Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Shigeru Kawai Sk3 owners

Hi, I've been a lurker for quite some time and in the process of researching pianos. I am interested in a Shigeru Kawai SK3 and would like to hear comments from owners of this instrument. Are you happy with your purchase? Any problems after purchasing?

Thanks so much.

Hello topi,
Welcomed to the forum.
Your questions are easy to answer. Shigeru Kawai Company has taken very seriously the task of satisfying Shigeru buyers beyond their expectations. The after-purchase service goes as far as having one of their most talented and experienced technicians from Japan visit the customer at home and adjust the piano to their particular preferences.
The quality and design of the piano is also unquestionable.
Best Regards,

I got a friend in Singapore who had purchased an SK3 last year. It's a great instrument, but the visit from a Kawai technician is only for those living in the USA/Canada. At least in Asia and many other continents around the world, the MPA visit is not offered by Kawai. Warranty also differs from country to country.

I have tried the SK3, and must agree that it is a very nice piano. My friend's SK3 was purchased out of the box (as piano dealers in Singapore - in general - do not prep the piano before selling them like piano dealers in the States). That being said, the tone and touch was already a winner.

I own a Shigeru SK2 which is about 5" shorter than the SK3. I've had the piano now for about 3 months and absolutely love it to no end. I'm also very excited because, as Kurtman described above, I have an appointment scheduled this Sunday with a Master Piano Artisan from Japan who will come and spend a day working on my instrument.

I am a professional pianist in Toronto and decided about a year ago that it was time to find a piano that I could spend the rest of my life with.
I sampled a very wide array of pianos in a very exhauted search for 'the one'.
I played various specimens by Steinway, Bosendorfer, Mason and Hamlin, Schimmel, Sauter, Seiler, C.Bechstein, Bechstein Academy, Yamaha, Estonia, Grotrian, Fazioli and of course Shigeru.
As you can tell by this list I was focused mainly on high-end instruments (and although my income doesn't support this kind of purchase I was determined to find a way to make it happen through financing)

In the end three pianos stood out for me: a Fazioli 183, a Grotrian Cabinet and a particular Shigeru SK2. For what I was looking for in terms of sound, action, and the ability to be expressive across a very wide palette these three stood out well above the others.

The Fazioli, after a generous discount from the dealer, could be had for about $90,000 CDN. This was WAY out of my reasonable price range.

The Grotrian could have been had for about $55,000 CDN. After doing some number crunching this was almost possible (if i was willing to live off of Kraft dinner for the next five years.

The Shigeru, at almost half the price of the Grotrian (and a third of the price of the Fazioli) flip-flopped between my second and third choice over time(as I spent a considerable amount of time over several weeks playing these instruments). Fazioli was the clear winner in terms of having everything I could ever want in a piano but the price was, as stated earlier, out of the question. The fact that I kept going back and forth between the Grotrian and Shigeru as my 'realistic' choice made the final choice easy: 'Buy the cheaper of the two!"

So now I'm the proud 'partner' of a Shigeru SK2 and have absolutely no regrets. As each day passes I'm continually amazed at the sounds and colours that can be coaxed out of this beast and the action is to die for. I sometimes play very late at night and playing pppp is no problem with the ultra responsive and 'controllable' Millenium III action.

My verdict: In comparing what you PAY for what you GET I think that the Shigeru Kawai piano is hands down the very best piano in the world. It easily holds its own up against any of the top tier pianos in the world and in most cases can be had for half or even a third of the price. Of course, in the end personal preference for things like sound and tone play a big factor too. Some people may flat-out just not like a Shigeru.
But for me, in the end after a long and exhaustive search and really getting in touch with what I want from a piano it was a no brainer.

All the best,
Adrean

Kurtmen, Chihuahua and AJF-thanks so much for your response. I will have the opportunity to touch and hear the SK3 next week. AJF-I played a Bosendorfer and cried, from the the beauty of the sound and the realization that owning one would not be within my financial means. Researching for that bass sound led me to the Shigeru Kawai and I'm excited at the prospect of what it offers.

Thanks again.

