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I need some input from you experts out there. I want to pick some minds about a new Kawai GE-30. About 2 months ago I visited a new piano store (Tampa, Florida ) that had opened and there was a Kawai GE-30 priced at $25,995 and was told there was a 30% discount which brings it down to about $18,197

I was back in that area yesterday and stopped back in... piano still there. The salesperson tells they really want to move this piano out because it is a discontinued model etc and they are looking at getting some new models in the showroom..... during our discussion he says he would go as low as $13,995 ($14,000)

How tempted should I be? Is this a "chance of a lifetime.... do whatever it takes to buy it" LOL
It is a beautiful piano needless to say......

After reading some past posts on this model I seem to get mixed messages on the quality etc.....

Take a look at the SMP price for this piano in the Piano Buyer, subtract 10-30% from that price, and compare the offer you received.

GE-30 5 5 Satin and Polished Ebony msrp 26,495 smp 22,190 from the current edition. How old is the one in stock? I ask that because I guess it could be old enough stock to not have the Millinneum III action.
I paid right at $12000 for the one I had about 7 years ago.

Do you like it?

It does have the Millennium III Action. I am going back tomorrow and will ask the Year. It is Polished Ebony

thank you....

As long as it's being sold as new, the "year" doesn't matter much at all. The model hasn't been changed in a while.

A piano is still "new" provided it has not had a previous owner, apart from the dealer of course. My advice is to judge the piano as a musical instrument rather than by its specifications. I would also say that you find a range of opinions on all pianos on this website and many need to be taken with a grain of salt.

Be guided by your own instincts on this one and by the trusted name of the manufacturer.

Good luck!

Robert.

Thank You. As I mentioned I am going to back in tomorrow and play it again to see how I feel about it tomorrow. I have a neighbor who is a pianist and he has agreed to go with me and play the piano as well. It is a major step ....

Some thoughts here:

1) If the "delivered" price (including delivery, taxes, plus one free tuning) is under $14K, that is a pretty decent deal.
2) Overall Kawai makes quality products, and have for quite a long time.
3) Kawai has a very specific action feel and overall tone. Some folks really love it, some don't at all. You MUST be able to play and hear this piano in action.
4) Not sure what you currently have, but if all the stars align and you get this grand (or some other great choice) in your house, you hopefully will be quite thrilled.

Best of luck!

Groucho,.... I currently have a Wurlitzer upright console. Got it off CL for $200 a couple years ago. I have enjoyed learning and playing immensely and hope to take it to another level. Think a better piano will make me play better ! LOL

Richard; Based on our experience after upgrading from a good digital to a very good grand, I believe our playing has improved, in part because of the better quality of the action and the additional control it allows.

Now it probably won't get you to Carnegie Hall, but it should improve the quality of your playing, in addition to really enhancing the aesthetics of your home.

I bought my Yamaha C2 SG two and a half years ago. Before the purchase, I also considered the Kawai GE-30.
In my opinion, the Kawai GE-30 has a very good action, and also a good sound for its size. But what I didn't like much was the feeling of the keytops. The NeoTex felt weird under my fingers; at least compared to the smooth Yamaha Ivorite.

Have you played the Kawai GE-30? And do you like it? Including the keytops? If so, then I'd say it's a good instrument.

Can't exactly comment on the price, but it seems to be pretty good but probably something fairly repeatable. I wouldn't buy it only based on that price though.

I played the GE-30 for a few minutes and thought it wasn't too far off from the GX-1. I don't mean I thought it was just as good, but it wasn't miles off. But I only played it for a few minutes and don't remember the details.

I would test the GX-1 and pay attention to the action. The GX series were designed to have a lighter touch and it has a lot of other features the GE's don't have. http://www.pianobuyer.com/fall14/176.html

If I remember correctly the difference in price between the GE-30 and GX-1 was about $4-5K, so fairly substantial especially in % terms.

Re: the keytops. I love Kawai's Neotex keytops so I think it's all personal preference. I like Yamaha's Ivorite as well. They're different but I think they both feel really nice.

I forgot about the keytops; great point.

We definitely preferred the Yamaha Ivorite surface over Kawai's Neotex. Having said that, had everything else gone Kawai's way, their keytops would have been perfectly acceptable.

What we really didn't like was the plastic keytops of Yamaha's lower GB and GC line. It was an immediate turn-off for us.

RGibson, I noticed in your original post, you wrote the salesperson said the GE-30 is a discontinued model. Just fyi, the GE-30 continues to be a current model for Kawai, it has not been discontinued.