'Grey Market' Yamahas- again

[Kit Cleworth]

>While the above statement covered the mood of many contributors, no one
>reported actual experience of recurring structural problems with 'grey
>market' pianos.  One contributor from a dry region reported no problems
>other that a pitch drop of a range normally associated with bring pianos
>from a higher humidity area to his region.   

>Again, no one actually reported recent experience of a significant and
>recurring problem with what must be the large number of these pianos being
>brought into the US or other countries.  My experience is that there are
>few 60's pianos being imported and most are less than 20 years old. 

Well, I guess I can give you some recent history on this matter.  Over the
last 5 years I have brought in two grands (Yamaha G3s) and about 5 uprights
which were gray market.  Some I bought from an importer, some I bought
directly from a wholesaler in Osaka.  I sold them here in Fairbanks Alaska.  

Fairbanks is extremely dry in the winter.  Needless to say, I sell lots of
Dammp-Chasers.  The grands both suffered significant problems.  Cracked
soundboards, loose pins, etc.  The pianos would probably be considered in
grade B condition by the wholesaler.  I was fortunate that neither grand
went to a professional level musician.  Several other clients of mine own
US-sold Yamaha and Kawai grands.  There are very few similar problems with
these pianos, even those that have been here 15-20 years.  They are great
instruments.

My experience with the uprights is a little different.  I bought
gray-market Yamaha U-1s and U-3s, and several others (including a Wurlitzer
console...figure that one out)  Aside from obvious humidity problems such
as slightly rusty strings and dull, dull sounding hammers (which responded
well to light hardening) I have had no problems with them.

I guess I would agree that if these gray-market pianos go to a US
destination with similar humidity levels to Japan there would probably be
few problems, other than the age and use issues.  After all, the pianos
worked fine here, too, until they dried out.

I made a decision not to buy or sell any more gray-market pianos.  The
potential for disaster is too high.  Even if I don't offer a warrantee on
some pianos I sell, my name is still connected to them and this is just too
small a market to have unhappy customers.

Kit Cleworth