[pianotech] Grey Market Yamaha/Kawai

[Paul Milesi]

Jim,

I just want to underscore everything others have said in previous posts.
It is not simply fear mongering.  Here in the Washington, DC area, I have
serviced many grey market Yamahas and some older Kawais as well.  Only one
or two of them had acceptable pin torque.  Grand or upright, makes no
difference.  Torque measured on several was in the 20-40 range --
basically untunable.  I am currently re-pinning a 29-year-old Kawai KG-2D
at Howard University (where I am on staff) which was otherwise a very nice
piano as a donation, but absolutely untunable.  We have 3 other Kawais
ranging 30-35 years old, all of which require re-pinning to be usable as
musical instruments.  Note that the torque is much worse than any other
average piano of same age or older that was built for North American
climate.

One other thing.  Like others, I have seen soundboard damage/repairs
(rib-to-soundboard glue & screw repairs) as well as warped front panels
and kneeboards.

I always recommend avoiding if possible.  Like other have said, if you can
keep the RH up above 50% year-round, probably OK.  They play OK.  I always
recommend, and have installed several, WET Life Saver systems.  They help
to a degree, but avoidance is better.

--
Paul Milesi RPT
Registered Piano Technician Member, Piano Technicians Guild
Certified Installer of the Piano Life Saver System® by Dampp-Chaser
(202) 667-3136
(202) 246-3136 Cell/Text
paul at pmpiano.com
http://www.pmpiano.com



On 8/30/12 9:16 AM, "Jim Ialeggio" <jim at grandpianosolutions.com> wrote:

>The Grey Market is new to me...it is a price point that reflects some of
>my current client's attitude towards spending money, even though some of
>them have plenty of bucks they are sitting on.
>
>I Did some research last night on what grey market means, and I must
>say, that the info that seems the most credible,  matches my original
>gut instinct.  That is, with the exception of the very first yamaha
>introductions to the US in the early 70's, that the line about RH levels
>at the fabrication being inappropriate to RH levels in this country
>(wherever in this country's wildly varying climate you mean) is more
>about protecting piano sales for new dealers (and of course the
>manufacturer) rather than a degrading functionality issue.
>
>This especially as all manufacturers worldwide, including Kawai, (with
>the exception Yamaha I think) only run one RH level at their plants
>manufacturing for worldwide distribution.  RH control is an end user's
>concern, to dealt with as you would a new US made or anywhere made
>instrument.
>
>So, my question for those of you who have been around here longer than
>I, and have seen more of the "in-the-field" track record on these pianos
>is, particularly in the Northeast, but not exclusively, what is your
>experience about the actual functionality of these post 1970's grey
>market yamaha/kawais. Do the RH concerns create function issues beyond
>normal in service RH effects we would expect to see in any piano, or is
>it mostly or all manufacturer/ new piano sales inspired fear mongering.
>
>Jim Ialeggio
>
>-- 
>Jim Ialeggio	
>jim at grandpianosolutions.com
>978 425-9026
>Shirley Center, MA
>
>