A friend has a Shigeru and I had a chance to play it. What a great piano, marvelous tone, action, clarity, and response. Kawaii makes a superb piano. You certainly can't go wrong with your purchase. Gaby Tu

It never fails. Shigeru threads always get very few responses. Are there THAT few owners reading these forums??
Maybe they're all just to busy playing their piano rather than reading about them

It's surprisingly a possiblity that there may be few owners. From postings on this site, European and Steinway pianos seem to be the preference. I plan on visiting a dealer next week and will post my findings.

I look forward to hearing your impressions.
Have fun!

topi,

Have you tried the SK3 yet?

So what are your impressions? We keenly await your comments ...

I don't own one, but have played several Shigerus and I love them. You won't be disappointed.

Still planning the trip to Peekskill, NY where the dealer is located. Will post once I make the journey.

Hi. Old thread but I’ll chime in. I was in a piano dealer this afternoon and played a Bechstein Academy 190, Estonia 190, Mason Hamlin AA, Shigeru SK3 and SK2, and a Bechstein Concert A192.

The Bechstein concert was definitely on a different level. The action was so fluid and sound so even. But I found the Shigerus to be not far behind to be honest. I really loved the warmth of the tone and the clarity in the treble. Other than the Bechstein concert the SK3 was my favorite piano I played today. Really impressive especially given the price point.

Funny reading a post from 2009. 11 years later I came to the same conclusion. For fear of being called just another fanboy, personally I could care less what the name says on the fallboard. I'm not particularly picky about my pianos. It could say "Steinwart" and I wouldn't care. What mattered to me was quality in tone, touch, and build and what it would cost me in the end. Shigerus offer a phenomenal piano at a phenomenal price. If I do share this my love for this piano it is only for that reason- to share. There may be many an aspiring pianist who thinks a high quality piano is out of his/her reach, but I believe Kawai makes it possible. This poster BTW eventually became a Shigeru Artist.

Hi Adrean, this caught my attention. The SK2 is almost half the price of the Grotrian? New? I was just shopping for this a year ago and I was quoted nowhere near half of CAD$55,000. If that is the case, maybe I should go get one! PM me if you're more comfortable with that.

BTW, yes, SK2 is sweet.

That post is 11 years old, and Adrean hasn't posted here in quite a while (over 18 months).

Haha, oops! Thanks for pointing that out. And I thought I was about to get a new SK2 at a cheap price! LOL 😂

For one somewhat lucky impulse buyer I happen to know that price was almost on the mark.

Since this is an old thread again I’ll add my thoughts about fanboy or cult member. Part of the joy of a piano is all the individual nuances in tone and response are interpreted differently for each and every person. What Jethro finds in an SK2 won’t be the same as I find in my L190 or what Rick finds in his C7 or Baldwin R model. I have watched other people piano shop. Their methodology, their playing, and what they like or dislike is very different all the way around from me. That’s why I certainly wouldn’t expect them to be as amazed as I was in the L190. That’s probably why I still haven’t fallen in love with a Steinway.

It was you, wasn't it?!? Call me envious. 😒 Some folks have all the luck!

Nah just happened to be at the right place at the right time.

But you see once you become a true and unquestioning believer of Kawai good things tend to happen. Membership has its privileges indeed!

Errrr, that’s a little freaky... a bit “cultish”!?! Yikes!

Well, if you expect the spirit of Shigeru to bestow upon you great gifts you have to give in. Besides, it's not so bad once you get past the fruit flavored drinks.

Could the fruit flavored drinks be Kool Aide?

Sorry couldn’t resist the bait.

Well...ok...if they ultimately bestow upon me an SK2 then ok, I'll bite! Pour me a glass of that Kool Aid!

I am a chaplain living in Tokyo, Japan and I need to replace a chapel piano. I have narrowed my choices down to either a Yamaha C6X or Shigeru Kawai SK3. Both are excellent pianos that can work well in the space, but I am curious what the long term cost of maintenance will be between these pianos. I have less than 2 years left here and I do not want to leave my replacement with the burden of an expensive piano to maintain. That being said, would the C6X be that much easier to tune every 6 m. or so or will the SK3 be so well built that it will need minimal maintenance? Any opinions are welcomed.

if you tune it every 6 month and keep room temperate and moisture consistent, ether piano will be fine for long term consistency. The sk3 is a better piano than c6x in terms I’d touch and Tonal variation. It’s one of my favourite piano of all time.

Thanks for your prompt reply. Do most tuners work on a Shigeru or do they shy away from it?

