Kawai vs. Yamaha

PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L. patrick at pianospianissimo.com
Sun Mar 5 16:36:10 MST 2006


> Both Japanese manufacturers do an out standing
> job with price, vs quality, vs value. You gets what you pay for.

True! I had forgoten something very important here... kawais are actually
cheaper (at least over here).

Patrick

> Hi Avery,
>                     S4 6'3'' S6 6.10'' Both hand
> crafted pianos, about twice the price of a similar sized C Series piano.
> The S4 is generally exceptional by any
> manufacturers standard. And significantly
> superior to any thing new that I have see from S & S.
> Nip and tuck to the Shigeru.   Don you are not allowed to quote me.
> Both Japanese manufacturers do an out standing
> job with price, vs quality, vs value. You gets what you pay for.
> Sweeping general statements, are usually ill
> informed statements, as is the case here.
> I agree with all of your comments.
> Regards Roger
>
> At 02:43 PM 3/5/2006, you wrote:
>>William,
>>
>>I totally agree. The only thing I don't like about the new ABS actions is
>> that
>>it's SO dark in there! :-)
>>
>>What is the Yamaha S series? Better than the C? And the Shigeru's are
>> great!
>>
>>Avery
>>
>>At 01:07 PM 3/5/2006, you wrote:
>> >Patrick,
>> >
>> >Respectfully disagree.  I find the newer Kawais, particularly the RX's
>> to be
>> >very nice if properly voiced and regulated from the factory.  The
>> Shigeru's,
>> >of which I have seen a few - very nice.  Some of the best, IMO.  Yes,
>> with
>> >or above the Yamaha S series.
>> >
>> >As for the new action parts, "black ABS" being just plain weird,
>> someone
>> >probably said that about the double-escapement grand action that Erard
>> came
>> >up with.  The action parts BTW are Carbon-impregnated ABS.  I think
>> they are
>> >the cat's meow.  Just my opinion.  ABS in general, is found to be
>> stronger,
>> >more dimensionally stable, among other things.
>> >
>> >Regards,
>> >William R. Monroe
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L." <patrick at pianospianissimo.com>
>> >To: <deanmay at pianorebuilders.com>; "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>> >Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 12:16 PM
>> >Subject: Kawai vs. Yamaha. was: near impossible tuning
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > > Dale wrote:   I really like the Kawai grands in general. The tone is
>> far
>> > > more interesting than it other Japanese competitor & I can do
>> wonderful
>> > > things with the voicing .
>> >
>> >For me, (and i'm sure many others will agree) Kawai's are not very
>> >consistent in tone. Some are really nice, many are not. Yamaha's arent
>> >that consistent either, but at least the sound doesnt "distort" when
>> >played louder. As Dale just said, with most Kawais all you get is NOISE
>> >after a second of sustain. Even though many kawais seem like they have
>> a
>> >very nice tone when you first play one, it doesnt last!
>> >
>> > > These are pianos with original hammers that have probably never had
>> a
>> > > needle
>> > > stuck in them. Is this a hammer/voicing problem?
>> >
>> >hmm... most yamahas ive seen havent either been neddled and they dont
>> have
>> >that problem
>> >
>> >We import many used Yamahas and Kawais, and the difference in quality
>> is
>> >clear, the materials and the way yamahas are made are much better by
>> FAR.
>> >Starting out with the casework for instance, while kawai lyres just
>> fall
>> >to bits even if only a few months old, i have never seen or heard of a
>> >yamaha lyre loosen. The castors, the bolts and screws, etc, kawai ones
>> >just scream the words "cheap n nasty", no matter how many times you do
>> and
>> >undo yamaha bolts/screws, they'll still keep the thread and the heads
>> wont
>> >become useless. On older uprights is not uncommon to see rusty colums
>> >(legs) as they where made of metal. And on newer ones made of plastic,
>> >they kind of bend! We have now stopped using kawais for concert hire
>> >because of these things and of course tuning stability is far superior
>> on
>> >yamahas.
>> >
>> >Action-wise (kawai).... what's all that plastic doing there??? might be
>> ok
>> >when new, but when you need to replace stuff... pedal mechanisms often
>> >make all sorts of noises... etc etc. The only thing i can think of
>> right
>> >now that i really like on kawai grands is the screw adjustment for the
>> >springs on whippens, quick and delightful to regulate with those! BTW
>> the
>> >new black ABS plastic whippens are just weird!!
>> >
>> >Havent seen the Shigeru models yet, are they any better? Don't think
>> they
>> >can beat the Yamaha S series, can they?
>> >
>> >Patrick
>> >
>> >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > I don't get it. Most all of the Kawai grands I tune (which aren't
>> that
>> > > many)
>> > > I don't really care much for. Since there
>> aren't any new Kawais being sold
>> > > in this area most of the ones I encounter are 10 plus years old of
>> the KG
>> > > variety, a couple of GS, one GS-70. I don't like the sustain. With
>> the
>> > > sustain pedal on when playing an arpeggio the sound quickly fades
>> into
>> > > white
>> > > noise and one cannot discern what scale was just played. I've done
>> some
>> > > experimenting even, hitting individual notes across the scale with
>> an f
>> > > blow
>> > > and I get about a second of tone before there is only noise.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > These are pianos with original hammers that have probably never had
>> a
>> > > needle
>> > > stuck in them. Is this a hammer/voicing problem?
>> > >
>> > > Dean
>> > >
>> > > Dean May             cell 812.239.3359
>> > >
>> > > PianoRebuilders.com   812.235.5272
>> > >
>> > > Terre Haute IN  47802
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org]
>> On
>> > > Behalf
>> > > Of Erwinspiano at aol.com
>> > > Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 10:18 AM
>> > > To: pianotech at ptg.org
>> > > Subject: Re: near impossible tuning
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >   Dittos Roger
>> > >
>> > >   Ed Normally I find Kawai a very stable
>> piano.   I tuned a Kg-2 the other
>> > > day &  I had not tuned it for 3 years.  Except for being 6 cents
>> flat,
>> > > enough for a pitch raise, it was in solidly in tune with itself & I
>> > > wondered
>> > > why I was there. It is also an easy piano to tune.
>> > >
>> > >    I really like the Kawai grands in general. The tone is far more
>> > > interesting than it other Japanese competitor & I can do wonderful
>> things
>> > > with the voicing .  However on some of the grands & verticals a like
>> have
>> > > pins do not render well.
>> > >
>> > >   Ed I don't get it & would like to know
>> this is only an isolated incident
>> > > as I currently have a client looking to buy one of the same models
>> > >
>> > >  Dale
>> > >
>> > > After lifting, leveling, and fitting, the power, sustain, and
>> voicing
>> > > will
>> > > improve.
>> > >
>> > > String lifting is a skill just like tuning, I would hardly call it
>> > > indiscriminate.
>> > >
>> > > Regards Roger
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>> >Patrick Hinves Ballesta
>> >Afinador/Técnico 610442371
>> >PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> _______________________________________________
> Pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>


Patrick Hinves Ballesta
Afinador/Técnico 610442371
PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.



More information about the Pianotech mailing list

This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC