I am hearing some negative comments about Petrof cabinetry and lack of longevity.

Of course, these comments are coming from a Steinway dealer and a Charles Walter dealer.

I would like independent opinions from technicians, so I am sending out the SOS.

Do you find that a Petrof suffers over a long term, say, greater than 5 yrs old? Is the cabinetry poorly made? Is a polyester finish used? If so, is this bad?

Any info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

When polyester was first used on pianos years ago, there were problems with crackings and peelings. The problems were caused by incompatibility between wood and polyester. They have different material properties and thus do not react the same to temperature and humidity change. The problems were solved by treating the wood and applying resin and sealer on the wood because application of the polyester. The resin and sealer act not only as moisture barriers, but as stress relievers between the wood and the polyester. Unless things are not done right, cracking and peeling should not occur on pianos that use polyester finish. Polyester is a very hard finish, so it does not scratch easily. However if it is scratched, the scratch is also much harder to buff out.

*Some* Petrofs built five or so years ago did have problems with the cabinets. But the problem was in the fitting, not the finish. In fact, Petrof pianos are 'renowned' for their beautifully finished cabinets. The fitting problem is rather rare on new Petrofs, and if there is one, you can see it readily. Therefore, you don't really need to pay too much attention to what the Steinway/Charles Walter dealer has said.

Eric

I can say only the best about Petrof polyester finish, I was there in the factory, and have seen personally with how much care and precision those things were done.