There would be no problem with either in terms of maintenance. I love a good SK3. However if the space is large, one of the errors that institutions often make is not buying an appropriately sized piano for the room and intended use. That might favor the C6X. I would not have an immediate preference for one over the other until I’ve tried the specific pianos being considered for the purchase.

Maintenance should be no issue, either way. Most of the service procedures are the same, though the MPA technicians do use more refined micro hammer shaping techniques, based on my observations. I used to own a SK6.

The chapel seats 400 and has a high roof so it has a fair amount of “air space” and it has industrial carpet throughout. The C6X may be the better size, but our piano player plays pretty aggressive and I can hear her on the current C3X (I will move that to the smaller chapel to replace a 45 yo Kawai KG-2D with a cracked soundboard) even outside the sanctuary, so I do not think the smaller SK3 would be a problem.

I have also considered a Yamaha S3X, but I am not sure it is a better value than the C6X which costs a little less.

I would definitely select the larger piano.

The SK3 has served me well for over 7 years here in the Asian tropics. Because I like hearing what the birds are saying about my playing, I practice several hrs/day w all the doors/windows open to the wet and dry season air ('cept for big rains) and haven't tuned it in over one year as it bounces back by itself betw wet and dry seasons.

Great feedback, thanks.

Thanks for the perspective. There is a reason why piano retailers do not like to compare grands of different sizes; in this case a 6’2” vs 7’0” grand.

If music figures prominently and acoustically in the services, the description of the room is not unlike a concert hall that would house a 9 foot concert grand. The primary concert space at my university seats 180 and is a bit acoustically dead, but the sound of a Steinway D does not overpower it. It takes up too much of the backstage area, though...

Where do you teach? Our man chapel space is better acoustically than our smaller chapel perhaps because of the wood paneling on the walls (built in 1977). The C3X we currently have in there seems loud enough.

I’m a university piano professor, and have bounced around 4 different colleges throughout my career.

I also recommend getting the larger piano for your space.

Smaller pianos in larger spaces tend to get overplayed. The overplaying tends to lead to more service needs and a shorter life span, having nothing to do with the brands in this case. A larger piano will be a more natural fit, offering full tone without the need for overplaying.

You mentioned the C3X seems loud enough, but loudness is not equal to fullness.

A good smaller piano in a big space will still sound good...it will just sound small. It asks more of the audience, more of the pianist, and more of any accompanying instruments or vocalists.

Can you explain a bit more about the difference between loudness and fullness? Do you mean something like if the small piano is played very loudly, it will sound harsh or like the pianist is banging?

after just played an amazing 1970s c7. I'm completely blown away. for me definitely c7 or c6x over s3x.

I'd be more comfortable if I could use the correct scientific terms to describe, but at the moment, I'll use what I have. Larger soundboards move more air for a given frequency and amplitude (dynamic level) so as the sound wave travels, the energy dissipates more slowly. As a sound wave dissipates, it loses amplitude and fidelity of the lower partials first. So a smaller soundboard can produce the desired dynamic level, but as it travels across a room that seats 400, the higher partials as well as higher frequencies are heard in greater percentage of the remaining sound waves.

So on one side, the pianists has to play harder on the smaller piano (1) [effectively banging at times] and on the audience side, they get less of the full tone that is produced in close proximity of the piano and (2) more high partials that also contribute to the banging effect. A 3rd contributing factor is that in a larger piano, in the bass and tenor regions, the tone has more of the fundamental frequency (as a result of scale design...longer strings) than a smaller piano. With less of the lower frequencies to start with, at a distance you get even more higher partials as a percentage of the tone. I believe this equates to a common description of sound that is "less full".

They certainly have potential. I have played a concert in a big church with an old but simply magnificent C7.

That’s awesome. My son is a Church Music major (Organ as his instrument) at Baylor. He prefers Kawai over Yamaha.

Wow, thank you for the awesome description regarding the dissipation of sound quality in a large vs. small piano in a sanctuary. I decided to go in another direction altogether. I decided to keep the C3X in the larger sanctuary and go with the smaller C1X for the smaller sanctuary. In the end, I know I will miss the rich sound of the C6X and my original goal was a C7X, but when that was out of budget, I ended up going small. I will let you know how it works out. Blessings, Ch Mac.