My Pfeiffer is here in my new room!
But... Wait - if you look carefully, you'll notice that this is a different Pfeiffer to the one I bought in January.
So I have one last surprise in store for you (of course).
Shortly after I bought the Pfeiffer 116, I was informed by the university that my contract could not be extended - due to the Brandenburg state budget situation. I had to swallow hard in view of my impending high expenses for my psychotherapy training... And thought I should have saved myself these €6400. And I contacted the dealer to see if we could cancel the deal. He was understandably unwilling to do so, but he kindly accepted to sell the piano for me on consignment and we are very optimistic that we will get my price back. Sooner or later, I'm sure.
That was a relief on the one hand, but also quite a setback for me, as I really loved the Pfeiffer. I then put the piano issue to one side for a while.
Recently I saw an advertisement for a used Pfeiffer, 112cm, 1976, walnut, for just 1450€. I thought I would have a look at it. I wasn't expecting anything, because pianos for that price from private sellers don't usually blow you away.
After the first few notes, it was clear that this was a top instrument. The tuning was two years old, but to be honest it sounded like it was tuned yesterday. I once read that Pfeiffer pianos hold their tuning so well that it's bad for business. The action was PERFECTLY regulated. I couldn't believe it. The touch was buttery smooth and precise and fast and responsive. It played like a very young piano, not a 50 year old one. It was perfectly intonated. The tone war very clear, balanced, resonant, and very shapable. Honestly, everything was even a bit better than the Pfeiffer 116. I turned to the seller (a young man in his mid-20s) and said this is a TOP piano. He said that he had taken it over from a good friend and that the piano had only been completely overhauled in 2018 (which explains the incredibly good technical condition), but that he simply had no use for it. He said I was the first interested party - and the piano had been there at the marketplace for 4 or 5 months. He gave me the name of the piano technician who did the overhaul and the tuning two years ago (a reputable technician). It was immediately clear to me that I HAD to buy this piano, especially for this price. I looked at it from the inside - everything looked perfect.
We made an appointment with a piano technician for a check (necessary after my last Bechstein experience). He was able to inspect it two days later and was delighted with the piano, saying it was technically perfect and “like new” on the inside, and regulation and intonation were very well done. I paid €290 for the transportation and now I have an incredible piano for €1740. It couldn't have gone any better. Finally, finally I've reached my goal. 🙂 Since the two Pfeiffer pianos were the best pianos I have ever played... I can only strongly recommend this brand.
