to Kawai LISTeners

[Oorebeek A.]

Dear colleagues,
After having read all the comments on Kawai tuning stability, I would =
like to respond again.
I must first tell you that the experiences I had with Kawai, have =
been mainly with older instruments.
As I am a freelancer, working for Yamaha, I work mostly with =
Yamaha's, and because of my (freelance) job at the Amsterdam =
Conservatory, I tune mostly Steinways and Yamaha's and some other =
makes.
The occasional Kawai I come across is, as I said before, mostly =
somewhat older.
It is probably because of this fact, that I mentioned my =
dissatisfaction with tuning these grands.
A number of you indicated tapping strings on bridges lightly, or =
other tricks of the trade that might (partially) solve false beat =
hindrances.
That is of course absolutely correct, and it usually gives some =
relief.
My little problem in doing so, however, is that when I do have to =
tune a Kawai Grand, it is usually a temporary occasion for which =
there is not enough time do tap bridges.
I have experience with tapping strings on bridges, and I would =
strongly advise against doing this >right before< a concert.
You may guess why.....
I have learned, the hard way, not to do this. It takes at least two =
tunings to make the situation (concert) secure again.
If, on the other hand, I would service the instrument on a regular =
basis, I would happily make it as perfect as possible.(purr, purr...)

My other reflection on this issue is about the fact that there >are< =
a number of colleagues who recognize remarks about Kawai's, being =
more difficult to tune, or having trouble with false beats.
In my last email I mentioned to you an occurrence where I was called =
in to give advice about a brand new Concert Kawaii which, supposedly, =
did not hold it's tuning well.
It was an absolutely beautiful instrument, but it had so many fals =
beats in the treble that it took the studio technician (an =
experienced tech) a hell of a time to do the job (despite tapping =
bridges and Banging in the tuning).
I smelled the smoke, and that's why I decided not to get involved but =
instead advised them to call for a Japanese Kawai technician and have =
him/her regulate, tune and >voice< the instrument in order to mask =
the imperfections.

Lastly, since I do have experience with Kawai's, and especially in =
the past, I must confess that I like the Yamaha tone better after =
all.
The overall quality of sound seems more open natured and brilliant, =
setting the tuning pins >is< effortless (usually), the hammerfelt =
first class materiel for voicing and the action unquestionably =
superior to all piano's.
If there would be a debate about the difference in quality between =
Kawai and it's former brother/sister Yamaha, I 'd say ; look at the =
difference in serial numbers.........

And still, I sometimes like Kawai.... (of course !)







Friendly Greetings from:

CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
email address: oorebeek@euronet.nl

=89 Where Music is no harm can be =89