<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Ron, Were = these grey market Kawais?  I’ve found a couple of them with serious = problems, but never had a USA Kawai with any such problems.  There IS = difference.   <div> Jeannie Grassi, RPT Associate Editor, Piano Technicians Journal <a = href="mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net">mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net</a>= </div> -----Original = Message----- From: = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron & Lorene Shiflet Sent: Tuesday, December = 14, 2004 5:31 PM To: Piano-Tech Subject: Kawai Pin = Blocks   <div> List, </div> <div>     Over the years, I've = come across several Kawai's with bad pin blocks.  The worst one though, = was several years ago at Western Iowa Tech.  We got in a grand that = needed a massive overhaul.  Loose pins were part of its many problems.  When we pulled the pinblock, it looked aweful.  It appeared to be made from some form of glorified cork.  A = real spongy material.  The block fitting to the plate was full = of massive gaps.  </div> <div>     It is my personal = opinion that Kawai's are mechanically one of the best pianos on the = market.  I don't feel the same way about them structurally.   = I've had to reglue the sides back on one of their consoles, and I've seen = everything from bad pin blocks, to styrofoam cheekblocks, to cabinets that were = made from some form of material similar to masonite or cardboard.  = I've had enough surprises when disassembling them in regards to what I call = inferior manufactring materials that I've learned to distrust them.         </div> <div>     As for me, I'm not = trying to take pot shots at one of the best companies in the business as = one writer stated.  Every piano has it's problems.  It's = just that as technicians, we pass around our experiences so that others = can benefit from them.   And...out of fairness to Kawai, we could = submit any piano brand and tell our war stories about what we've had to do to them.  </div> <div>   </div> <div> regards </div> <div>   </div> <div> Ron       &= nbsp; </div> </div> </body> </html>