 
> > Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does
distribute
> > Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
> > 
> > Thanks in advance,
> > 
> > Frank Weston

From PDtek@aol.com

In a message dated 10/12/97 3:22:42 PM, you wrote:

>During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play a
>number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the sound
>that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
>impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need is
>the kind of work I like to do.  
>
>Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does distribute
>Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Frank Weston

Personally, I like working with the Petrof grands. To me, they have a very
warm, clear tone, especially in the treble, and are generally well
constructed.

As a PianoDisc installer, they are one of the most retrofit friendly pianos
around for the following reasons. The key frame is designed so that very
little if any of the back rail needs to be removed, and the back rail felt is
never disturbed. The Una Corda shift lever is a unique design, compact and
recessed into the bed. It is not in the way of the solenoid rail slot and
does not interfere with the new trapwork. The damper lift tray is massive and
turns on very large centers that have enough friction so that the sustain
solenoid operation is virtually silent when the dampers return to the
strings. The action is also very quiet and unobtrusive when the system plays
at minimum volume.

Dave Bunch

From "Clarence Zeches" <czeches@toccoafalls.edu>

Howard S. Rosen:  I think I would call Alan Vincent at Geneva International
and complain.  
Clarence Zeches

----------
> From: Howard S. Rosen  <hsrosen@emi.net>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Petrof pianos
> Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 7:31 PM
> 
> I only serviced one Petroff and I had tuning instability problems with
it.
> You could fit a battleship between the pinblock and the plate flange.
> 
> Howard S. Rosen, RPT
> Boynton Beach, Florida
> 
> ----------
> > From: Clarence Zeches <czeches@toccoafalls.edu>
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: Petrof pianos
> > Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 3:52 PM
> > 
> > Frank:  In addition to Kent's reply, Cooper Music Co. in Atlanta GA is
a
> > dealer in Petrof Pianos.  I have three that I tune and maintain
regularly
> > and all are nice instruments.  We have had Alan Vincent do programs for
> us
> > at the Atlanta Chapter.  You can call him at the phone number Kent gave
> you
> > for Geneva International.                                              
 
>  
> >                                                    Clarence.
> > 
> > ----------
> > > From: Frank Weston <waco@ari.net>
> > > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > > Subject: Petrof pianos
> > > Date: Sunday, October 12, 1997 11:17 AM
> > > 
> > > During the past year, I have had the opportunity to inspect and play
a
> > > number of Petrof grands.  I have been greatly impressed with the
sound
> > > that comes out of these pianos vs. the price.  I have been much less
> > > impressed with general preparation, but, the work they seem to need
is
> > > the kind of work I like to do.  
> > > 
> > > Is there now a U.S. distributer for Petrof?  If not, who does
> distribute
> > > Petrof to the U.S. market? Any general comments on Petrof?
> > > 
> > > Thanks in advance,
> > > 
> > > Frank Weston