<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=UTF-8 http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charse= t=utf-8"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1106" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 11/23/2003 2:59:38 PM Central Standard Time, nemecek= m@molalla.net writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>Is there a difference between the pianos from = Japan on the gray market and<BR>the pianos made for the American market? Are= pianos built by Kawai and<BR>Yamaha built for the actual  market they = are to be sold In?</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>Both Yamaha and Kawai claim there is a difference in the way the pianos= are made. They claim the ones made specifically made for the US market are = better able to cope with the climate changes. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>To go one step further, both Kawai and Yamaha have put technicians on n= otice that parts for these pianos will not be available.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The bottom line is that most of the pianos that come from Korea and Jap= an are instruments that have been used for 25 or 30 years. Koreans and = Japanese pianists do not like rebuilt pianos, and they think a piano more th= an 25 years old needs to be replaced with a new one.  So even if there = is no difference in climate, the ones coming over here are older used, worn = out instruments that need a lot of work. I've personally replaced sever= al pin blocks on 25 year old Yamaha grands. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"= >Willem Blees, RPT<BR>Piano Technician<BR>School of Music<BR>University of A= labama</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>