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Sorry everyone
I know I keep asking about comparisons:

#1 Kawai GX-2 Blk vs Boston GP176 PE II

#2 Kawai GX-3 Blk vs Boston GP193 PE II


Thoughts?
I played a Boston 176 this week
will be playing a Kawai GX-2 in 2 weeks


brdwyguy

One is a very nice piano. Unfortunately, the other one is a very nice piano.

Which did you like best?

#2 GX3 if it were me. I typically prefer Kawai to Boston because of the Millennium III action. Both are made by Kawai. It’s not me purchasing it so whichever one you prefer.

I’m also a believer in buying the bigger piano if you can fit it and afford it.

The Boston is a 178, not 176. I have cross shopped these models many times, and it’s silly to prefer one over the other on paper or using just a spec sheet to make a decision. For me it would come down to the individual piano, dealer prep of that piano, and pricing. I have found several of these models that I liked well enough to buy or recommend. And a small percentage that just weren’t to my liking...from those same models!

Plowboy: I have only played the Boston GP178 PE II
I will play the Kawai GX-2 Blk in 2 weeks or so.

j&j: you aren't the only one who has said that - several people in the know has said that as well.
hence, my question here to get a consensus.

terminaldegree, thought that two - if both pianos are the same/close
go with the better price, deal, dealer prep. Tho I'm sure im going to like one over the other
Just thought if they were close in like/feel/tone - i wanted to make sure there
wasnt a piano more preferred, but sounds like they are close.

brdwyguy

It shouldn't matter if a few PW posters prefer one over the other unless MAYBE if 90% of a lengthy list of responders preferred one.

What would a proper piano prep be? A Boston dealer in my area offered to deliver a new Boston directly to me and then offers the first tuning. No prior prep at the store because supposedly they prep it at the factory already. Shouldn't the dealer do more?

If you don't play and inspect the piano prior to delivery, or better yet select a specific piano from the dealer's already-prepped floor stock, you are taking a risk and additional responsibility when you don't need to (assuming the dealer has said model in their inventory). No two pianos sound and feel exactly alike.

Dealer prep varies from store to store, and could include uncrating and removing packing materials, to tuning, to finish touch-up, to regulation, and voicing. Sometimes a few of these steps are done more than once, prior to delivery, resulting in a much more stable and refined piano than one delivered straight from the crate with no prep.

Assuming not done via a special circumstance like a factory selection, I would expect a large discount on an unprepared piano, and the expectation that the end customer will pay more for tuning, voicing, and regulation in the first couple years of ownership.

In Australia the price of a Boston piano is almost double compared to a Kawai piano of the same length. The Boston piano in my opinion is not better or worse than a comparable Kawai piano. So unless you are wanting to trade in for a Steinway within the next ten years, Kawai is the logical choice.

In America, the SMP price of the Boston pianos are currently slightly less than those for similarly-sized Kawai GX line equivalents. They're close enough that a comparison is inevitable in most cases here.

Thank you. I did not realize there can be such a range of work and probably range of quality of work in prep for new pianos.
Should I just take the word of the dealer that says they have done extensive prep at the store or actually have a technician confirm it even though it’s a new piano? I wish I could be able to tell on my own.