The Master Piano Artisan from Japan just left my home after spending about 6 hours working on my SK5. When he arrived I told him I was very happy with the action and tone of the piano and pointed out 2 notes that were creating slight buzz sounds. I described the type of music I preferred playing and left him to do his work behind closed doors.

I could hear him diligently at work for the entire period he was at my house. I assume he took a drink but it didn't sound like he permitted himself any other diversions.

After 6 hours he asked me to come try the piano. I had the Shigeru tuned by an excellent tuner already so I really didn't know what to expect. To be honest I'm totally shocked by how much better the piano sounds after six hours with the MPA. Any slight buzzes are completely gone, the perfect action is even more consistent and the tone is outrageously beautiful. As happy as I was when my SK5 was delivered, I'm somewhat startled at what it has become in the hands of the MPA. After expressing my overwhelming satisfaction, the MPA gave me my black velvet box with the golden key and bid me farewell.

Many thanks to Kawai for making the MPA visit a part of the Shigeru purchase. It really makes the ownership experience complete.

Excellent story about your fabulous new piano and the specialist who took it to the next level. Congratulations and enjoy!

Glen

Congratulations!!
We are extremely happy to hear from a very satisfied Shigeru owner.
Enjoy your wonderful instrument.

I'm so jealous! Would love that piano. Don't think I'll ever be able to afford one, unfortunately.

I'm so jealous!

Sounds really neat. Thanks for sharing the story. I'm a little surprised there was an issue with buzz, but it sounds like that's a thing of the past now.

Enjoy!

Great post, and wonderful example of how proper preparation can make a difference even on the most exclusive instruments.

One buzz was just the felt on the fallboard above middle C needing a little glue. The other was the lowest B having a little ring when you pounded it. I figured he would reduce the latter but he completely eliminated it. I got my Shigeru from the factory with an immediate turnaround at the dealer, so I was actually surprised at how great it sounded when it first arrived over 6 months ago. I did get a tuning in between, but the results of today's efforts seem to have transformed any already exceptional piano into something that makes me truly appreciate the vision that inspired the Shigeru line of pianos.

Completely agree. It should really be a part of any significant piano purchase. Even if it doesn't come as part of the purchase it is a great investment for anyone who wants to get the most out of their instrument.

Thanks!

You will always have my warmest regards for assisting me in purchasing the SK5 and making the whole experience a complete pleasure.

Even after a lifetime in the piano business, I am still amazed at the level of improvement a true expert can acheive.

A really good voicing and regulation can make an unbelievable difference, and is one of the most under utilized ways to get the most from one's piano.

The MPA is in my store making my Shigeru grand pianos even more perfect. I asked him to tune some of the other pianos but He insisted that He will only work on the Kawai pianos, particularly the Shigeru.

This follow up service by Kawai, is what sets this piano apart from many others, the
incredible fine finishing of the piano action. I often tell the techs working in the store to just observe the artistry of these technicians-MPA's.

Many people say practice makes perfect, Vince Lombardi often said, "Perfect practice makes perfect."
This is the Shigeru Kawai motto as well.

Thanks Hideki, for being such a proponent for promoting fine quality in pianos and your loyalty to Shigeru. I am grateful to have Bozkurt working at my store, as He is grateful for having a fine customer as yourself. I know you will enjoy your piano for a lifetime.

I will copy this post to Terry Otake, since he doesn't read Piano World. Thanks for posting!

Can a Shigeru owner call a MPA in future to regulate and voice the instrument or is this a one off job?

Quick addition, because I already posted my pro-Shigeru opinion when I bought the piano.

Mr. Otake was at my place Monday, and my experience was pretty much the same. The only quibble I had with my Shigeru was a few excessively bright, shrill notes in the highest octave. He took that right out. I can't tell there was ever a problem. He also found a spring had been missing from the sustain pedal, most likely lost somewhere in moving, and fixed that. And of course, now it's nicely tuned as well.

Beyond the handful of shrill notes, I didn't request any other modifications, since I was already satisfied to begin with. Although there are probably some subtle improvements as compared to before, as far as I can tell, he kept it the same, which was fine by me. So now my Shigeru is like before...only better!

Thanks to Terry Otake and Kawai for providing this service. I'd probably pay to have it done every 5-10 years or so.

I figured you must be on Mr Otake's schedule. I would also gladly pay for the service.

