Piano History

  • 1.  Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    Posted 10-01-2013 14:12
    I've got a customer with a recently restrung Erste Produktiv Genosenchaft grand who is looking for information about the brand. Other than that it was started in the 1870s in Austria by some former employees of Boesendorfer, and produced until the 1950s, I can't find any info about it. Was it considered a good brand early on? My customers piano is most likely from 1885, give or take a year or two.

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    Jonathan Cleghorn
    Greenville SC
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  • 2.  RE:Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    Member
    Posted 10-01-2013 15:00
    Hi Jonathan,

    The "Made by the Worker" brand! I have worked with a few of these pianos. They are solid, well built, but I'm not convinced they understood action geometry, if you get my drift.  They work well, but are a bit heavy, intrinsically. 

    Best,  Anne

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    Anne Acker
    Anne Acker Early Keyboards
    912-704-3048
    a.acker@comcast.net

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  • 3.  RE:Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 10-02-2013 16:46
    These are considered inferior to the major brands such as Boesendorfer, but materials are good and rebuilding potential is there. Years ago I had rebuilt the action and restrung a short Genossenschaft grand probably made in the 1920s or 30s, with modern Schwander action. The action felt decent. As I understand, earlier models had a Viennese action. 

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    Mario Igrec
    http://www.pianosinsideout.com
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    Original Message:
    Sent: 10-01-2013 14:12
    From: Jonathan Cleghorn
    Subject: Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    I've got a customer with a recently restrung Erste Produktiv Genosenchaft grand who is looking for information about the brand. Other than that it was started in the 1870s in Austria by some former employees of Boesendorfer, and produced until the 1950s, I can't find any info about it. Was it considered a good brand early on? My customers piano is most likely from 1885, give or take a year or two.

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    Jonathan Cleghorn
    Greenville SC
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  • 4.  RE:Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    Posted 10-25-2013 01:22
    It is a bit amusing today to see that just about every Austrian maker tried to promote themselves by claiming to be  "trained by" or having "worked for" or being "former partners of" Bösendorfer

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    Jurgen Goering

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  • 5.  RE:Erste Produktiv Genossenchaft

    Posted 10-26-2013 15:53
    Similar to tuners and technicians in the UK today, who consider it important to claim to be either "ex-Steinway" or "Steinway trained", no matter how direct or how tenuous the connection.

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    Allen Wright, RPT
    London, United Kingdom


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