Sold an incompatible and defective part, then spent 6 months avoiding a proper refund
We purchased a W. Hoffmann piano with a Bolan Silent System from Bol Pianos in 2018 for nearly EUR 10,000. When the silent system control unit was damaged, we contacted Bol for a replacement. Their staff member confirmed a EUR 500 replacement unit was compatible with my installation — after all, Bol themselves originally fitted the system and had photos of my setup.
The unit arrived (EUR 525 including shipping, plus GBP 101.72 UK import VAT). It was immediately clear that it was completely incompatible — a single 20-pin connector, whereas our piano has a 12-pin and a 10-pin connector. It simply cannot be plugged in. On top of that, the retractable mechanism was broken on arrival (a plastic part had detached inside), and the front panel was visibly scratched — raising the question of whether this was even a new unit.
What followed was six months of phone calls, broken promises, and contradictory positions from Bol Pianos.
One staff member verbally agreed to a full refund, return shipping, and import VAT reimbursement on multiple calls. The owner, Ron Bol, then contradicted this — first offering only 50%, then the product price but refusing shipping and import costs. Ron also incorrectly claimed that as a UK buyer, We were "not under Dutch consumer law" — which is factually wrong. Dutch civil law applies to Dutch sellers regardless of where the buyer lives.
We sent a formal legal notice (Ingebrekestelling) by registered post, citing Dutch Civil Code Articles 7:17, 7:21, and 7:22 BW. The 14-day deadline passed without compliance.
Reading the other 1-star reviews here, we see a clear pattern: selling items that don't conform to what was agreed, dismissing complaints, refusing to communicate properly in writing, and blaming the customer. Our experience confirms this entirely.
If you are considering purchasing from Bol Pianos: the showroom is impressive and the initial sales experience is pleasant. But if anything goes wrong after your purchase, be prepared for months of evasion. Keep everything in writing from day one.