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So, I've been kinda looking into upright pianos lately, but found nothing interesting in the grey market...
But recently I stumbled upon a 20 yoear old August Förster for only 250€.
From the pictures, it looks in a pretty good shape, but I have not seen it in person.
So, I'm asking you if it is worth a visit and if it's worth paying a tech to check it out?

Thank you!

PS: sorry I wrote in the wrong subforum, I thought I clicked Piano forum...
Could someone please move it there?

it used to be a good brand, they are among the strongest instruments, used in many conservatories, so they should have some quality/hardiness, and the price you mentioned is ridiculous, too cheap! if they really only want that for it, it's worth the journey definitely! Good luck!

Depends on where the piano is... I mean if you are to travel 200 miles, then more info is important. If it's across town (even in London or something), I think that it's worth a visit. The price IS ridiculous!

Ljubliana is not that big, is it? or has one to travel across the whole nation?

I didn't actually notice the "Slovenia" in the profile information. I actually assumed that since someone is asking if it's "worth" the effort to go a check a 250 euros piano, it HAS to be away... ??? (BTw, I remember when I moved in London I found an ad for a bicycle for 20 quid! They even offered to bring it to me. I didn't even try it. I just bought it. It was ridiculous to not take it for 20 quid. It turned out the best bike I ever had!)

According to Larry Fine in the 2001 Piano Book, there was a piano sold under the August Forster name in Canada and several European countries which was made by Petrof and was similar to the Petrof piano. Except in name, it had no connection to the August Forster pianos made in Lobau, Germany. Apparently there was a legal conflict many years ago over the rights to the August Forster name, which resulted in an agreement specifying in which countries each manufacturer could market pianos under this name.

My point being - you need to verify WHO made this particular instrument. If it is an August Forster made in Germany, it should be an excellent piano. If made by Petrof, it would be of lesser quality.

I played some of the Canadian-market Petrof-made August Förster pianos. They were, in the same way as Petrof, sometimes very nice and sometimes just acceptable.

I second carey's admonition that you need to be careful whether you are looking at a German August Förster or a piano, with the same name, manufactured in (the former) Czechoslovakia. These latter were, according to the 11th edition of the Pierce Piano Atlas manufactured "...at the Jirikov Georgswalde, factory, Ulice 9 Kvetna 718, Czechoslovakia. See Weinbach for later serial numbers [after #106600] they are the same. Controlled by Petrof since 1985."

The German-made August Förster is a totally different instrument manufactured by the company "... owned by Wolfgang Förster, a fourth generation pianomaker, and located [in] Löbau, Germany."

If the piano is indeed only 20 years old, it might be from the German manufacturer. However, the price - unless the seller doesn't know much about pianos - may indicate that it is of Czechoslovakian manufacture and, while possibly a satisfactory instrument, should never be mistaken for the German-made one. It just may be that the piano, whatever its provenance, is in poor condition, or it may be that the seller is eager to get rid of it.

In any case : Caveat emptor!, and know what you are buying.

Regards,

Aaaand, it's gone...
lol
Looks like it was gone before I even made the post here...
Should've called the seller...

But, there's now a Rönisch selling for the same low price, and it's a different seller.
I've heard some good things about that brand, but the seller doesn't say how old it is, or doesn't provide any other info fof that matter...
I shall investigate and report back here...

Good luck!

Dan