<HTML>While it might be true that a manufacture will slightl= y alter specifications for different regions of the world, there is no such thing as a piano that<B= R> is design to work for an entire geographic region in terms of climate; the<B= R> US for example has almost every extreme possible. Besides, these pianos are<= BR> located in homes that are in very similar climate controlled environments.<B= R> The reason that this is such a concern for the manufacturer is that the prices are set differently in each region: a C5 in Japan sells for about $18,000, while in the US the same piano costs more like $31,000. If there is= too much cross contamination, the price structure here in the US would begin= to destabilize. Bradley M. Snook Rice University, Shepherd School of Music </BLOCKQUOTE> Forgive me if I've missed= this on the current discussion of gray/grey market pianos, but I seem to re= call from one of the previous discussions that there is a cultural component= to the situation.  That is, that Japanese consumers rarely purchase us= ed/rebuilt/rewhatevered pianos, but go quite far out on the financial limb t= o buy new, and perhaps more frequently than is true in the west (not certain= as to where that idea comes from).  If this is true, then a large numb= er of used pianos--most rewhateverable, at least--end up on the dealer's han= ds, with very little prospect of selling them in the home market.  Is n= ot THIS where the container ships become the remedy, with the consequence th= at perhaps the US Yamaha dealer's greatest competition is his own product (Y= amaha) coming into the country used?  And what does this do to warranty= work (such as may be done by any given dealer), when a customer MAY have be= en told that it is just "a used Yamaha in fine condition"?  Not even pa= rts available? Seems to me that it's really Yamaha competing with itself, on a very element= al level, with customers, dealers, techs...........all caught in the middle = of a situation which none of them seem to feel is being handled fairly. Conrad?  Have you shipped it yet? Stan Ryberg Barrington IL Associate Member mailto:jstan40@aol.com</HTML>