I didn't think it make would a big difference given how happy I was already, but I'm somewhat in disbelief over how perfect the piano has become after Mr Otake's skillful work.

for folks that are passionate about their pianos shigeru has to go on the candidate list. excellent product + unparalleled mfr support. i plan to revisit shigeru when i'm ready to get a larger piano.

Sounds like a true luxury experience; my hat's off to Kawai for the investment they make in the Shigeru line. What a great thing for others to aspire to.

Unfortunately no, outside of Japan it isn't possible for us to schedule additional service appointments. We barely have enough of the Japanese MPAs to build the pianos and still service the new pianos in the home here.

But really, there are excellent technicians here in America as well! It's just that they do not always offer full service appointments like this, and of those who do provide full service, not all of them are experienced with how to get the best from the Shigeru Kawai pianos. But we do hold intensive technician training sessions, and there are a number of people around the country who have learned how to do this level of service.

Don Mannino
(American MPA)
Kawai America

It sure would be interesting to know what topics you cover in those training sessions..., how much they cost, where to find the schedule for when they're being offered.

Andrew,

The training sessions are 1 week long, by invitation for experienced piano technicians only. Priority is given to technicians who work with universities / music schools / Conservatories who own Shigeru Kawai pianos. Also technicians who work with a Shigeru Kawai dealership.

These have been on hold for a few years because of the slow economy, but are being planned again next year in Los Angeles. The cost has not been established - in the past there was no charge, but we will be charging for room and board next year.

Subject matter is regulation, tuning and voicing the Shigeru Kawai pianos.

Technicians wanting to attend need to write to me at Kawai to be placed on the waiting list. But again, we invite technicians to come according to experience level and where they work.

I am not sure if I got that right: every Shigeru gets that very special first treatment by a MPA from the factory in Japan, no matter where the piano is located? That´s good service! Last week I met some folks of the Steingraeber crew from Bayreuth and they told me the same: the first treatment is made by a Steingraeber tech from Bayreuth, no matter where the piano is

Gregor

Gregor,

As far as I know the location does matter. This service is only available in the U.S. (perhaps the in whole of North America) but e.g. not in Europe.

schwammerl.

I'm glad you're so happy with your piano and the Shigeru MPA visit Hideki.

Obviously the Shigeru MPA treatment makes an unbelievable difference and is not just a sales argument.

Just wondering.... why only in the US?....

It can't be that the SK's sold in Europe don't deserve or don't need this incredible fine finishing.

Maybe Kawai is confident that there are enough expert-technicians in Europe that can give their SK's the same care and make them reach the same level of perfection, so they don't need their own specialists to work on it ? (personally I have serious doubts about that)

Or is it just an economic issue (e.g. the SK's are hard to find in Belgium and the Netherlands) ....

Anyway, I think it is a pity that they don't offer this service here, the SK's are worthy competitors for the European high end piano's.

Kwartvleugel,

There are now already two people having serious doubts about that!

Additionally my impression is also that here the Shigerus are not all that readily available, i.e. quite some official Shigeru dealers have no or very limited stocks in the showroom.

schwammerl.

This post is interesting for me because I expect my Shigeru MPA visit sometime in the fall.
I have had my Shigeru for about 4 months and I thought it was fantastic from the moment I received it straight out of the showroom. The tuning drifted a little after a few months in my home and I had it tuned by a very nice tuner about 4 weeks ago. It now sounds even better than at first. The sound and feel particulary in the middle section of this piano is sublime. I sometimes have to pinch myself that I am lucky enough to own such an instrument, and having tried several of the other 'big makes' cannot fathom why this is not in the absolutely top end of Larry Fines ratings. I can only imagine that it is because there is still not enough of them about in the USA.
If the MPA can even improve on the way it is now that will be quite amazing.

Hearing all these positive stories about Shigeru Kawai makes me really curious.

But I am yet to encounter a Shigeru Kawai in Europe: they're kind of mythical beasts, making Yamaha S-series look abundant.


Tom

Hi Tom,
There are fewer than 250 Shigeru Kawai pianos made each year and they have not been around for very long.
I believe that Kawai pianos are not well known in the UK which is another reason for the scarcity of the Shigeru Kawai models there.
However, I am sure that you can track one down somehow. They are extrordinary pianos.

Regards,
Robert.

I'm actually in Holland. And there are plenty of Kawais over here (RX3, RX5 etc.), but Shigeru Kawais seem to be completely absent.