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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!