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I'm looking at this Kawai upright. The owner doesn't seem to know too much about it. I asked him to look inside and he read me: "A75825" and "GX-5H"

According to the Kawai serial number page, that would make this a US produced Kawai from 1997. I can't find even ONE mention of GX-5H anywhere, so either this was some really obscure model, or that's not the model number. Here are a couple pictures of the piano in question. Maybe someone here will know if GX-5H is a real model, and if not, maybe you know what this model might be.

hey sam.. my guess is its a CX-5H..

Wouldn't that make it a grey market piano then? The ad piano is located in Singapore.

I don't think its grey market.. (but some1 may correct me).. I just pulled that ad for verification purposes

No, gatsbee was just pointing to a piano that he thought looked similar. That's not the one I'm looking at.
It could very well be the CX-5H, but I thought it looked too tall to be a console. I hope the Kawai experts have some insight for me based on the serial number

it could very well be grey market.. a lot of the sales im seeing online are non-US markets...heres another link...

http://www.pianoshop.co.uk/pianodetails/13610

Water on the piano would make me nervous. Have any of those vases ever been knocked over?

You are right. It does look too tall to be a console. By extending the back and by using taller casters, the Kawai CX-5H is really a console made to look like a studio upright. It was a very popular model, and inexpensive...basically an entry-level piano.

With the "A" at the beginning of the serial number, this indicates it was produced in the USA.

I see a lot of threads where people get a bit too hung up on the model's designation. The letters and numbers which make up the model are by far not as important as the condition.

It really boils down to the same story: go look at and play the piano first. If you like it enough to consider buying it, call in a technician to check it out for you. If you like it and the price is right, it hardly matters whether it is a C3PO or an R2D2.

FYI:
The CX-5H was a very low cost upright, the most entry level piano Kawai ever has made, I think. It was built both in Japan and in the US, and you can tell this by the serial number (US production began with 'A') and and by the label on the back of the piano which says where it was built.
_________________________
Don Mannino, MPA
Kawai America

You will note that there is a 3-inch block across the entire top of the pinblock....it serves NO purpose but allowing them to market the piano as a taller instrument than it really is. The key-upstop is a thin strip of super-bendable metal, and the 'veneer' is plastic over a foam underlayer, and not very durable. The action is a typical kawai well-built machine...but the body and overall construction are not to kawai's usual high standard.

As Don says; 'very low cost' and 'most entry-level'.

Indeed,

I'm trying to help a forum member get a cheap acoustic. This one is only $800 (with possible wiggle room), so I thought it might be worth a shot. If in good technical condition (which is likely, given its age), how is this particular piano at that particular price?

Sam,

You summed it up when you said you were looking for a "cheap acoustic." It is! Especially at less than $800. There is no reason why this piano wouldn't work out very well for your friend.

(All standard caveats implied)