Is my search over? Please say it is!

[eins]

My first post. I am 56 and have finally decided to learn what I always loved to listen to. So I needed a piano. For a few weeks I have lurked on this and another board, I have visited all of the six piano dealers within 40 miles of my home, and I was looking at new and used uprights in the $3-8K range, with a desired target around $3K. A close friend who plays piano well has tried hard to make me aware of differences. Sound? Yes, I could sort of tell. Feel and action? I was never sure, and not being able to play, how could I tell from just hammering on some keys.

Obviously, time and practice helped. While I really wanted a Charles Walter (after reading about them, their philosophy is an exact mirror of mine), I never liked their sound nor was I ever convinced of their action feel. The more I tried Yamahas, the more I liked them, and I think that is no shame. It was going to be a used U1 or U3.

Today, I visited the last three dealers. One of them another CW dealer, to try again, hoping I would find one that called my name. Actually, they had an upright with Charles' signature on it, and I thougth that is a sign. But no, it didn't call my name. The action felt like there was chewing gum in it somewhere (like all the other CWs I tried), and the sound was just as muffled as the others. I was about to settle on Yamaha, when I finally allowed the owner to talk to me and suggest something that I  might like. He guided me to an upright I had seen in his store but didn't even touch because the name was unknown to me. It was a Gebrüder Perzina 48". I asked my friend to play it. She loved it. And she is Japanese! I really liked the sound, the best I had heard yet from the pianos I was looking at. I liked the action, for the first time I could feel a difference. It felt so precise, crispy. (excuse my wording, English is not my first language).

Anyway, the price was very right for what I saw, felt and heard. If I had only at least heard of the name before (and I am German!). Enter the salesman. He raved about their philosophy of German quality materials and design, built in low-cost China under German supervision and QC. I listened. I wanted to find reasons why this would be a good choice. I'm still not convinced but I have not found a better piano than this one, at any price within my range (including Boston, Petrof, Yamaha, Kawai, CW, to name the ones that come to mind now).

Of course, I came straight to PF to find confirmation that this brand is good and trustworthy, and I found--nothing. Is Gebr. Prezina too new to be evaluated? Has anybody actually played one? Is it taboo? I would appreciate any help, pointers, hints you could give me, and I would love to find support that Prezina is a good choice 

I found you all a very warm and friendly bunch and I look forward to becoming a welcome member here. Thank you.

[Brian Lawson, RPT]

Here's one post on them,  Perzina  not Prezina
https://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/9097.html#000000

another
https://www.pianos.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=899



some background info
https://www.pianosonline.co.uk/pol/org.paneris.pol.controller.Manufacturer?manufacturer=629

[eins]

Thank you Brian for the Perzina links. Must have searched for pREzina, duh.
Interesting that the background info is partially outdated. Detoa action, Austrian spruce is the current status. I wonder how the new factory will stabilize design changes.

Do you, as a tuner and restorator (sp), have any experience with this brand?

[Brian Lawson, RPT]

No, none yet. But here is one from a tuner who did, just read the first post, the rest is just in fighting.

https://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/1/9846.html#000000

[eins]

Well, since there is no voice telling me to think it over, I visited another Perzina dealer today who almost talked me out of the Perzina. He said, I'd be buying another piano in 3-4 years, stepping up. He seemed like a good guy but he doesn't know me well enough to know that I don't easily jump ship. I'm pretty loyal to what I select as my choice (women are an exception, unfortunately).

So, after taking his expertise as a confirmation of my choice, I drove the 40 miles back to my first Perzina dealer again (in SoCal traffic!) to take a closer look at their GP129 (51") which I preferred over the 48". Theirs was a mahogany, so I asked for an ebony which they have in the warehouse. I made an offer, put down a small deposit and am now waiting for the black one to get there, be prepared and compared. That will be my piano D-Day, hopefully next week. I will report.

If any of you have something to say to keep me from doing this, speak up now or be forever silent. Or something to that effect.

Best

[Axtremus]

Eins,

If that's the piano that sounds and plays the best to you, then I congratulate you on your find. Finding a piano you like is what counts the most.

Perzina is very new to the piano scene, made in a new factory in China, introduced to the US less than two years ago. So, yes, information about Perzina is hard to come by.

Assume you go ahead with your purchase, I would appreciate it you would continue to share with us your experience with your Perzina over the months and years ahead to give a vertical account of how that piano breaks in and ages/matures over time.

[eins]

Axtremus et al,

You got it. Once I have something new to say and know how to say it, it will be said.

AHO

[eins]

Thanks Brian for reminding me of my promise. So, here is the recent development on my piano purchase. I pretty much focused on the Perzina 51", went back to the dealer a few times to compare again and then made an offer which he accepted. It was quite a decent deal below their selling price of $4999. Yesterday, Wednesday, I finally bought it, and today it was delivered! It is sitting in my living room now, getting acclimated. I've spent over 90 minutes practicing, and my friend is in paradise--she can play again what she learned so many years ago and never got to play since.

Some pictures for you who have not seen a Perzina yet:





Thank you all for your help, assistance and encouragement. I'm a happy man!

[eriks]

Nice to read you're story.
About Perzina?
A dutch reseller  did a nice quality control on a Perzina and made a nice document about it. It's on his site www.polyfoon.nl
He checked everything about used materials, wood, metal and so on and when I read that document I think that you bought an very good piano.
And most important: that you like the sound.
I am looking for a piano (like the Kawai K50) but will not buy it before I've heard a Perzina.
So.... thanks for you're story and succes with playing....

[eins]

eriks,
Thank you for that information.
Would you please give me a link to this document you mentioned? I could not find it. I don't know if I can understand it at all, but I'd love to take a look.

Good luck to yourself in making the right decision for your piano.

[eriks]

true...... the link is a little bit 'hidden' in a drawing on the main page.

but this should work:https://www.polyfoon.nl/documenten/perzina-test.pdf


Erik

[eins]

Thanks eriks, I found it. Babelfish translation is a bit off (and I can't copy and paste from pdf), but I get the general idea of the report. Sounds good to me.