Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum small cracks at bridge pins

While I disagree with the dealers comments on the problems, he has offered a full refund.

I would hardly call him unscrupulous.

I think I need to check out the bridges of a number of other grands at the same level of detail. I will try to visit a few piano dealers to see for myself.

Also maybe some of you have a good camera and can take a few photos properly focused fotos of the bridge at close distance?

If it were me, I'd take the refund... and without delay.

Meanwhile, don't let the the tech's written evaluation, the close-up photos, the written warranty, and your "Paid" invoice (with the serial that matches your piano) get away from you... until the refund check clears.

This seller may be upset at losing the sale, but that is not your lookout. Part of the purchase price is, after all, set aside to cover warranty expenses, and the manufacturer should make this good with the seller. I congratulate you on your restraint, not to have exposed him by name on the forum... and I wish you better luck in your piano shopping.

I can't believe this whole post.
Did you buy a new piano? Yes.
Should a new piano have cracks around the bridge pins? No.
Everything else (although important) doesn't matter. Period.

If you bought a car and a section of the chassis was flawed, would you insist on a new car, or, wait until you were in an accident to find out that the frame was too weak and people were seriously injured when it could have been avoided.

I'm amazed that technician's would even offer any advise other than insisting the dealer either repair or replace to you, the customers, full satisfaction.

Wouter, at this point (considering what the dealer had the audacity to tell you) take your money back and then let everyone know which dealer it was.

Sorry, I have no patience for dealers that don't know anything about pianos and still try to sell them.

Take the refund. Then run.

C

"Take the refund. Then run."
+2

Yes, take him up on this before he changes his mind and get out now.

I went to a piano showroom (not the one where I bought my piano) and checked their grands for cracks.

I checked 7 NEW grand pianos and found this

two pianos have a few cracks but in the lower bass section (mine has most in the c3-c4 range)

five pianos have a bit of gaps (space around pins not tight)


For comparison I also checked 3 older pianos, 20 to 40 years old. One of them had cracks in the high notes, and one of them had slight gaps.

I also checked a few old ones.

A steinway from 1961, two very small cracks and a few gaps in the high register but nothing else.

A steinbach of 1976, no cracks at all, a few gaps

A yamaha from 1976, multiple cracks in high registers. No gaps at all.

A dysen from 1906. A few cracks in the range c3-c4 similar in size and location to what is in my piano.

an iback from 1900. Loads and loads of cracks, very bad cracks scattered around the bridge. Lot of the cracks have been filled up with white stuff.

Why haven't you taken the dealer's offer for a full refund?

From my piano inspections it shows that about 30% of the new pianos have cracks. (although my own piano has more cracks and more serious cracks than what I saw mostly).

Gaps around the pins seem even more common, about 70% of the new pianos seem to have them.

Nevertheless almost everyone I spoke with says that such cracks are inappropriate. Apparently dealers do not check for cracks at all and are just selling those pianos.

Also, from these numbers one would expect all old pianos to have cracks and gaps but this is not the case. In fact most older pianos that I saw look in great shape. Now I wonder, is that because only the good ones remained, were pianos build better to start with, or something else?

I think you should get that refund while you still can. Wait too long, and the dealer may change his mind or worse yet, go out of business. You may have no warranty at all if the dealer closes since this is probably one of the Geneva International Petrofs. I repeat: TAKE THE MONEY AND SAY THANK YOU.

Again, why haven't you taken the dealer's offer for a full refund?

You are playing expensive games......
My Yamaha GC1 had no cracks neither has my Schimmel.

It is not normal, you should take the refund, the piano is supposed to last a lifetime... this hardly will happen like this!

You money, your gamble, just be careful.

"From my piano inspections it shows that about 30% of the new pianos have cracks. (although my own piano has more cracks and more serious cracks than what I saw mostly). Gaps around the pins seem even more common, about 70% of the new pianos seem to have them. Nevertheless almost everyone I spoke with says that such cracks are inappropriate."

As many as that? Hmmm. It raised enough of a question in my mind that I went downstairs and looked at my RX-5's bridge; it's about two-and-a-half years old. Gaps = zero, "White stuff" = zero. Then--- I saw what looked like a hairline crack down toward the bass end of the bridge. Taking a closer look, it turned out to actually BE a hair. I could even name the dog it came from. So, Cracks = zero; "Bad animal!" Oh well, I shed, too, so who am I to accuse the dog.

So, Wouter--- you're going to keep it, cracks and all, then? I'd ask you why, but I can't bear to read any more. However, next time I go to a piano store maybe I'll take a magnifying glass, and...

The black stuff around the pins is exactly what I saw in a 12 year old Weinbach this weekend (it was around a few bass string pins)). It looks like some black stuff is feathering from the pins.

Since Weinbach is made by Petrof, is this something characteristic of Petrof manufacturing? Is there some kind of paint/dye that causes this feathering?

"Why haven't you taken the dealer's offer for a full refund?"

That option is still open.

The reason that I'm not eager to return it is that I really like the sound and that it took me so long to find one that I like. Returning it would mean that I have to re-start searching and I would be without piano again, maybe for a long time.

The piano you have now will give you trouble in the future.
With the money of the refund you can look around, try the same piano at a few stores, they do not vary that much! You now know what you like and dislike so the search does not have to take such a long time.....

I think I forgot to mention: the dealer wanted a second opinion and that will happen friday. I wait at least till then.

"The dealer proposed to return my money and take back the piano if I insist, as he thinks we will get into a stalemate."

You should have accepted this offer immediately, and then there would have been no need for a second opinion. Do you have confidence in the person who is going to give the second opinion?