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I finally have some recordings uploading (as I type this) to my YouTube channel so you can all hear what this piano sounds like (link in my signature, below). Unfortunately, my Zoom H2n does not like to record this piano. The recording quality is mediocre at best as the Zoom H2n makes this piano sound brighter/thinner/ting-ier than it really is in person. I tried over a dozen mic placements and settings, but for something recorded with cheap home equipment, this is the best I could do (at least for now). It's still better than the iPhone mic in the room it's in, but barely.

I had it tuned a few days ago, and I only had to touch up three unisons, rather than 20+ like I did each time with my Walter, not to mention that I can tighten up the unisons with extreme ease on this piano, compared to fighting for a close-enough unison like with my Walter. (I missed two of the unisons before I recorded since I was in a hurry to record as much as I could before my kids got home, and it's bugging me to think about, so I will be more discerning the next time I record.)

The action down-weight with the damper pedal down is about 52g. I say "about" because it's really uneven. Some keys were well under 50g and others wouldn't even go down with 56g. He's going to take care of it and make it more consistent next time. I don't notice the unevenness as I play though, which I find odd. You would think that I would feel that with quite that range. Another weird thing is that the bass keys are the very lightest, which is backwards as those hammers are heavier. This piano is so weird in so many ways...and I love it all.

The tech got the action working--better--at least. It's still not perfect, but now I only come across keys getting jammed up two or three times a day rather than three times a minute. He's going to do more work to it next time, but he ran out of time the other day. I still don't understand how the piano was perfect for the 3+ hours that I played it at the store just to have keys jam up once it arrived at my house. Maybe the truck ride over really did a number on it (half-joking, but not really). It's really, really weird that it's happened. The plus side is that the adjustments that the tech made have made the action feel a lot heavier AND a lot smoother, which I really, really love.

It was nice to see the action out and apart. This piano has actually been played quite A LOT before me (sales person said "barely played") based on the condition of the wearables/consumables, but it's been well played-in across the entire range, implying that a pretty advanced player had it before I got a hold of it. Being it's a Roman-numeral-era PETROF IV under the previous hands of an obviously advanced player, it's held up exceptionally well. Maybe it goes to show how underrated this era of Petrof was--or perhaps I just got insanely lucky.

This piano has a favorite key that is prefers to be played in: E-flat major. It's very obvious as I play and improvise in different keys. I personally prefer to hear A-flat major, well, until I played this piano for some time in all the major and minor keys, and E-flat major it is for this piano. It's lovely how that works; how each instrument has its own favorite key. (I should start a thread about this topic!) My previous Walter preferred C major.

Anyway, enjoy the videos if you feel like it, but keep in mind that the sound isn't perfectly represented, and I am well aware that the C#4 and D3 unisons are out of tune. Don't look for show-off type pieces right now, either, as my health has been really, really awful and I can barely even play what I recorded. (I am actually headed back to the doctor and possibly the Mayo...again. As long as I can keep playing the piano this time around and not have to take a three year complete break like before, I will be fine playing very easy-going pieces.)

Whatever the recording limitations . . . I think your new piano sounds beautiful! Nice YT channel, btw.

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Take care of yourself!!! And enjoy your wonderful piano

I listened to your wife's request "wish upon a little Star" and yes I enjoyed it very much.Your Petrof piano sounds beautiful!

It's been awhile, but I can update this thread regarding why the keys were jamming...

Someone had raised the hammers so they were WAY too close to the strings! My tech and I have no idea who would have done it or why it was done (and the dealer wouldn't have had any reason to look at that, really, and the tech didn't have any reason to check until a lightbulb went off)--except perhaps someone wanted a "perceived" lighter action? Who knows. It doesn't matter at this point.

The issue was that for a beginning to intermediate player, the hammers wouldn't have been an issue, but for an advanced player like myself, especially with things like quickly repeating notes, for example, the raised hammers were causing the keys to jam up.

My tech lowered all the hammers to "spec" (something-something millimeters), and they have been perfect for about a month now--not one single issue!

And if I thought the piano was spectacular before...it's 11/10 now. Buttery smooth action, perfect weight, perfect control over every note, I can play even softer now (which shows the quality of an instrument), and of course it can play more loudly if I want it to when the hammers come from further below. And everything about it is just spectacular. I wish I could invite you all to play it. Of course bias comes into play as it's my own piano, but I have played 1000s of pianos over the years, and this old 1998 PETROF IV is certainly up there with one of the best pianos I have every played. I know some of it being PETROF from 1998 was luck, but I also know my research regarding the multitude of "eras" of PETROF pianos, so I knew what I was doing.

It is FINALLY dialed in! Only took 18 months or so, ha! And all of my advanced students and guests who have played it also agree that it's the best piano they have ever played. I had an advanced student play it while I listened from another room 40 feet away, and WOW, it has a very unique sound and flavor to it...can't put my finger on it...but I LOVE it.

It's the piano I have been longing for since I was 13 years old. Took until I was 44, but worth every freakin' moment of patience!!! I have to thank the disappointing Charles Walter Studio, though, because that piano provided a stepping-stone to my PERTROF, as much as I despised that CW. (I wonder how they are doing these days? I haven't had the energy to keep up with my inside baseball friends.)

I don't have any recordings yet on the YouTube channel of the PETROF with its adjustments (and thus new sound), but I will eventually for those who are following/subscribed to me over there.

And a huuuuge P.S.: You all mostly know that I am a "retired professional forced into early retirement due to chronic health conditions," therefore music is only a side hobby-gig these days and I don't play anywhere close to the level I used to. I finally have an answer: Turns out that I have a heart condition which limits me significantly, likely since birth but having stronger symptoms as I get older. But, hey at least I have an answer and it's not all in my head and me being lazy like the Mayo told me my problem was 10 years ago. Heh. Sigh.

P.P.S. Sorry my PMs are turned off. I know a lot of you have been trying to reach me. I had to turn off PMs because the toxic crazy was way too much for me to handle.

Is the key jamming the same sluggish jack issue you mentioned 5/21 ? If so, I'm glad you got it sorted out. If not, then I didn't realize you were having action issues (and assumed the other was cleared up).


Anyway, I'm surprised to hear about the odd key height. I thought the dealer had done a full-stop regulation on this before you took it home. ???


Regardless, I'm glad it's working well for you now!

Ya, same issue. I wasn’t playing for awhile again, so I wasn’t pressing the issue beyond just tuning in the meantime.

They did a regulation, but what did that entail and what ideals did they put upon it, who knows since I wasn’t present to breathe down their neck, but at this point I don’t even care anymore, ha. It’s dialed in and I’ll have it kept up until I’m not around to keep it.

Congratulations on your beautiful Petrof! As an advanced player you shouldn’t be self-conscious about other people hearing you play. Listening to piano music through an open window is enjoyable for most neighbors. Beginners learning violin are another matter entirely.

If you were my neighbor I’d start sending requests. 😊

When it's stamped in the action rail like that I think it is Renner action. Some of the smaller grands of those period Petrofs used the Czeck action.(called de Toia or something)

Mine has a Renner sticker. I think the Petrof house action is called Detoa. Not sure how they're like, I think Rich Galassini said once that they can be fine when set up properly.