Feurich 179

[TheEscapist]

Saw a Feurich 179 today and loved it, having abandoned the idea of older pianos and upped m6 budget.

Is there anything close to it for value for money similar size before I make the plunge?

[chrisw]

I have not had the pleasure of playing a Feurich grand or upright but I am aware that many people recommend them. When I was looking to replace my upright with a grand there was a piano shop in the southern lake district that had stocked them which was owned by a piano technician and restorer and I had a long telephone conversation with him on the virtues of the Feurich brand. A Feurich 218 (?) was bought at Howden Minster for use in their concert series and you may find videos on YT. They do appear to be very good value for money.

[Barrie Heaton]

I have a few on my round all grand's, they're all very very nice.


Barrie

[TheEscapist]

So took delivery today of my Feurich 179.
It has a lovely tone and looks wonderful in black with chrome finish.
However, I’ve had to reject it as it has Minor damage t9 the keyboard cover (it’s been dented) and has scratches all around. The delivery guys were not professional either. Left the piano without even wiping it or placing it where I wanted it.
When I told the owner of the shop in Bordeaux by email with photos, he said sorry by email but no one else has ever had an6 problems with the delivery company - he said they’ve done 4,000 deliveries and everyone’s happy but he will take it away.
He hadn’t asked for any payment yet so said let’s forget it all.
Now I’m here in france and bizarre as it might sound, that’s a fairly typical attitude. Just give up and walk away rather than try resolve the issue.
He attached the order from Feurich showing the number as 50009 as new in June this year but in gold, not chrome, so clearly Feurich aren’t very careful.
I decided to call him and suggested I actually wanted a piano but unmarked.
He said they come from China like that. Before he was praising Chinese workmanship but clearly now it’s an excuse too and he was almost saying what do yo7 expect for 15,800 EUR new.
I suggested he send someone to repair but he said he prefers to source a new piano and we d9 a swap which sounds like a plan…. If of course the next piano is unmarked. I will insist on seeing it open and playeD in the shop before delivery and hope the delivery guys don’t mark it.
The culture here is a bit throw away like their driving - who cares as insurance will pay - whic( isn’t my style, but ai love the lifestyle here overall, hence I live here.
I guess my question is am I being unreasonable to expect a new piano to look new and are Feurich’s normally delivered in pristine condition?
The damage and marks do look mostly to me to be from straps used in transit.
Thanks
Ps. Sorry photos don’t show damage too well as it’s a dark room and I shone a torch but it’s basically scratched in around a dozen places and dented on the keyboard cover.

[chrisw]

You are not being unreasonable in expecting a brand new piano case to be in pristine condition when you take delivery, irrespective of price. If case work is getting marked in transit from China to the dealer then the dealer should have the damage repaired before it goes out to customers. What can occur with new pianos is that work is sometimes needed in the customers home at the first tuning such as refining regulation. At the very first tuning of my piano a loose hammer had to be glued to its shank.

[TheEscapist]

Yes on the tuning issue, I asked for a tuning to be done at my home but was told it should be done 3-6 months after delivery and that the6 would offer that for free.
The dealer seems reasonable bit maybe just doesn’t have very high standards?
Here are pics of the piano arriving and being set up. Basically it just arrived in the van on its side on a dolly and then had its legs screwed on, lid fitted and was left. I was expecting a little more…

[Barrie Heaton]

With that amount of marks, I can understand the dealer wanting to take it back and give you another one. Fixing them on-site can be a pain, and you don't always get a flawless finish. Better to bring it back to the workshop, you can take your time and then sell the piano as a used one Also, claim the insurance for the damage.

Can be more profitable that way.


Barrie

[TheEscapist]

Yes makes sense, but really does make me wonder how it was allowed to get to me like that and if as he says pianos really do arrive from Feurich like that. Doesn’t say much for their quality control and so called verification in Vienna.

[Barrie Heaton]

Quality control will check the piano before it was packed sometimes; the idiot who packs them is clueless; the piano goes on a containership, then arrives in Europe, goes to a warehouse, is unpacked and checked again. Then sent to the retailer, or Direct to the end user I know that some retailers have used clients' Pianos that have been ordered for higher Pianos in the short term.

When I used to do polyester repairs, I'd gone out to Pianos which looked like the legs had been chewed by a bloody dog. The lid had a skating competition on it.

Barrie

[TheEscapist]

Thanks. Helpful but slightly depressing….