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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face="Calisto MT"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calisto MT";color:blue'>I couldn’t
agree more. (Except I never moved pianos.) :>)</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face="Calisto MT"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calisto MT";color:blue'>jeannie</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face="Calisto MT"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calisto MT";color:blue'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=blue face="Californian FB"><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Californian FB";color:blue'> </span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 color=blue face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
color:blue'>Jeannie Grassi, RPT<br>
Registered Piano Technician<br>
Island Piano Service<br>
Bainbridge Island, WA<br>
206-842-3721<br>
</span></font><font color=blue><span style='color:blue'><a
href="mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net">mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net</a></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=blue face="Calisto MT"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calisto MT";color:blue'> </span></font></p>
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<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font
size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>piannaman@aol.com<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, March 06, 2006 11:07
PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pianotech@ptg.org<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: Kawai vs. Yamaha</span></font></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>Thought I'd throw my two cents in
the bucket here. </span></font></tt></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>I tune hundreds of Kawai
pianos. I find them to be easy to tune as a rule, particularly the RX
series. I do find the occasional unstable piano, but that isn't unique to
Kawai. </span></font></tt></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>There are two things I
particularly like about Kawai as a company: </span></font></tt></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>1). Unwillingness to rest on
laurels/willingness to do different things, notably the "plastic"
actions(which are in a state of constant improvement), despite taking heat from
many in the piano community. </span></font></tt></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>2). The responsiveness and
ethical nature of their tech support. Problems are handled promptly and
without alot of red tape. They listen to tech's concerns and take
recommendations into consideration.</span></font></tt></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>I have never seen a Kawai lyre I
would call poorly made. I used to use them to tip the pianos up all the
time when I was a mover--unlike Schimmels lyres which would disintegrate after
a couple of moves (DAMHIK).</span></font></tt></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>I get lots of 10-20 year old
Kawais, even the cheaper models like the GE1, that have been let go to seed for
many years. They revive well. They regulate easily, and respond
well to standard voicing techniques.</span></font></tt></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><tt><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>In my humble opinion, both as a
piano player and a tech, comparing Kawais to Yamahas is an apples to oranges
argument. </span></font></tt><font size=2 face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Courier New"'><br>
<br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">----- Original Message ----- </font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">From: "PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L." <<a
href="mailto:patrick%40pianospianissimo.com">patrick@pianospianissimo.com</a>></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">To: <<a
href="mailto:deanmay%40pianorebuilders.com">deanmay@pianorebuilders.com</a>>;
"Pianotech List" <<a href="mailto:pianotech%40ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a>></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 12:16 PM</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Subject: Kawai vs. Yamaha. was: near impossible
tuning</font></tt><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Dale wrote: I really like the
Kawai grands in general. The tone is far</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> more interesting than it other Japanese
competitor & I can do wonderful</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> things with the voicing .</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">For me, (and i'm sure many others will agree)
Kawai's are not very</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">consistent in tone. Some are really nice, many are
not. Yamaha's arent</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">that consistent either, but at least the sound
doesnt "distort" when</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">played louder. As Dale just said, with most Kawais
all you get is NOISE</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">after a second of sustain. Even though many kawais
seem like they have a</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">very nice tone when you first play one, it doesnt
last!</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> These are pianos with original hammers that
have probably never had a</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> needle</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> stuck in them. Is this a hammer/voicing
problem?</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">hmm... most yamahas ive seen havent either been
neddled and they dont have</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">that problem</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">We import many used Yamahas and Kawais, and the
difference in quality is</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">clear, the materials and the way yamahas are made
are much better by FAR.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Starting out with the casework for instance, while
kawai lyres just fall</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">to bits even if only a few months old, i have
never seen or heard of a</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">yamaha lyre loosen. The castors, the bolts and
screws, etc, kawai ones</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">just scream the words "cheap n nasty",
no matter how many times you do and</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">undo yamaha bolts/screws, they'll still keep the
thread and the heads wont</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">become useless. On older uprights is not uncommon
to see rusty colums</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">(legs) as they where made of metal. And on newer
ones made of plastic,</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">they kind of bend! We have now stopped using
kawais for concert hire</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">because of these things and of course tuning
stability is far superior on</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">yamahas.</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Action-wise (kawai).... what's all that plastic
doing there??? might be ok</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">when new, but when you need to replace stuff...
pedal mechanisms often</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">make all sorts of noises... etc etc. The only
thing i can think of right</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">now that i really like on kawai grands is the
screw adjustment for the</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">springs on whippens, quick and delightful to
regulate with those! BTW the</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">new black ABS plastic whippens are just weird!!</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Havent seen the Shigeru models yet, are they any
better? Don't think they</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">can beat the Yamaha S series, can they?</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Patrick</font></tt><br>
<br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> I don't get it. Most all of the Kawai grands
I tune (which aren't that</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> many)</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> I don't really care much for. Since there
aren't any new Kawais being sold</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> in this area most of the ones I encounter are
10 plus years old of the KG</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> variety, a couple of GS, one GS-70. I don't
like the sustain. With the</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> sustain pedal on when playing an arpeggio the
sound quickly fades into</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> white</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> noise and one cannot discern what scale was
just played. I've done some</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> experimenting even, hitting individual notes
across the scale with an f</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> blow</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> and I get about a second of tone before there
is only noise.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> These are pianos with original hammers that
have probably never had a</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> needle</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> stuck in them. Is this a hammer/voicing
problem?</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Dean</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Dean
May
cell 812.239.3359</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> PianoRebuilders.com 812.235.5272</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Terre Haute IN 47802</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> -----Original Message-----</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> From: <a
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces%40ptg.org">pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a> [<a
href="mailto:pianotech-bounces%40ptg.org">mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org</a>]
On</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Behalf</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Of <a href="mailto:Erwinspiano%40aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</a></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 10:18 AM</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech%40ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</a></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Subject: Re: near impossible tuning</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Dittos Roger</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Ed Normally I find Kawai a very
stable piano. I tuned a Kg-2 the other</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> day & I had not tuned it for 3
years. Except for being 6 cents flat,</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> enough for a pitch raise, it was in solidly
in tune with itself & I</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> wondered</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> why I was there. It is also an easy piano to
tune.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> I really like the Kawai
grands in general. The tone is far more</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> interesting than it other Japanese competitor
& I can do wonderful things</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> with the voicing . However on some of
the grands & verticals a like have</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> pins do not render well.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Ed I don't get it & would
like to know this is only an isolated incident</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> as I currently have a client looking to buy
one of the same models</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Dale</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> After lifting, leveling, and fitting, the
power, sustain, and voicing</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> will</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> improve.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> String lifting is a skill just like tuning, I
would hardly call it</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> indiscriminate.</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Regards Roger</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">>
_______________________________________________</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">> Pianotech list info: <a
href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" target="_blank">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a></font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">></font></tt><br>
<br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Patrick Hinves Ballesta</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Afinador/Técnico 610442371</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">PIANISSIMO PIANOFORTE S.L.</font></tt><br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">_______________________________________________</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Pianotech list info: <a
href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" target="_blank">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a></font></tt><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">_______________________________________________</font></tt><br>
<tt><font face="Courier New">Pianotech list info: <a
href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives" target="_blank">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</a></font></tt></span></font></p>
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