Kawai K Series

[Chris8]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and thought i'd come on here for some advice. I've had a digital piano for a while which I bought new and am now considering upgrading to an acoustic. I'm now in the process of deciding which model to go for and at the moment I am leaning towards one of the Yamaha U series or Kawai K series. I know that these are good quality upright pianos and have seen a new U3 priced at £7500 and a K6 at £6600. I've also seen re-conditioned /second hand ones costing around the £3000 mark at various places. The re-con Yamaha pianos i've seen at this price are roughly 25 to 30 years old but i'm not sure how old the Kawai ones are. My question is. When did the K series come out, is it a newer model than the Yamaha U series and are they comparable in quality to the U series because they seem to be slightly cheaper in price. Are they cheaper because they are lower in quality or because they are just less desirable. I'm hoping to buy a piano that I won't need to upgrade again and will last me for the rest of my days or at least until they cart me off the the nearest nursing home. Many thanks in advance.

[Colin Nicholson]

Chris8

Kawai are very good pianos, and very much on Yamaha's heels. They tune and play nicely. Depending on what you pay, some of the K models have the carbon fibre action, acoustic port holes, soft fall system. The basic model is the K15.

Yamaha U1 and U3 - very little difference between them, mainly cosmetic.

If you buy 2nd hand, make sure you check the serial number - Yamaha have theirs printed inside-right, AND on the inside of the top lid. Check out what has been restored. 'FULLY' restored is never the case - but mainly some of the mechanism components like hammers/dampers/ butt springs & loops.... but not usually re-strung.

You pay for a 'name' basically, like BMW or Mercedes.... which one is best? Alot of personal taste, decor, tone quality, deep bass sound (from the K6). You pay alot less for Kawai for similar quality. Not sure when K series came out - possibly 90's?

I have a Kawai & Yamaha specialist/ piano shop very near me.

If you get a chance, try out the Kawai RX7 concert grand...... awesome!

All pianos have slight faults - some of their grands (GM10) occasionally have key block faults - thread inserts coming loose, but generally speaking - I've tuned several K2's in schools, and they tune up nicely. New pianos take about one year to fully settle - and need about 3 tunings per year for the first 2 years - then after that, twice a year

Anyway thats my personal opinion. I visited Kawai in 2010, and was very impressed with their technical department and how they set up their instruments.

Hope that helps

[vernon]

I fully recommend the kawai K series both from a commercial and technical position.
They arrive in the shop well regulated and obviously have had much attention to the tuning.Thus we have to spend very little time preparing them for sale.The Millenium action is a delight and well proved.
We have sold many and have never had any problem technically or tonally.

Try them

[Colin Nicholson]

Here here Vernon.... well said

[Chris8]

Many thanks for the advice. I've decided to get a kawai. I contacted Little & Lampert Pianos and they said they were getting some Kawai's in soon and would get back to me. I know how much I can purchase a new one for so I'll se how much a re-conditioned one will cost and make my mind up then.

[Colin Nicholson]

Good luck with that.

Bear in mind with any acoustic piano, no 2 pianos are the same, even if made one after the other on the same production line with the same name/ model etc. Also, be aware the sound may be different on a "shop floor" to your home flooring - esp. if laminated flooring. The floor will act as another soundboard, and the piano may be much louder.

If you buy 2nd hand, best to get it checked out - unless its cheap(ish). 10 year may be OK.... but after that, check for hammer wear, key bushings/levelled/ tuning pins (very important)/ tuning stability etc. I also check for things like damper lift.... so make sure it has been regulated properly before you buy. If you buy new - that all should be done, but it may take a year or so for new strings to settle. Tuning recommended every 3-4 months for the first year, then 6 monthly thereafter.... and regulated every 2-3 years (even if new). Also check to make sure the pedals work correctly/ celeste rail working & felt not badly scored or worn.

Finally .... small thing - if you get buy 2nd hand, and it has the soft fall mechanism - make sure that BOTH screws are there for the mechanism plate - down the left side behind the fallboard (screwed to the keybed). I've seen many with just the one screw, and the system can rip out the other screw. This is not Kawai's error, but often the previous tuner or shop dropping a screw inside the piano - and not replacing it. The screws are normally black pozi. easy to spot.... and you have to undo them to get the fallboard off.

And of course.... check the poly finish if appropriate. Any cracks or large scratches - walk away.... unless the price is right.

Colin