Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Your advice please : 15 y.o.Kawai AT14 Anytime a good buy?

Hi,

(This is for a fast deal I wouldn't want to miss. Please...)

I would appreciate very much to get educated opinions about a Kawai AT 14 Anytime, 15 years old, never been used except for decoration (2 years of beginner's lessons.) The seller (private) is asking 5 200$ CDN (roughly 4 000 eur.)

I used to practice on a Yamaha 9' Grand at my school (undergrad level.) I haven't played for 15 years. I live in an apartment, so the silent option is very important; but I want to get bac to serious practicing; so what I want is fair samplings, good acoustical sound, and *good* action.

Do you think this would be a good instrument for my needs, and at a fair price?

Thanks,

LucSr

Is this a digital? If so you are in the wrong place. Run down the hall to the digital piano forum and you might receive better information.

This is the acoustic piano forum.

Seems to be a combination silent acoustic/digital.

Yes BDB, you're right. It is an upright accoustical Kawai, with a silencing system like that of Yamaha on. This is why I post this here: I'd like to get the opinion of accoustic pianos specialists for that aspect of the instrument. I also posted in the synth forum for the "silent/syth" part.

Thanks.

Very good, thanks for the update.

I think the AT's are Kawai's K-3 upright with a silent/digital mode. You may have some trouble getting comments from users, at least in the US, because the model was never released for sale here.

They did cost more than the regular K-3, but I am not sure if the price you were asked is reasonable--- on the high side, if I had to guess, for a 15-year old used upright of the middling quality, which retails new for somewhere around eight grand. And, 15 years is a long time for a digital to retain much value.

"Rush" purchases of used pianos... well, you could get a good deal--- it sometimes happens--- but often the rush is to keep the buyer from having time to think twice. As with any used piano under consideration, I would suggest you get a qualified piano tech to inspect it for condition first.

If it gets away, well, it's not the only piano in the world. You might look at Kawai's MP-6 or MP-10, to go along with your purchase of a used upright at a more modest price. They have a good action (the MP-10 has the better) and a more up-to-date sound engine.

I am unsure that the anytime series are 15 years old. I In my mind it is more 30 or so, I with a basic silent system, one of the first on the market.
But possibly it evolved toward a more actual style one while keeping the "anytime" ( designation.. I would ask the serial number..

Silent system with sensors enclosed in a rubber button under the key. I probable less dynamic levels than the more modern ones.

The touch was not very good with the rubber too resilient..

For a 15 years old the price is only lightly on the high side but if the model is 25 years or more this is too much for sure. more around 2500 €

Thanks everybody! Guess I'll step back and keep looking a little bit further.

Wishing you all a very good year 2013,

Luc

Best wishes to you and your piano quest too.

The AT series is yet named that way, but there have been different versions as ATX and ATII, may be ask Kawai directly about the age and model proposed.