Gray Piano Market.

[Lance Lafargue]

Martin, IMHO, I would also add that USUALLY (not always, as in Wim's
case) the person giving an opinion is biased in some way, so be careful.
I have read tons of opinions and at the end of a negative opinion I
notice the guy is a Yamaha dealer or works for one, or has some other
self-interest.  The opposite is true; pro Grey Market opinions are often
from biased folks, too.  I would recommend Larry Fine's "The Piano Book"
(red one).  He addresses it fairly, I think.  I don't think anyone
except a few folks at Yamaha knows for sure and you have to mostly go by
what techs find in the field as Larry does.  I find three common
problems on the OLD ones and ones that are over dried after being in a
wet climate (Japan).  Brown key fronts (common in American market older
ones, too), dry-rotted hammer flange cord (American Mkt, too), and
hammer felt coming off.  Again, this is only on a few, usually old ones
and (in the hammer felt condition) where a 42% dehumidifier was
installed or other very dry condition like a wood stove, etc. I offer to
CA (thin) the edges of the hammer felt as a precaution for the customer.
There are tons of posts here and on the pianotech listserve and internet
for you to look at, too.  Maybe it's like the mystery of Kennedy's
assassination/conspiracy theories; we'll never know. (?) Happy Thanks.


Lance Lafargue, RPT
LAFARGUE PIANOS
New Orleans Chapter, PTG
985.72P.IANO
lancelafargue@bellsouth.net


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of
Martin Nemecek
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2003 2:36 PM
To: caut@ptg.org
Subject: Gray Piano Market.

Is there a difference between the pianos from Japan on the gray market
and
the pianos made for the American market? Are pianos built by Kawai and
Yamaha built for the actual  market they are to be sold In?

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