I'm thinking of buying a new upright. I'm considering one of the Kawai K series, as those seem to get positive comments as far as quality and sound goes. I was wondering what these actually sell for. It seems there are no prices listed anywhere.

If anyone could tell me what those sell for in the U.S. that would be great (I'm in California).

On a side note, I've been trying to listen to demos of pianos on youtube just to get a bead (I know one has to go and play them in person), but it's sort of amazing to me that stores go to the trouble of doing demonstrations, but use cell phones, and sometimes out of tune pianos. Or do a comparison, and play different things, or have the pianos in different rooms, and then, also recorded on a cell phone. It seems crazy that they don't do good recordings with proper mics, etc, if they are trying to sell stuff that is a lot of money in a world where most people buy digital.

Okay, a little rant.

Anyway, thanks for any price info or suggestions.

I think the K series KAWAI are great, good reliable pianos. But I'd also check their direct competitors - YAMAHA YUS series, For a little more $$$$ you could check some others like Schimmel, Boston, and many other brands even Petrof (uprights, not grands).

Prices - you need to ask a dealer, as it will vary - and coming to end of financial year, there could be some deals around.

This might help.

With recordings on YouTube - you're right - but it's not going to happen. It is near impossible to get a recording unless the piano is in a recording studio - and - it's also a potentially expensive process, by the time the piano is moved there, re-tuned, a pianist is hired along with a sound engineer. Profit margins aren't good enough for that to happen.

The other thing which will happen is that "Fred the dealer" will spend thousands recording the ACME range of pianos, put them on YouTube. Then "Frederika the dealer" will go sell her ACME pianos at a lower price on the basis that they didn't spend a fortune recording them.

Then someone is going to say - I wanted an ACME K500 and you've tested a K600 and a K300. No, it's not going to happen.

In the US if you shop around you should be able to purchase a K series upright for up to 30% OFF of the SMP shown on this chart in the PianoBuyer

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Resources/Piano-Brands-Profiles/Detail/ArticleId/83/Brand/KAWAI

Here's what my new K-500 sounds like...

https://youtu.be/qIqnXVibA9U

Thanks for the web-link - my previous reply was supposed to say:

This might help:
https://www.pianobuyer.com/Resources/Piano-Brands-Profiles

But - it seems I forgot the link!!!

I hope to buy an upright in the next few years and am interested in the Seiler models that are relatively affordable. The Seilers made in Indonesia seem to be around $8k, while those made in Germany are over $40k! A used one is also a possibility.

The guy from Roberts Pianos compares them to Yamahas in this video:

Kawai is the only piano maker that has the correct specifications applied to the shape of the V-bar. They are shaping it to a true V-profile which eliminates the possibility of any string buzzes coming from that standard piano design feature. Tone is also clearer and the longevity of the strings is enhanced. (Getting manufacturers and rebuilders to shape V-bars correctly has been a "crusade" of mine since the late 1970's when I investigated what the V-bar shape should be.)

I don't know if they have implemented it in 100% of their new pianos, but I have seen it in some Kawai uprights over the last few years.

The V-bar is the termination point for the speaking length of the string located just below the tuning pins and above the action in a vertical piano. You can easily observe it if you open the top.

"Comparing a piano to Yamaha" is no longer a great feat: there's many as good or even better pianos on market already.
And not only Kawai or Seiler. People get tired when I mention names, so relax: I won't.
Try as many of the "newer brand" 52" uprights: you may be in for a surprise!
Or even shock...
Then use the money you saved for a nice little holiday!
Appreciating a card from Rome if going there...

Norbert

I’m not tired, please mention some names.

Some of the Boston uprights made in Japan are rather nice.
The tone is quite mellow and a fairly good response.I really
liked one U3 Yamaha I played. The tall Ed Seiler had a good
tone also,but I thought some of the bass notes were rather
muddy, (indistinct )I do not know if these have the special
repeatition action.The touch was very ,very light.They are made in
Indonesia.
The K500 is very nice.The one K300 I played "buzzed" madly
when the low Bflat was played Forte. The other one was on
the same level as the new U1.
The YUS5 Yamaha is a great piano but a few K more than the
U3.It has German piano wire and grand piano hammers.The
tone is rather mellow but singing.
The Feurich Vienna 123 you had on the other seems like a good
piano.I could not really judge the tone in that video.
I hope you find your piano.

Oh it was not you who posted the youtube of the Feurich Vienna
upright but LarryK. Sorry about that !

Could people put rough prices on the recommendations?

I’d like to know which ones were $5-10k, $10-15k, etc

Regarding the recording, I suppose so...

although one could do better than a cellphone! A couple of decent mics and a good interface can be had pretty darn cheap.

Anyway, thanks very much to everyone so far for the replies and links.

I, too, am curious about brands better and cheaper than Kawai.

Also, what's the deal with this?



Lastly, can anyone recommend some reputable dealers in the Los Angeles and/or surrounding areas. I stress reputable! I have had the worst luck.

Thanks again to everyone!!

Larry -

You can do this yourself......pick a brand.....look at the specific models on the pricing charts ...and then calculate up to 30% off the SMP.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Resources/Piano-Brands-Profiles

Of course, I just figured that people who were throwing out various brands of uprights might have some rough numbers in their heads, and could mention them, that's all.

I think a Bösendorfer 130 looks like a good upright to buy. Hahahaha. The OP should check that one out.

This might help.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Articles/Detail/ArticleId/243/The-New-Piano-Market-Today-Staff-Picks

Thank you for that!

As a side note on the recording thing, I was looking at that list and saw the Hailun HU5-P, and so I thought, okay, I'll see what that's about.

So I google it and a site comes up for a place called Northwest Pianos, and they say this piano won awards, and beat the Yamaha U1 and Kawai K3, etc.

And then they have a video:

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=2i2ZgbtSYLQ[/video]

Just a total turnoff! The piano player is good (a million times better than me!), but the recording makes it sound like a tin can!!

What about a Feurich 115 Premiere? Any thoughts? This model is small and relatively affordable, I think it can be purchased for around $5k. I have a small apartment and so a small, high quality upright would be enough for me.

I set out to find an upright piano with a Kawai K series upright in mind last year. After visiting a dozen piano showrooms, I ended up purchasing a 20 year old Charles Walter model 1520 from a private owner.

The sound of the Walter piano differs from that of the Kawai. To my ear the tone is fuller and more diffuse--"creamier", if you will accept my eccentric descriptor--and the bass has just as much presence as the best of the full-sized uprights I tried.

The feel is also very nice under my fingers. My perception puts it a touch on the heavier side, like a Kawai, with a keen response to my dynamic wishes.

Since you are looking for a K series as I was, I would encourage you to give Charles Walter a play or two. I found myself pleasantly surprised and ultimately impressed.

You asked about prices:

The Kawai K300 and K400 pianos I was looking at, all previously owned, were selling for ~$4000-$6000.

The Walters I tried, all previously owned, were mostly selling for ~$4500-$5500.

The Walter I now own I purchased for $2500. I believe I was extremely lucky to find a barely used instrument in excellent condition at that price.

If this is what this piano really sounds like ,it is very nice especially
for $5k !