Kawai

Kawai Pre-owned /Used Pianos At Hollywood Piano of Los Angeles County, Hollywood Piano Orange County, Burbank, Pasadena, Santa Ana

Koichi-Kawai In 1927 an enterprising piano designer named Koichi Kawai, employed by Nippon Gakki (Yamaha Piano) went out on his own and formed the Kawai Piano Company. In Japan Koichi Kawai is referred to as the father of Japanese pianos since he was responsible for the initial designs of Japan's two major piano companies. Yamaha and Kawai were made initially by the same workforce, in the same city using the same basic materials. Over the years though the companies have gone in slightly different directions in their philosophies of tone and materials. In the fight for hearts and minds Kawai has never been able to establish the demand and interest which Yamaha has had over the years. Always destined to be number two in Japan much like Avis to leader Hertz in rental cars.

Kawai Japan Agrees to Make Boston Pianos for Steinway & Sons

Kawai manufacturers the Boston line of pianos for Steinway & Sons. These piano don't use Kawai's action parts and in our opinion are not worth the mark up Steinway puts on them. If you like them, save the money and get the Kawai. It can be voiced to be like a Boston. Would any company build a better piano for a competitor then they would build for themselves? The answer is no.

Why Hollywood Piano Loves Kawai Pianos

1. That big 'American' sound - Deep sounding bass with 'bell-like' quality in the high treble are some of the hallmarks of this sound. American piano philosophy of design includes piano frames and rims made using hard rock maple. This material is also used for rims in Steinway & Sons and Mason & Hamlin pianos. This material helps an instrument achieve a deep sound and longer lasting sustaining tone. The big difference between Kawai and the other two American makers using this material are the prices. Kawai is priced closer to other pianos from Asia even though its core material is the same as pianos costing many many times its price. You will not find this rim material in any similar or even higher priced piano from Yamaha or Kawai
2. Working Center Pedal - All Kawai grand pianos have a full working sustenueto pedal . All Kawai upright pianos feature a working center pedal similar to grand pianos. In most other uprights this pedal is merely a switch to engage the mute rail to quiet the piano. Understanding the mute rail is a popular feature on upright pianos, Kawai includes this feature on a switch located under the keybed. This is the only line of upright pianos on the market with both a working grand piano style middle pedal and a mute rail.
3. Stealth Action™ - All Kawai pianos have an action so quiet and noise free it's called Stealth! In the uprights you can distinguish this action by the black color of some parts.
4. Brand Security - Kawai is one of 4 of the most sought after brands on the market. It is division of one of the largest and strongest manufacturers of musical instruments in the USA, Gibson Guitar.
5. Extreme Value - Many people who set out to buy a Steinway piano get sticker shock when they look at the price. Japanese brands Yamaha & Kawai make solid pianos but are often lacking in color, sustain and depth of tone that only hard wood rims and frames can provide. If you're after a Steinwayesque kind of American tone character, you don't have to settle for pianos that do not provide this tone such as those made by Japanese piano companies. For around the same price and often at less cost you can get that full, deep, sustaining American sound from a new Kawai piano. When you consider this example. Their Hamilton Studio if still made in the USA is estimated to sell for $35,000. Today the new Kawai Hamilton sells for a fraction of that amount with the comparable sized Steinway 1098 made in USA sellsing for upwards of $30,000k +. This is why the Kawai is extreme value.

Great Selection Of Kawai Made and Kawai Inspired Hardman Pianos

While Hollywood Piano does not sell new Kawai pianos we always have a selection of used Kawai pianos. We do however sell the Hardman brand from a factory that was in a 20 year joint venture with Kawai Japan. Current models form this factory were sold under the Kawai brand name in China and through Asia and sold under the Linden brand name in other markets of the world including Canada.

The Japanese Makers Dilemma

All of the Used Kawai pianos we sell are made in Japan only and not in their Indonesian or Chinese piano factories. This does not mean quality pianos can not be made in China and Indonesia. The problem for Kawai and other Japanese companies that wish to preserve manufacturing in their home country is this; if they made their pianos too good in these lower manufacturing cost countries who would purchase their Japanese made pianos? For this reason pianos made by Japanese makers outside of Japan are made to be good enough for the money, but they don't strive to exceed or equal what they make in Japan. This constraint has allowed companies which operate specifically in China a great edge in both musicality and value for the dollar because they're striving to make the best piano that can be made in their own country.