Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Kawai NV10 Quality Issue? Frequent Repairs?

I bought my Kawai NV10 In January this year. It's only been 3 and a half month, but I need to call for warranty repair for the second time.

The first time was some abnormal friction noise in a few keys (yes more than one but not adjacent). The technician just widened the holes on the keys using a screw driver.

This time is some rattling noise in the low notes area. I guess something is loose.

Is NV10's quality control really this poor? Can anyone tell me what I should do?

It's got wood keys, that can swell and shrink with humidity.

As for the rattling noise, new acoustic actions often need regulation in their very first year after being played in. That's how it's going to be. I'm not sure what modifications they made, but if they use felts the same way, you may need regulation every 3-5 years.

Piano actions might need some minor adjustment after settling into your home environment, and this is normally taken care of by a piano technician, not a digital piano technician though, unless they are cross trained on servicing acoustic actions. I would be concerned by your description of using a screwdriver to ease the key bushings.

We have a rather long thread of user experience with the NV10, it's mixed.

You're certain he used a screwdriver?If so I would not use that technician.

The "holes" under the keys are lined with bushing felt. If the felt is too tight it should be eased (squeezed) using special bushing pliers ... not a screwdriver.

Thank you guys for your patient help. You are right that I never regulated the piano since I purchased it. I will ask kawai for a warranty repair, including replacing the keys widened by the screwdriver, and then call for a regulation service.

You can’t replace individual keys. They are typically milled as a complete set of 88. It’s possible the tech was using a screwdriver as a makeshift way to compress the key bushing cloth. There are also key pin pliers and key bushing pliers that could have been used. Easing tight key bushings is a very normal adjustment for a new acoustic piano action.

Most pianos arrive in an acceptable state of regulation for their intended purpose for a given price point.

Wow, I'd be amazed if they do all that for you sorry to say... They wouldn't regulate an nv10 in UK for free under warranty i know that for sure, well not if i bought one and asked them to anyway lol... Seems to me you get what you're given and have to live with it when it comes to kawai.

Definitely that's not covered by warranty. I think they meant I should schedule a regulation service since it is just moved from the dealership to my home just like I should get it tuned if it were an acoustic piano. And definitely I need to pay for it.


Really? But the technician took notes of the key numbers and tried to order the parts. Also, is it really normal to use a screwdriver to widen the hole? Intuitively it looks too brutal...

I wouldn't worry about the screw driver. Even the pliers are just blunt instruments used to squeeze the felt. They make the pliers for reasons of efficiency, it doesn't mean some other tool can't do its job. This isn't anything like robotic surgery.

As for replacing the key, I don't think that's necessary but it is replaceable. On a regular action they'd have to rebalance that new stick.

Regarding rattling in the bass area, I think it might be a loose nut of the hammer rest rail. It’s not a very uncommon thing and is super easy to fix, you can do it. I believe in the NV10 thread there are some pictures and instructions.

That being said I like how Yamaha have an embedded felt in the whippen that serves the same function without a need for tightening/regulation.

I don't think it's the screwdriver as such that's the problem, but the fact that the technician had to use a screwdriver, so was not prepared to adjust an acoustic action. Alarm bells. But, he should have had and used the proper tools. This is a premier action, so they say.

If mwf is correct and Kawai won't service an NV10 (or NV5) action, for free, in say the first few months, in the UK, service by a piano technician, then I would not consider purchasing one.

This is not the first report of a Kawai hybrid action needing adjustment soon after delivery. That's likely fair enough, except that they should be prepared to take the necessary steps, as part of the overall package.

Yes, if you pay $10,000-ish for a piano, you deserve one that performs properly.
And if regulation is required, it ought to be done by a properly trained and equipped technician, not by a screwdriver jockey.

Totally legit expectation. $10K also means some 'peace of mind' included in the package.

I should have said that if you pay any amount for a piano, you deserve one that performs properly.

Yes, to be blunt, Kawai has quality control issues with the NV10. My experience shared on the "NV10 Hands on" thread is an example. My previous pianos from Kawai: CS11, K200atx2, CA97, CN35, were all problem free. However, as I have posted many times, their technical service is excellent. At least here in the US.

That being said; how much more efficient would it be if they concentrated on quality in the factory? Like making sure all the screws were tight!😒

It's a great piano, and I am glad I got it. Also, there is nothing on the market short of an N3x or an acoustic with a silent system to replace it. Looking back, now that I use VST's, if I had known of virtual pianos, I could have kept and been happy with the K200atx.

How frequent is these kinds of issues in Kawai acoustic grands like their lower level GL10? Since acoustic pianos have hammer felt they need more regulations. I guess maybe it’s the expectation of buying a hybrid piano that it needs regulation.

Is NV10 produced in Indonesia like GL10? Does it share the same action of the GL series? It’s hard for me to imagine that NV10 has an action of inferior quality than the GL series because it doesn’t make sense.

Yes NV10 is made in Indonesia. The actions is literally different from but should be similar to GL10's. NV10's action is called Millennium III Hybrid and GL10's is Millennium III Grand.

I don’t see a motivation for Kawai to make an inferior action line for NV10. GL10 doesn’t cost too much more than the NV10 yet it is a complete acoustic piano. I can’t imagine that the action of gl10 costing more.

The action, except for the lack of hammers, is the same action used in the GL30 and the GX1. (5' 5" pianos). It's a little better than the GL10 action due to longer key sticks.

I also want to mention the NV10 action is made in Japan.